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From Fear to Serenity: A Lombok Earthquake Survivor’s Tale
When Jacky visits the tiny Indonesian island of Gili Air, she envisages idyllic beaches, breathtaking sunsets and deep tranquillity. Her picturesque dream of island life is crushed as a series of fatal earthquakes immediately hit the area. As she dodges a potential tsunami and falling debris and fights for an escape route to safety, will she weather the storms of her nomadic life or head home to Spain?
58 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 2, 2021
8 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Jacky Donovan
16 books47 followersJacky Donovan might not have nine lives, but she does have a few. Bored with being a 'Stepford' housewife in Southampton, Jacky packed her bags and headed to London then Gran Canaria over a decade ago. She's now an established memoir author and, more importantly, curious about heroic pets. Her latest books, "Simon Ships Out" and "Smoky" -- the memoirs of the world's first celebrity cat and dog respectively -- are Amazon No.1 bestsellers, whilst her erotic and humorous personal memoir, "Instant Whips and Dream Toppings", is a whip-crackingly captivating bestseller for adults.
In between her writing she has recently trekked to see Mount Everest; tandem jumped from a tiny plane; been on Canarian TV due to her crazy long fingernails; run a lesbian dining club; escaped from a yoga holiday in a dinghy; and regularly does charity work for Breast Cancer and Gay Pride. She currently spends her time between backpacking the world and her home in Gran Canaria.
In between her writing she has recently trekked to see Mount Everest; tandem jumped from a tiny plane; been on Canarian TV due to her crazy long fingernails; run a lesbian dining club; escaped from a yoga holiday in a dinghy; and regularly does charity work for Breast Cancer and Gay Pride. She currently spends her time between backpacking the world and her home in Gran Canaria.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
October 15, 2021
Some of the world’s most beautiful and seemingly peaceful places are subject to naturally occurring earthquakes. Jacky Donovan, a veteran lone traveller, recounts in her new memoir, “From Fear to Serenity”, a truly earth-shattering experience. In July 2018, she lived through and was one of the fortunate survivors the first of a series of earthquakes that ended up killing and injuring thousands of people and causing enormous damage to Lombok Island in Indonesia within the space of a few days.
It is not an easy task to tell, in a credible, interesting, and immediate way, the fear and panic that a sudden and entirely unexpected earthquake provokes in you and those around you – and then disrupts and ruptures everything you thought was stable and permanent. Nevertheless, Jacky Donovan rises to the occasion with great story-telling skill and so has the reader profoundly share that sudden catastrophe and its prolonged and far-reaching aftermath.
In addition to providing the simply curious reader with an explicit, honest answer to: “What’s it like to be in the midst of a cataclysmic earthquake?”, Jacky Donovan’s book reminds even the most experienced traveller that planning for the unexpected is not a luxury but a necessity, especially when exploring places where unexpected and life-threatening events might just possibly occur.
Forearmed is forewarned. Both armchair and experienced travellers will gain much from this book.
It is not an easy task to tell, in a credible, interesting, and immediate way, the fear and panic that a sudden and entirely unexpected earthquake provokes in you and those around you – and then disrupts and ruptures everything you thought was stable and permanent. Nevertheless, Jacky Donovan rises to the occasion with great story-telling skill and so has the reader profoundly share that sudden catastrophe and its prolonged and far-reaching aftermath.
In addition to providing the simply curious reader with an explicit, honest answer to: “What’s it like to be in the midst of a cataclysmic earthquake?”, Jacky Donovan’s book reminds even the most experienced traveller that planning for the unexpected is not a luxury but a necessity, especially when exploring places where unexpected and life-threatening events might just possibly occur.
Forearmed is forewarned. Both armchair and experienced travellers will gain much from this book.
October 9, 2021
Wow, what an experience!
An incredibly powerful and moving memoir of the author's experiences during the Lombok earthquake in 2018.
I enjoyed the eloquent way this was written and, noticing that this is Book 1, am looking forward to reading about more of Jacky's adventures.
An incredibly powerful and moving memoir of the author's experiences during the Lombok earthquake in 2018.
I enjoyed the eloquent way this was written and, noticing that this is Book 1, am looking forward to reading about more of Jacky's adventures.
October 16, 2021
I finished this travel memoir by Jacky Donovan last night and breathed a huge sigh of relief for her when I reached the end. From Fear to Serenity is a gripping, first-hand account of Jacky's experiences when she was caught in the middle of the devastating earthquake that hit Lombok in Indonesia in 2018. The sounds, the smells, the fear and the chaos are all vividly and realistically evoked. I could not have imagined the terror of being caught up in such a situation so far from anyone I know until I read this book. But Jacky coped wonderfully, and her writing recreates her own feelings of anxiety and tension brilliantly. Not only that, she managed to make friends and comfort people, even while dealing with her own fear, a testament to her resilience and compassion. This is a terrific, well-written memoir, which I can recommend very highly. I'm so glad you lived to tell the tale, Jacky Donovan!
