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Be Still
World-renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Jack Silver has been through hell and back. After he and his wife, Shannon, lose their daughter when she is just three days old, their family is left shattered. The effects of the tragedy are devastating. Shannon with-draws from the family while harboring a dark secret. Jack emotionally abandons his wife and surviving teenage son, Travis, and dives into his work. But years later, on the exact anniversary of her daughter's death, Shannon is killed by a speeding motorist under peculiar circumstances. As he grieves next to his wife's lifeless body, Jack makes the fateful decision to lock away his faith and hope forever.
In a futile attempt to preserve his wife's memory, Jack hides the bleak facts of Shannon's death from Travis. As more time passes, the already-strained relation-ship between father and son becomes estranged. Desperate to alleviate his loneliness, Jack befriends the young and witty Dr. Christina Amity-while hiding troubling symptoms that seem to increase by the day. But when Jack receives a shocking diagnosis from Dr. Amity, everything changes.
Be Still is the poignant tale of a son seeking truth and resolution from an absent father and of a father, trapped between life and death, who must mend relationships and confront his own demons-before time seals all wounds for an eternity.
In a futile attempt to preserve his wife's memory, Jack hides the bleak facts of Shannon's death from Travis. As more time passes, the already-strained relation-ship between father and son becomes estranged. Desperate to alleviate his loneliness, Jack befriends the young and witty Dr. Christina Amity-while hiding troubling symptoms that seem to increase by the day. But when Jack receives a shocking diagnosis from Dr. Amity, everything changes.
Be Still is the poignant tale of a son seeking truth and resolution from an absent father and of a father, trapped between life and death, who must mend relationships and confront his own demons-before time seals all wounds for an eternity.
278 pages, Paperback
First published May 9, 2012
290 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 2, 2012
This story was a moving and thoughtful journey between the life we know and what might lie beyond. And it is also a vision of how those two worlds can be intertwined with love, loss, hope and memories.
From the beginning, you follow the path of a surgeon (Jack) who spent his life repairing everyone else. An effort that he became so focused on in order to offset the things he could not repair. The burdens of lost loved ones, and the pain that hovered between Jack and his son, Travis. It was a chasm that could not be bridged in life it seemed, a loss suffered that Jack could not share with his son. That loss was something Jack carried in order to unburden his only son, but his son saw it as distance.
Jack has an incredible heart, evident in his ability and desire to fix people that reaches beyond his patients to a young doctor named Christine. From his son's perspective, his father had the ability and desire to fix everyone but him.
But as Jack, Christine and Travis travel through what remains of a father's life they learn that they are the key to fixing and unburdening each other. The truth brings with it understanding, relief and a loss that shatters all that they believed. In the end, motives became clearer, love became undeniable and loss finally gave way to that love.
It is not a light journey, it is one filled with rough patches and lows. But, at the end of the journey you will find the light will shine brighter and the purpose will be clear. All you need to do is "Be Still"
I would highly recommend Be Still. It is something that will resonate with anyone. Anyone who has had their time cut short with someone they love, or suffered the loss of a loved one will find comfort in the message and the journey that follows. It will warrant several boxes of tissue, but at the end you will find every tear shed was well worth the journey.
From the beginning, you follow the path of a surgeon (Jack) who spent his life repairing everyone else. An effort that he became so focused on in order to offset the things he could not repair. The burdens of lost loved ones, and the pain that hovered between Jack and his son, Travis. It was a chasm that could not be bridged in life it seemed, a loss suffered that Jack could not share with his son. That loss was something Jack carried in order to unburden his only son, but his son saw it as distance.
Jack has an incredible heart, evident in his ability and desire to fix people that reaches beyond his patients to a young doctor named Christine. From his son's perspective, his father had the ability and desire to fix everyone but him.
But as Jack, Christine and Travis travel through what remains of a father's life they learn that they are the key to fixing and unburdening each other. The truth brings with it understanding, relief and a loss that shatters all that they believed. In the end, motives became clearer, love became undeniable and loss finally gave way to that love.
It is not a light journey, it is one filled with rough patches and lows. But, at the end of the journey you will find the light will shine brighter and the purpose will be clear. All you need to do is "Be Still"
I would highly recommend Be Still. It is something that will resonate with anyone. Anyone who has had their time cut short with someone they love, or suffered the loss of a loved one will find comfort in the message and the journey that follows. It will warrant several boxes of tissue, but at the end you will find every tear shed was well worth the journey.
February 6, 2013
Jack Silver is suffering from ALS. He isn’t really sore about the fact that his life is about to end, because he lost his new-born daughter years ago, and after that he also lost his wife. And when it comes to his son, Travis, they don’t have a normal father and son relationship as long as both can remember.
But when Travis is confronted with his father’s disease, their relationship is destined to change. While Jack is in the land between the living and the dead he is trying to find questions and forgiveness for the death of his wife and daughter, where he blamed himself for. Meanwhile Travis is struggling with the fact that he can’t just let his father go. While figuring out his feelings he finds comfort in his father’s doctor, Christine.
The book was quite a heavy and emotional read, though I didn’t cry. The part where Travis and Christine grew closer and closer together I found quite interesting and thrilling. But to be honest, the whole aspect about Jack, the development of his illness and his death, was too tedious for me. It was moving very slow, while the part of Travis and Christine was moving clearly faster, I had trouble switching when the point of view changed between Travis and Jack every other chapter. Maybe it is because I can’t relate to Jack at all, and I am not a parent. I also thought he gave up his life way to easily. If everything was written out of Travis his view and that story arc was elaborated more, I might enjoyed it better than I did now. The whole interplay between Travis and Christine was written beautifully and I really enjoyed that part.
