Fate was working against little Brian Mauretti. The food that was meant to nourish him was poisoning him instead, and the doctors said the damage was devastating and absolute. Fate had written off Brian. But fate didn’t count on a woman as determined as Brian’s grandmother, Angela DiMartino – who everyone knew as Mama. Loving her grandson with everything she had, Mama endeavored to battle fate. Fate had no idea what it was in for.
An emotional tale about the strength of family bonds, unconditional love, and the perseverance to do our best with the challenging gifts we receive, GOODNIGHT, BRIAN is an uplifting tribute to what happens when giving up is not an option.
Goodnight, Brian by Steven Manchester
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What can I say? Another 5-star rated book from Steven Manchester. After reading “Twelve Months,” I knew I wanted to read this book, and I loved it before I even read it. I don’t know what it is, but I cannot get through one of his books without crying. Had I been alone, I believe I would have been in floods of tears. His writing is unbelievable, and if you have never read one of his books, you are really in for a treat! This book is actually historical fiction, in my opinion. I learned a lot and found myself doing research concerning the main topic covered in the book. And our wonderful author has done his homework. Rest assured that the statistics he gives you are correct and verifiable. This story really caught my attention because this issue dealt with baby formula and cropped up in the late 1970’s. I was born in 1974, and this means that “there but for the grace of God go I.” My daughter also had digestive issues when she was a baby, and this book truly hit home. I found myself sympathizing with the family and wondering how on earth they made it through.
I loved Mama–her faith was unshakable, and I appreciated the faith discussed and displayed in this book. While this is not a “Christian” book, I believe the characters show more faith than many Christian books I have read in the past. I was awed and humbled by many of their struggles. I also have a special place in my heart for special needs children. I am a music teacher, and I have always felt especially drawn to those children who need a little extra help. It was neat to see music touch these children in real ways. And speaking of music, I loved Mama’s choice in music!
I only have one criticism. It has nothing to do with bedroom scenes, and even the profanity was so mild that is was not a problem. I appreciated the issues of racism and disability prejudice, but I did not feel that the homosexual episode was necessary. I was not overly offended because it was mild, and there was some truth in what Mama said, but I couldn’t condone all of it, and I did not think it was needed. But that is a personal preference on my part.
Notwithstanding, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I can hardly wait to read the next book by this author. He is an absolute master at his art!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
