Left Neglected
By Lisa Genova
Dear readers, please forgive this review. I have had a problem posting with blogger at least four different days. I have been upset, because I had a lot to say about this novel. But, most of it has faded away. This is my favorite novel for the summer, beside Butterfly's Daughter. I like to read a book that has something to say, with some research mixed in. I could tell Ms. Genova did her research.
Thank goodness I had posted some thoughts on Goodreads. I am posting it from there. Please forgive me this time. As my life is topsy-turvy right now with moving, and finding a new job, and lots of different changes. I am sad about these life changes. But, I always have believed there is a reason for everything. So, I don't know what it is yet, but I am sure it will come to me.
Read on to my review: I may go back and revise in a few weeks when my life is not so crazy. I would like to apologize to my readers and to Ayelet from Simon and Schuester. I promised this would be up this week.
I am having a giveaway for Left Neglected. Leave a comment the one thing that causes you the greatest stress and did you do anything about it. The giveaway starts Monday August 1st, my son's b-day, till Friday August 5th. I will let you know the winner, on August 8th after I move.
I love the book cover of the paper back better than the hard cover. I like the texture of the paperback, and the color. Rather than the hard back of the navy blue.
Lisa Genova, is the author that wrote Still Alice, which I highly recommend as well. Lisa Genova is a psychologist and her expertise lies in neuroscience.
Sara and her husband, Bob have 3 children. Linus 8 months, and their other school age children, Charlie, and Lucy.
Both Sara and Bob have high powering, stressful jobs, and trying to juggle home life and work simultaneously.
While driving home, Sara has a important call to answer. But, the one second trying to find the phone changes her life.
She gets into a car accident, and everything changes.
In todays world, of computers, and phones, we are always multi-tasking and juggle everything in our daily life. Something has to give sometime. In this case it did.
Sara has not been paying attention in her daily life. She has not had time to pay attention and absorb anything in her life. Like the title of the novel, her life has been NEGLECTED,before the accident.
Since the accident the complication of problems with the right side of her brain, causes her not see anything on her left, or do anything on her left side of her brain does not register. This is truly a true disorder.
What she endures in therapy gives her a time to stop and absorb and think about her rushed life. Before she hadn't anytime to care about herself, or her family and her relationship with her husband, mother, and her children.
Also before Sara gets into the accident, her son has been having difficulties in the classroom. Sara and her husband are both asked to come to the school to for a school conference about their son, Charlie. The teacher observes Charlie's poor behavior with the other students and he's behavior in the classroom. What they learn is there is a possibility that he has symptoms of ADHD.
This is the first time I have read a novel that talks about ADHD. I have a connection and felt sympathy for the family. I understood what Sara and Bob were going through when they first learned about their son, Charlie's diagnosis.
I went through the same thing with my son at school. With being so proud when my son accomplished something. But, ADHD causes the child to be different and a outcast. The author touched based on this. She hit it on the nail how, us parents feel.
I liked the similarities of Sara needing to slow down as well as her son's diagnosis resulted in his behavior slowing down, I liked the parallel. Her son, Charlie, in the beginning of the story was fidgety, could not concentrate and always moving sounded similar to Sara's fast track life.
The only part I did not like was the ending. The story fit, happily ever after. I would have given the story 5 stars if it was not for this part. But, overall I liked the book and I kept wanted to flip the pages.
Thank you Avelet for allowing me to read, and review and host a giveaway. I hear that Lisa Genova is writing another one. I am not going to give you a hint you will just have to go to her website or her facebook page. She discusses her book there.
Good reading!!!