Book Review
It’s Not How You Start…
It’s How You Finish
Before moving to the States, Aliette enjoyed an idyllic childhood in the Bahamas. But life changed abruptly when she became pregnant at twelve and married at thirteen. Written off as a teenage mom and high school dropout, Aliette made a discovery that would change her life again: faith.
With God—along with the power of prayer—Aliette surmounted obstacles that would have imprisoned her in poverty and ignorance. She worked hard for an education, ultimately building a successful career in medicine. She worked hard on her marriage, today celebrating over thirty years together while raising three terrific sons. And she continues to work hard, every day, for the betterment of the world around her.
For Aliette, a change in perspective transformed her destiny through faith in God and oneself.
My Review
Let me start by saying that I'm not religious at all so while I don't agree with everything she said, it's her memoir and her thoughts and it was written really well so I enjoyed reading this quite a lot. I was unprepared for the beauty in this book as well as the heartache she went through because of the loss of her innocence and childhood. It's a sad story, but also offers a look at the joys that come with parenthood and fighting for a better life. While this isn't my usual type of read, I found myself unable to put this book down as I was reading because her life was just so heartbreaking.
This book made me feel so many things, including not really understanding why she stayed with her husband after he got her pregnant at such a young age and how she explained how he acted on several occasions. But also understanding that she was young and even though he was twice her age, he was also very immature and they seemed to grow a lot as they got older.
This book took me on an emotional roller coaster. It's written eloquently in a simple and direct way that ends up pulling you right into the story. It's a very plainly spoken account of her life as a child getting pregnant, and then married to a man who I'm not sure I would have had the strength to stay with. Her life was a difficult one but she managed to get through it and find the will not only to come out the other side intact but find a faith that helped her better herself and become a nurse. This author has a talent for describing the things that happened in a very relatable way, so that you can really connect with them. There's a lot of pain in this book, but there's also love, hope, faith and the fight to be better.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for inspiration for a change inside themselves.
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.
