The Last Violet
A Book Review By Brenda Hyde
The Last Violet: Mourning My Mother
Author Lois Tschetter Hjelmstad
Published by Mulberry Hill Press
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The Last Violet: Mourning My Mother is not an easy book
to read emotionally...even as the words beckon you to keep
reading, you want to hold back. But it's not just reading of
Lois Tschetter Hjelmstad's grief and her mother's cancer that
makes it a tough read, it's the way the book forces the reader
to examine their own life, their own regrets and their own
mortality that makes it difficult.
The author's poetry which
she shares throughout the book speaks from her heart and
in turn reaches out to ours. Don't get me wrong, you SHOULD
read The Last Violet. It's not just a book about mothers and
daughters. I gained some very important insight into how a
husband and father deals with illness, denial and then grief.
The author also helps us understand the entire family
dynamic during rough times. She makes an observation that
possibly some families come together during a crisis but
she finds this instead to be true:
"But in my life, crisis puts everyone on edge and exacerbates
the difficulties. It crystallizes existing problems".
I do not think her family is an exception. I have been to many
funerals, dealt with grief in my own family and have heard
the harsh remarks and seen the fights over unrelated incidents.
After reading The Last Violet though, I have a better understanding
of why these things happen and how to deal with them. We
may never be prepared for loss but it's invaluable to have authors
like Lois Tschetter Hjelmstad, who can help us sort through the
feelings during an emotional and traumatic situation.
Order Information
Powell's online bookshop carries both used and new copies of theThe Last Violet.
Click here for order information You can also visit the
author's website at MourningMyMother.com.