June 21, 2023
Travels of a lifetime became the adventure of her life.
I really enjoyed this new travel memoir. The author is in Indonesia. A powerful start, describing the devastation and injuries.
It's well-written, easy to read, with great description which captures the place perfectly. No one seemed too worried, there’d be just a few aftershocks, then all would be calm and serene again.......wouldn't it?
Brilliantly described, it must have been so scary. It's raw; shocking. You get exactly what it was like from the writing. The devastation, and the desperation to escape the island.
Nicely presented, with a fab cover. I love the musical chapter titles. Lots of musical refs-every chapter title is a song-all totally relevant, and help set the scene. I thought the timing was well done-I realise it’s probably how it happened, but it makes for an unpredictable read.
This is a short travel memoir-I was hoping it wasn't going to be too short. It certainly wasn't. I know kindle page turnovers don't equate to page numbers as expressed on amazon-but I counted about 139? (on my Kindle app on phone) when flicking back through it to see how many, after I'd finished reading. So certainly substantial enough.
Accompanying Photos can be seen on her website via a link in the book.
More please!
I really enjoyed this new travel memoir. The author is in Indonesia. A powerful start, describing the devastation and injuries.
It's well-written, easy to read, with great description which captures the place perfectly. No one seemed too worried, there’d be just a few aftershocks, then all would be calm and serene again.......wouldn't it?
Brilliantly described, it must have been so scary. It's raw; shocking. You get exactly what it was like from the writing. The devastation, and the desperation to escape the island.
Nicely presented, with a fab cover. I love the musical chapter titles. Lots of musical refs-every chapter title is a song-all totally relevant, and help set the scene. I thought the timing was well done-I realise it’s probably how it happened, but it makes for an unpredictable read.
This is a short travel memoir-I was hoping it wasn't going to be too short. It certainly wasn't. I know kindle page turnovers don't equate to page numbers as expressed on amazon-but I counted about 139? (on my Kindle app on phone) when flicking back through it to see how many, after I'd finished reading. So certainly substantial enough.
Accompanying Photos can be seen on her website via a link in the book.
More please!
October 11, 2021
This may only be a short read, but Wow! What an incredible amount is packed into this true-life earthquake story. When Jacky Donovan heads for a relaxing break on one of the secret Indonesian islands off Lombok, she never expects to end up in the middle of a terrifying natural disaster.
Written with honesty and aplomb, Jacky comes across as the sort of person you’d want by your side in such a disaster. ‘There’s no point in crying. It would make me feel worse and I’d have to mop up my snivelling tears and snotty nose,’ she says truthfully, if with more sangfroid than I’d have managed given her circumstances.
I’ve read other books by Jacky Donovan and know she is a good writer. In this tale, black humour abounds as Jacky tries to escape death and British foreign office incompetency in equal measure. Her vivid descriptions (the gecko stayed with me for a very long time) bring the reality of an earthquake on a remote island starkly home, whilst songs and references to current news items keep you living the year that was the Lombok earthquake disaster.
I’m still not sure I’d know what to do in an earthquake, and I’ve no idea if I’d fare as well as Jacky did, but this book allowed me to live that disaster vicariously through a survivor’s eyes. And what an eye-opener it was!
Written with honesty and aplomb, Jacky comes across as the sort of person you’d want by your side in such a disaster. ‘There’s no point in crying. It would make me feel worse and I’d have to mop up my snivelling tears and snotty nose,’ she says truthfully, if with more sangfroid than I’d have managed given her circumstances.
I’ve read other books by Jacky Donovan and know she is a good writer. In this tale, black humour abounds as Jacky tries to escape death and British foreign office incompetency in equal measure. Her vivid descriptions (the gecko stayed with me for a very long time) bring the reality of an earthquake on a remote island starkly home, whilst songs and references to current news items keep you living the year that was the Lombok earthquake disaster.
I’m still not sure I’d know what to do in an earthquake, and I’ve no idea if I’d fare as well as Jacky did, but this book allowed me to live that disaster vicariously through a survivor’s eyes. And what an eye-opener it was!
October 11, 2021
While travelling around Indonesia, Jacky took a short break on the tiny island of Gili Gede near Lombok. It seemed idyllic until a sudden gust of wind shook her tiny wooden hut. Minutes later she was asked by the owner if she had felt the earthquake but he didn’t seem at all perturbed, being used to them even though the news from Lombok wasn’t good.
Jacky captured perfectly how beautiful it was and yet she felt uneasy. There was a sense of impending disaster. Her brilliant descriptions showed that people could go about their business, apparently unworried. She tried to relax and enjoy her holiday but her senses were on high alert!
After having checked out 'what to do in the event of an earthquake' when it struck, she didn’t follow the advice, just the opposite. Her vivid description of the sounds and movements had me holding my breath. How utterly terrifying it must have been! I could understand her panic and fear and how her only thought was to get out and lie down on the ground.
Her writing conveys her fear and desperation also her compassion for those whose homes and livelihoods had been destroyed and her heartfelt sympathy for those who had lost loved ones. It was touching to read about the support that folks were giving each other and how the best of human nature was seen. I was priviledged to be given an advance copy of this memoir. It is a powerful account of how destructive nature can be.
Jacky captured perfectly how beautiful it was and yet she felt uneasy. There was a sense of impending disaster. Her brilliant descriptions showed that people could go about their business, apparently unworried. She tried to relax and enjoy her holiday but her senses were on high alert!
After having checked out 'what to do in the event of an earthquake' when it struck, she didn’t follow the advice, just the opposite. Her vivid description of the sounds and movements had me holding my breath. How utterly terrifying it must have been! I could understand her panic and fear and how her only thought was to get out and lie down on the ground.
Her writing conveys her fear and desperation also her compassion for those whose homes and livelihoods had been destroyed and her heartfelt sympathy for those who had lost loved ones. It was touching to read about the support that folks were giving each other and how the best of human nature was seen. I was priviledged to be given an advance copy of this memoir. It is a powerful account of how destructive nature can be.
July 29, 2023
Wow!
I have been waiting to read this book for a while, it was worth the wait. An honest first hand account of Jacky’s experiences when caught up in the middle of a devastating earthquake. I can’t even begin to imagine the emotions one would go through, the fear, the chaos and the the relief. Thank goodness there was a happy ending or I would not be following Jacky’s current adventures.
Highly recommend!
I have been waiting to read this book for a while, it was worth the wait. An honest first hand account of Jacky’s experiences when caught up in the middle of a devastating earthquake. I can’t even begin to imagine the emotions one would go through, the fear, the chaos and the the relief. Thank goodness there was a happy ending or I would not be following Jacky’s current adventures.
Highly recommend!
March 16, 2022
I can’t imagine being calm in the middle of an earthquake. Jacky’s vivid details had me shaking in my seat. She definitely responded differently than I would’ve. I could not stop reading, concerned for her safety. If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to be in an earthquake or visit Indonesia, pick up your copy now. You won’t regret it.
April 5, 2023
In From Fear to Serenity[Don’t you love the title?]Jacky has shared a fast paced account of her time in 2018 Indonesia as earthquakes and aftershocks destroyed lives and livelihoods of the local people and sent tourists scrambling for safer destinations. Vivid descriptions of what Jacky experienced and witnessed make the reader aware of how very lucky she was.
June 1, 2024
This is a riveting memoir of Jacky’s very interesting, & memorable, for all the wrong reasons, visit to the previously idyllic Gili Air. This tiny Indonesian island next to Lombok suffered a series of fatal earthquakes in 2018. Jacky gives a detailed account of how she, other tourists and the locals were affected by the devastation; and how very difficult is was to get off the island by boat, & subsequently to get away from Lombok by plane.
October 6, 2021
Our very own Jacky Donavon—the constant traveler mostly to very inexpensive places. Waiting for a visa one time in Bali she decides to go to Lombok for a few days—worst few days of her life. Instead of staying in a concrete hotel she opts to stay in a hut-good call. She is in bliss—what a beautiful island—no big cities but a lot of tourist-even famous ones then all hell breaks lose. A 6.9 earthquake ruins the island—if you haven’t lived thru an earthquake you can’t imagine the fear and for a long time after when anything shakes. How to get off an island when so many that don’t live there are all trying to leave. No planes at the moment and no place to buy a ticket or when will planes start. Where to sleep, where to eat, etc? Jacky opts for outside (which a lot of locals do in many countries-Turkey I know). She moves from group to group and then away which is a smart moves and after a couple horrific days she is able to catch a plane back to Bali but Bali is an island and is having aftershocks also. As soon as she gets her visa the next question is where to go and she heads back to her favorite place Hoi An, Vietnam. Finally a shower, food and sleep. If you really want to know what she went thru you need to read this book—how is she prepared? I live in a hurricane zone so always have out take away packs and when we travel we have items people think are a waste of time. It is so worth reading this book even if you only travel occasionally. I highly recommend this book.
December 10, 2021
What a frightful experience--one earthquake after another, far from home, in a part of the world where tsunamis killed hundreds of thousands. The author is terribly skillful in putting the reader in the middle of it. The sight and sound of the earth moving, buildings crashing, and the smells of stressed-out and unwashed bodies huddling, sucked me right into the scene. Fortunately, there are comic relief moments too as she describes the headless chicken moments, people shouting in panic, "Don't panic!" and bureaucrats behaving like bureaucrats even in the direst situation.
The book also contains good tips on what to do when caught in a catastrophe in a place where you don't know anyone. The author, an adventurous woman traveling alone, keeps her head on her shoulders and eventually finds her way out. I must say I'm curious about where her next adventure will be. Judging from this episode, it will be exciting.
The book also contains good tips on what to do when caught in a catastrophe in a place where you don't know anyone. The author, an adventurous woman traveling alone, keeps her head on her shoulders and eventually finds her way out. I must say I'm curious about where her next adventure will be. Judging from this episode, it will be exciting.
October 25, 2021
"From Fear to Serenity" is a well written account of the earthquake that catapulted the author from her idyllic holiday on the Gili Islands off the coast of Lombok, into its nightmarish aftermath in July 2018.
What do you do when nowhere is safe; not on the beach, nor inside buildings, or natural clearings, or the airport terminal...
From moment to moment the circumstances change, and decisions have to be made that will impact Jacky's survival.
Trusting her instincts, rather than following the crowds, allowed her to escape while others perished.
Highly recommended reading for all adventurous travelers.
What do you do when nowhere is safe; not on the beach, nor inside buildings, or natural clearings, or the airport terminal...
From moment to moment the circumstances change, and decisions have to be made that will impact Jacky's survival.
Trusting her instincts, rather than following the crowds, allowed her to escape while others perished.
Highly recommended reading for all adventurous travelers.
January 24, 2022
She felt the earth move under her feet
An amazing first hand account of the 2018 earthquake in Lombok Indonesia. If you ever wondered how it would be to be in an area that has powerful earthquakes, you will know the feelings by reading this powerful book. The authors description s are so real , I almost put my hands over my head and fell to the ground with each after shocks. The author finally does manage to leave the Island and go to her Serenity place to begin to recover from all the multilevel earthquake experience.
Short novella sized book...perfect for this topic.
An amazing first hand account of the 2018 earthquake in Lombok Indonesia. If you ever wondered how it would be to be in an area that has powerful earthquakes, you will know the feelings by reading this powerful book. The authors description s are so real , I almost put my hands over my head and fell to the ground with each after shocks. The author finally does manage to leave the Island and go to her Serenity place to begin to recover from all the multilevel earthquake experience.
Short novella sized book...perfect for this topic.
October 7, 2021
Did the earth move for you?
I'm a huge Jacky Donovan fan. I first discovered her raunchy Memoir Smart as a Whip, and her two animal memoirs of Smoky the Yorkshire Terrier and Seacat Simon. I've followed her travels on social media for years, and longed for her to write about her travels. So I was overjoyed to discover this book. What a marvelous writer she is. I felt as if I was on the island with the ground shaking beneath me. I was horrified at the sights she saw, and relieved when she finally got out of Lombok. Such wonderful descriptions brought to life the sounds, sights and smells, and the fear at the situation. A short story, but a powerful one. And I'm excited to see this is book one..... I hope it won't be too long before book 2.
I'm a huge Jacky Donovan fan. I first discovered her raunchy Memoir Smart as a Whip, and her two animal memoirs of Smoky the Yorkshire Terrier and Seacat Simon. I've followed her travels on social media for years, and longed for her to write about her travels. So I was overjoyed to discover this book. What a marvelous writer she is. I felt as if I was on the island with the ground shaking beneath me. I was horrified at the sights she saw, and relieved when she finally got out of Lombok. Such wonderful descriptions brought to life the sounds, sights and smells, and the fear at the situation. A short story, but a powerful one. And I'm excited to see this is book one..... I hope it won't be too long before book 2.
October 25, 2021
This short memoir is gripping. Jacky relates the tremendous experience of an idyllic holiday being literally blown apart by an earthquake. We see and feel the panic and chaos in its aftermath and how quick decisions can result in safety or disaster. It was good to read about how people, living in fear, pulled together. To live through, and survive, such a disaster must mark a person for life, instil resilience, and also make one appreciate being alive.
December 29, 2021
In "From Fear to Serenity" Jacky Donovan demonstrates the courage to keep going despite being on shaky ground. This gripping narrative kept me turning pages and marveling at her determination to keep moving toward safety. A compelling read that shows how when life crumbles around us, we can survive.
November 2, 2021
Destruction In Paradise
I have long awaited another book from the very talented, Jacky Donovan so you can imagine my delight at the release of her latest book. Backpackers Travel, book one, hopefully, there will be more to come. I was hooked from page one and read in one sitting.
I joined Jacky in July 2018, in Indonesia for a nice relaxing break, or so I thought, the title is a big clue as to the devastation that is to come so I was prepared for a bumpy ride. On the idyllic island of Gili Air near Lombok, in a little wooden hut, the author is anticipating exploring this tiny island.
Only hours into her holiday, Jacky finds herself in the midst of a major earthquake, one of Mother Nature's most damaging natural disasters, this must have been so terrifying. Local inhabitants, despite the many aftershocks and seemingly unworried, carried on with their normal way of life, working and carrying out everyday tasks, she was on high alert for further danger.
Devastation lay all around her, injured inhabitants, crumbling buildings, her one aim is to get to safety and leave the island. Whilst shaking in fear, she remains calm helping as many as she can in the process of survival. People everywhere are scrambling to safer locations and survival, looking for transport off the island. The sounds, movements, desperation, and fear were all brilliantly captured in her words. All she wanted to do was survive, not a lot to ask but at times a seemingly onerous task that she was fearful of failing.
This is well written and very descriptive, I could feel the sheer terror and desperation she feels and witnesses around her. Thank you Jacky for sharing this with us.
I have long awaited another book from the very talented, Jacky Donovan so you can imagine my delight at the release of her latest book. Backpackers Travel, book one, hopefully, there will be more to come. I was hooked from page one and read in one sitting.
I joined Jacky in July 2018, in Indonesia for a nice relaxing break, or so I thought, the title is a big clue as to the devastation that is to come so I was prepared for a bumpy ride. On the idyllic island of Gili Air near Lombok, in a little wooden hut, the author is anticipating exploring this tiny island.
Only hours into her holiday, Jacky finds herself in the midst of a major earthquake, one of Mother Nature's most damaging natural disasters, this must have been so terrifying. Local inhabitants, despite the many aftershocks and seemingly unworried, carried on with their normal way of life, working and carrying out everyday tasks, she was on high alert for further danger.
Devastation lay all around her, injured inhabitants, crumbling buildings, her one aim is to get to safety and leave the island. Whilst shaking in fear, she remains calm helping as many as she can in the process of survival. People everywhere are scrambling to safer locations and survival, looking for transport off the island. The sounds, movements, desperation, and fear were all brilliantly captured in her words. All she wanted to do was survive, not a lot to ask but at times a seemingly onerous task that she was fearful of failing.
This is well written and very descriptive, I could feel the sheer terror and desperation she feels and witnesses around her. Thank you Jacky for sharing this with us.
January 28, 2022
My Five ***** review of Jacky Donovan’s From Fear to Serenity - her short story of living through and surviving a Lombok earthquake.
I’m terrified of earthquakes and would be one of those panicking in Jacky’s story. As I read, I could feel the earth shifting under my feet, could see the devastation through Jacky’s words and almost smell the fear of the people around her. To witness the tragedy of lives lost and others losing everything they own would be hard to live with. Jacky relates the extreme ordeal well.
Thanks for sharing the experience, Jacky. One I hope you never get to repeat and I’m so glad you were one of the lucky ones to navigate a passage to safety.
I’m terrified of earthquakes and would be one of those panicking in Jacky’s story. As I read, I could feel the earth shifting under my feet, could see the devastation through Jacky’s words and almost smell the fear of the people around her. To witness the tragedy of lives lost and others losing everything they own would be hard to live with. Jacky relates the extreme ordeal well.
Thanks for sharing the experience, Jacky. One I hope you never get to repeat and I’m so glad you were one of the lucky ones to navigate a passage to safety.
December 29, 2024
When a dream becomes a nightmare… In July 2018, nomadic author Jacky Donovan, enjoying an Indonesian idyll, has a strange premonition. A violent gust of wind rocks her hut, she sees a ‘funny’ garden sign exhorting her to ‘Enjoy every day as it’s your last one’, and as reports come in of 6.4 quake on nearby Lombok, where she intends to head next, she ‘quietly Google(s) ‘What to do in an earthquake?’
But Jacky, as we shall discover, is at heart an optimist. Ignoring her ‘internal voice’ she continues her travels, enjoying a blissful yoga retreat on Lombok before heading out for a boat trip to the tiny island of Gili Air. It’s here on the night of August 8th that the nightmare begins…
The author’s graphic account of her world literally turning upside down in the pitch dark amid a terrifying cacophony sets the pace for the rest of the book. Her tense, photo reportage style, powerful images interspersed with grim humour, holds our attention until the very last page. The quakes continue throughout the night amid scenes of utter panic and rumours of an approaching tsunami. It’s hard to imagine a more frightening situation. Jacky is trapped, a solo traveller amid crowds jostling to get on boats. When by a miracle she gets to Lombok airport, she is stranded along with thousands of passengers as the aftershocks continue.
The author’s descriptions of nature at its most destructive are striking, as are her observations on the human actors caught up in events. We’ve seen how most people react in disaster movies and real-life documentaries – survival instinct shooting into overdrive, extreme panic, sauve qui peut! But amid the chaos, the screams, the stink of fear and unwashed bodies, not only does the author herself manage to keep her head, she also reaches out to help others and is herself helped by strangers. In one scene where their little group hand over painkillers to help the victims, she observes ‘Gone was any thought of ‘what’s in it for me?’ that might permeate modern life.’
‘I was lucky, lucky, lucky,’ she writes later. ‘Things could be worse…’
I started this book knowing nothing about Jacky Donovan but finished it mightily impressed both by her double-espresso-shot writing style and by the emerging narrator – her courage, her positive outlook on life which occasionally provides those touches of comic relief which help us cope with an overwhelmingly tragic event. During her slow recovery in the tranquillity of Hoi An, her reflections on the lessons learnt during her ordeal will surely resonate with readers. Highly recommended.
But Jacky, as we shall discover, is at heart an optimist. Ignoring her ‘internal voice’ she continues her travels, enjoying a blissful yoga retreat on Lombok before heading out for a boat trip to the tiny island of Gili Air. It’s here on the night of August 8th that the nightmare begins…
The author’s graphic account of her world literally turning upside down in the pitch dark amid a terrifying cacophony sets the pace for the rest of the book. Her tense, photo reportage style, powerful images interspersed with grim humour, holds our attention until the very last page. The quakes continue throughout the night amid scenes of utter panic and rumours of an approaching tsunami. It’s hard to imagine a more frightening situation. Jacky is trapped, a solo traveller amid crowds jostling to get on boats. When by a miracle she gets to Lombok airport, she is stranded along with thousands of passengers as the aftershocks continue.
The author’s descriptions of nature at its most destructive are striking, as are her observations on the human actors caught up in events. We’ve seen how most people react in disaster movies and real-life documentaries – survival instinct shooting into overdrive, extreme panic, sauve qui peut! But amid the chaos, the screams, the stink of fear and unwashed bodies, not only does the author herself manage to keep her head, she also reaches out to help others and is herself helped by strangers. In one scene where their little group hand over painkillers to help the victims, she observes ‘Gone was any thought of ‘what’s in it for me?’ that might permeate modern life.’
‘I was lucky, lucky, lucky,’ she writes later. ‘Things could be worse…’
I started this book knowing nothing about Jacky Donovan but finished it mightily impressed both by her double-espresso-shot writing style and by the emerging narrator – her courage, her positive outlook on life which occasionally provides those touches of comic relief which help us cope with an overwhelmingly tragic event. During her slow recovery in the tranquillity of Hoi An, her reflections on the lessons learnt during her ordeal will surely resonate with readers. Highly recommended.
October 7, 2021
Almost paradise for a few hoursJacky Donovan, who is a nomad with extremely itchy feet, is traveling around Gili Gede, one of the “Secret” Gili Islands near Bali and Lombok, Indonesia. Before heading off to breakfast, while at her “luxurious” suite, she feels what seems like a strong gust of wind. At breakfast, her server asks if she felt the earthquake—gulp. A 6.4 quake had hit the nearby island of Lombok and killed and injured many and stranded others on top of a mountain.
Life goes on and seems to return to somewhat normal, but still Jacky googles “What to do in an Earthquake.” There are no aftershocks, and she heads to Lombok to a yoga resort. No one seems worried about the recent earthquake, but after falling asleep Jacky is awoken at 3 a.m. and races outside with her possessions to find no one else has reacted—except for the yowling cats and howling dogs. She finds out in the morning that there was another aftershock but with the meditation of the yoga classes, Jacky is lulled into a false sense of security and soon heads to a bamboo hut on the island of Gili Air.
From this point on chaos ensues. There are earthquakes, aftershocks, threats of tsunamis, screaming, panic, injuries and deaths, emergency surgeries, and no organized rescue at all. Jacky, so independent, counterintuitively decides to team up with others. It turns out to be a good decision, until it isn’t and then again, she makes the correct decision for her escape.
In the end, Jacky survives—we know she did since she wrote this book. She traveled to her special place (of all the special places she has visited) Hoi An, Vietnam and began to put the events that occurred in Indonesia in perspective. Suddenly, daredevil activities she has avoided in the past seem minor fears and flying away from Indonesia fills her with joy rather than her usual terror of flying.
Read this book to find out the horrifying details of the events that occurred in Indonesia that day, and the days that followed, and to track a journey from fear to serenity. The lessons Jacky learned may even help you in a future crisis of your own.
Life goes on and seems to return to somewhat normal, but still Jacky googles “What to do in an Earthquake.” There are no aftershocks, and she heads to Lombok to a yoga resort. No one seems worried about the recent earthquake, but after falling asleep Jacky is awoken at 3 a.m. and races outside with her possessions to find no one else has reacted—except for the yowling cats and howling dogs. She finds out in the morning that there was another aftershock but with the meditation of the yoga classes, Jacky is lulled into a false sense of security and soon heads to a bamboo hut on the island of Gili Air.
From this point on chaos ensues. There are earthquakes, aftershocks, threats of tsunamis, screaming, panic, injuries and deaths, emergency surgeries, and no organized rescue at all. Jacky, so independent, counterintuitively decides to team up with others. It turns out to be a good decision, until it isn’t and then again, she makes the correct decision for her escape.
In the end, Jacky survives—we know she did since she wrote this book. She traveled to her special place (of all the special places she has visited) Hoi An, Vietnam and began to put the events that occurred in Indonesia in perspective. Suddenly, daredevil activities she has avoided in the past seem minor fears and flying away from Indonesia fills her with joy rather than her usual terror of flying.
Read this book to find out the horrifying details of the events that occurred in Indonesia that day, and the days that followed, and to track a journey from fear to serenity. The lessons Jacky learned may even help you in a future crisis of your own.
February 9, 2024
On the 5th of August 2018, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit the island of Lombok in Indonesia, Jacky Donovan was relaxing on the island Gili Air just a few kilometers away.
Most of the world gets to see disasters only through the eyes of a news reporter standing near the scene who will describe what the scene is like 24 hours after it all happened. We sit at home watching the television and shaking our heads. That looks terrible. How sad for those people. And that is as close as most people will get to this type of event. Jacky Donovan puts the readers right there and I have to admit it made me anxious. And I have seen my fair share of scary shit in this world.
This book will have you fretting when the first rumbles of the ground occur, then have your fists in a white knuckle panic as you think, “we should not have stayed, why did we stay?” Jacky does an amazing job of giving a straight up firsthand account of what goes through a person’s mind when for days the primary thought on everyone’s minds is, am I about to die?
This book is worth reading if only for the chapter when Ms. Donovan communicates with the British Embassy in Indonesia regarding getting a flight off Lompok. Her presentation of the mindless lack of awareness by the embassy official should have everyone scared beyond reason to ever think that an embassy will ever be of help should you find yourself in a precarious situation overseas. Spoiler alert, they are not. It is f'ing scary that it provides comic relief in a book like this.
The line that will hit home for everyone regarding how the world really operates in times of disaster is this, ‘It must be possible,’ said the guy. ‘They can’t just leave us here!’
Oh yes they can. This book is an eye opening read about just how alone and desperate everyone will be when disaster strikes.
October 6, 2021
This is a short, compelling, explicitly-described true story of a woman’s survival of the 2018 Lombok earthquake and after-shocks in Gili Gede, one of the smaller Indonesian islands near Bali. I was nervously hooked from the first line in the Prologue. I had to know what was going to happen. I meant to put the book aside, to finish another one my nose was stuck into, but that was impossible. Line after line, she had me on the edge of my seat as she wondered whether she should even be worried when it all began with what seemed like just a strong gust of wind. I wanted to shout out, “No, duck for cover, can’t you tell, it’s an EARTHQUAKE!”
My heart was in my mouth as I followed her as she processed what was actually happening. I was at her side with every step she took, saw what she so clearly described in horrifying bloody detail, stepped with her over broken shards of glass and all the earthquake detritus left behind, and felt her despair as she tried to leave the island.
What a story, short but mesmerising. Don’t miss this one; you won’t be able to put it down, either.
My heart was in my mouth as I followed her as she processed what was actually happening. I was at her side with every step she took, saw what she so clearly described in horrifying bloody detail, stepped with her over broken shards of glass and all the earthquake detritus left behind, and felt her despair as she tried to leave the island.
What a story, short but mesmerising. Don’t miss this one; you won’t be able to put it down, either.
November 20, 2021
This is the first travel book I have read from this author--and it was well worth the read! I had lived in Indonesia thirty years earlier so was familiar with many local customs and the area (although I had not traveled to Lombok specifically). I had also experienced a much more minor earthquake in Egypt in 1993. So I had an interest in her memoir from the start.
Wow! I liked the author's style of writing --that sense of immediacy -- through her description and haunting images. I was also amazed at her outward demeanor of calm around her expat colleagues while in her memoir she revealed how the earthquake had shook her up as much as it had the others . It was truly a survivor's tale--gripping and fast-paced. I read it in an evening! Like the author, it struck me as heartbreaking to witness the devastating toll on the locals population while the expats eventually found ways to leave or rebuild within the country. I look forward to the next book in her series!
Wow! I liked the author's style of writing --that sense of immediacy -- through her description and haunting images. I was also amazed at her outward demeanor of calm around her expat colleagues while in her memoir she revealed how the earthquake had shook her up as much as it had the others . It was truly a survivor's tale--gripping and fast-paced. I read it in an evening! Like the author, it struck me as heartbreaking to witness the devastating toll on the locals population while the expats eventually found ways to leave or rebuild within the country. I look forward to the next book in her series!
September 22, 2023
Only a few pages in, my main thought was: This woman can write! She fully sweeps you away to islands in Indonesia where traumatic earthquakes and their aftermaths leave a lasting impression. It’s her clever and poetic choice of words, her attention to detail and the well-chosen cliffhangers at the end of chapters that fully immerse you in the happenings on those islands which have become isolated after nature has revealed its destructive power. You wonder what can happen next that may be worse than what has occurred before, and you can’t stop reading. I only wished this was only a thriller, and not a memoir, as I try to imagine the trauma that everyone experiencing an earthquake of such magnitude is going through. This memoir-turned-thriller can be recommended to everyone. It will open your eyes to both the beauty and potential terror on those islands and show the power of resilience in times of disaster.
August 15, 2025
Heart-pounding. Vivid. Real. From Fear to Serenity: A Lombok Earthquake Survivor’s Tale by Jacky Donovan is a frightening memoir to be sure. Donovan ends many chapters with telling questions, urging the reader forward in the story. The author speaks of how one connected instance in time, the Lombok earthquakes in Indonesia, can seem like it will never end.
Donovan points out that “less than 24 hours earlier a little piece of paradise, was now a living hell.” (Kindle Location 456). But the good news was “everyone came together, helping out a few doctors and each other with whatever they had to offer, some ibuprofen, a few bottles of water, a barbecue, blankets.” [kindle location 253] “Strangers shared what little they had,” (Kindle Location 287).
If you’re looking for a riveting disaster story, From Fear to Serenity: A Lombok Earthquake Survivor’s Tale by Jacky Donovan is the memoir for you.
Donovan points out that “less than 24 hours earlier a little piece of paradise, was now a living hell.” (Kindle Location 456). But the good news was “everyone came together, helping out a few doctors and each other with whatever they had to offer, some ibuprofen, a few bottles of water, a barbecue, blankets.” [kindle location 253] “Strangers shared what little they had,” (Kindle Location 287).
If you’re looking for a riveting disaster story, From Fear to Serenity: A Lombok Earthquake Survivor’s Tale by Jacky Donovan is the memoir for you.
March 12, 2023
In this short but vivid memoir the reader is by the side of Jacky every step of the way experiencing the fear of uncertainty and the fragility of life, the discomforts which the emergency forces there survivors to endure, and the realisation that choices and decisions in such circumstances can literally be a matter of life or death. There is then the total contrast felt by the reader in the end when safety is reached, giving a grateful perspective for things we often take for granted. Some interesting insights too about how to discern between real and phantom tremors (a phenomenon experienced by earthquake victims) - I hope I never have to put it to the test! A harrowing read in parts, but Jacky's story is very readable and her descriptions make this well written book a very worthwhile read.
October 15, 2021
Instantly, I was hooked when I read the first couple sentences of the first chapter: “I’d been travelling around Indonesia for several weeks”. I love travelling and miss it greatly. So, it was such a great book to read. I felt I was in Indonesia, experiencing & seeing what the author was. Indonesia is on my bucket list, but I may reconsider after reading the author’s eventful experience - earthquakes, aftershock, a tsunami, no power & a chaotic airport experience. The author travels solo, which I too, am a solo traveller. For me, it was very interesting to read about the people she met along the way, & how they helped each other through a natural disaster. It’s when travelling that I come across kindest people, as the author also experiences, when stranded in Indonesia. Due to the natural disaster, the author is forced to with the bare minimum. As well, she gains such appreciation for her life. It’s a short read, but not too short and a very easy read, which I liked.
October 20, 2021
Review A gripping account of surviving Lombok earthquake. It is a shorter travel memoir, about 70 pages on my Kindle, but the writing is terse and the descriptions vividly drawn so that you always feel you are there, able to picture the scene so clearly. Local acts of kindness such as from a boat owner, and incidental details make the scenes easy to visualise.
I very much enjoyed the account and though it starts with the chaos of the Earthquake, the account moves towards 'serenity' (no spoilers here!)
I very much enjoyed the account and though it starts with the chaos of the Earthquake, the account moves towards 'serenity' (no spoilers here!)
December 11, 2023
One does not have the luxury to plan for sudden disaster. When the 2018 earthquake impacting the Indonesian island of Gili strikes, Jacky is right in the midst of it. Decisions must be made quickly with little insight and will impact the disaster victim for life. Join Jacky as her quick thinking and a bit of luck see her through a life-changing catastrophe. I couldn’t put this fast-paced, well written and gripping story down. This might have been the end of traveling for me, but it hasn’t daunted Jacky Donovan! A tale of courage.
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