But that is just my opinion, and maybe for somewhat older people it might be fantastic. Because I didn’t really get into Jack’s view on things I give this novel 3 stars.
But when Travis is confronted with his father’s disease, their relationship is destined to change. While Jack is in the land between the living and the dead he is trying to find questions and forgiveness for the death of his wife and daughter, where he blamed himself for. Meanwhile Travis is struggling with the fact that he can’t just let his father go. While figuring out his feelings he finds comfort in his father’s doctor, Christine.
The book was quite a heavy and emotional read, though I didn’t cry. The part where Travis and Christine grew closer and closer together I found quite interesting and thrilling. But to be honest, the whole aspect about Jack, the development of his illness and his death, was too tedious for me. It was moving very slow, while the part of Travis and Christine was moving clearly faster, I had trouble switching when the point of view changed between Travis and Jack every other chapter. Maybe it is because I can’t relate to Jack at all, and I am not a parent. I also thought he gave up his life way to easily. If everything was written out of Travis his view and that story arc was elaborated more, I might enjoyed it better than I did now. The whole interplay between Travis and Christine was written beautifully and I really enjoyed that part.
But that is just my opinion, and maybe for somewhat older people it might be fantastic. Because I didn’t really get into Jack’s view on things I give this novel 3 stars.
January 3, 2013
FALLON'S REVIEW
Jack Silver is suffering from ALS. He isn’t really sore about the fact that his life is about to end, because he lost his new-born daughter years ago, and after that he also lost his wife. And when it comes to his son, Travis, they don’t have a normal father and son relationship as long as both can remember.
But when Travis is confronted with his father’s disease, their relationship is destined to change. While Jack is in the land between the living and the dead he is trying to find questions and forgiveness for the death of his wife and daughter, where he blamed himself for. Meanwhile Travis is struggling with the fact that he can’t just let his father go. While figuring out his feelings he finds comfort in his father’s doctor, Christine.
The book was quite a heavy and emotional read, though I didn’t cry. The part where Travis and Christine grew closer and closer together I found quite interesting and thrilling. But to be honest, the whole aspect about Jack, the development of his illness and his death, was too tedious for me. It was moving very slow, while the part of Travis and Christine was moving clearly faster, I had trouble switching when the point of view changed between Travis and Jack every other chapter. Maybe it is because I can’t relate to Jack at all, and I am not a parent. I also thought he gave up his life way to easily. If everything was written out of Travis his view and that story arc was elaborated more, I might enjoyed it better than I did now. The whole interplay between Travis and Christine was written beautifully and I really enjoyed that part.
But that is just my opinion, and maybe for somewhat older people it might be fantastic. Because I didn’t really get into Jack’s view on things I give this novel 3 stars.
Jack Silver is suffering from ALS. He isn’t really sore about the fact that his life is about to end, because he lost his new-born daughter years ago, and after that he also lost his wife. And when it comes to his son, Travis, they don’t have a normal father and son relationship as long as both can remember.
But when Travis is confronted with his father’s disease, their relationship is destined to change. While Jack is in the land between the living and the dead he is trying to find questions and forgiveness for the death of his wife and daughter, where he blamed himself for. Meanwhile Travis is struggling with the fact that he can’t just let his father go. While figuring out his feelings he finds comfort in his father’s doctor, Christine.
The book was quite a heavy and emotional read, though I didn’t cry. The part where Travis and Christine grew closer and closer together I found quite interesting and thrilling. But to be honest, the whole aspect about Jack, the development of his illness and his death, was too tedious for me. It was moving very slow, while the part of Travis and Christine was moving clearly faster, I had trouble switching when the point of view changed between Travis and Jack every other chapter. Maybe it is because I can’t relate to Jack at all, and I am not a parent. I also thought he gave up his life way to easily. If everything was written out of Travis his view and that story arc was elaborated more, I might enjoyed it better than I did now. The whole interplay between Travis and Christine was written beautifully and I really enjoyed that part.
But that is just my opinion, and maybe for somewhat older people it might be fantastic. Because I didn’t really get into Jack’s view on things I give this novel 3 stars.
November 12, 2012
By far one of the best general fiction books I have read in a long time. Tania Ramos’ writing style is effortlessly fluid as she gently lulls you into an emotionally charged story that will tug at your heartstrings. The characters involved and the circumstances that surround them are given real thought, feeling and page time, which allows the book to move along at a perfect pace.
A truly beautiful story of love, regret and redemption that will have you hooked. You’ll be devastated on one page, then rooting for someone the next. Just make sure you have the tissues at hand as this made me cry not once, not twice . . . but three times. And I don’t mean a few tears, I’m talking real lip wobbling sobs.
Reviewed by Charlotte Foreman on behalf of BestChickLit.com
A truly beautiful story of love, regret and redemption that will have you hooked. You’ll be devastated on one page, then rooting for someone the next. Just make sure you have the tissues at hand as this made me cry not once, not twice . . . but three times. And I don’t mean a few tears, I’m talking real lip wobbling sobs.
Reviewed by Charlotte Foreman on behalf of BestChickLit.com
April 22, 2013
Was apprehensive about picking up this book at first because of the unknown author. It was recommended by a friend so I decided to give it a try. It really was a touching book that I think everyone who has ever been affected by a loved one with a disability should read this book.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews