Review of Shattered Bloodlines

[Mutai Marshal]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Shattered Bloodlines" by PK Hornell.]

---

4 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Shattered Bloodlines: A Family's Descent into Darkness is a book by P.K. Hornell. There was no better summary of the book than the quote, "Family is supposed to be our safe haven. Very often, it’s the place where we find the deepest heartache," by Iyanla Vanzant. It was an exhilarating book that showed family dynamics and the generational trauma that can affect a family. I agree with the author's son that this was a story worth telling.

Ms. Peula was the only girl among four children; her brothers were Carl, Mike, and Butch. You'd imagine that being the only girl earned her love and affection, but this could not be further from the truth. Both her parents were abusive to them, and this was just the beginning of the darkness that was about to unfold. Ms. Peula married and had two children, namely Christina and Jonathan. She divorced her first husband due to abuse and married again and got Alan Jr. This family dynamic was riddled with family secrets, drugs, alcoholism, betrayal, and domestic violence. Ms. Peula has lived to the ripe age of seventy, and with long life comes tales to tell. How does the abuse impact the children? How much can a single person bear? Ms. Peula takes us through a journey of resilience and strength.

I found the book's title very fitting after reading the book. I could not stop marveling at the strength that Ms. Peula had. Her courage and resilience were a page-turner that kept me waiting for a better day. Just when you thought it was over, something else even more tragic would happen. The revelations felt like something from a horror movie, and I kept reminding myself that this happened. I loved how Ms. Peula kept her faith and love even for people who did not deserve it. She extended grace when I expected the opposite. The case with her parents was the most poignant point in the book. The storytelling was brilliant as she kept going back and forth without releasing much information. She'd give us a sneak peek to keep us interested. Her delivery of the unexpected twists was on point, and I would not have had it any other way.

The book was somewhat repetitive sometimes and contained a couple of errors. However, it was precise, but it captured everything we needed to know. The author may have prolonged this book because there were tales to tell, but she chose to filter and give us what was necessary.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. It deserves the score due to the vital lessons that I learned. Sadly, I docked a star due to the negatives. I loved Ms. Peula; she taught me much about resilience. I recommend this book to anyone willing to delve into family dynamics and see love from a different angle.

******
Shattered Bloodlines
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[NetMassimo]

This novel addresses very serious issues digging into some dark sides of humanity where family turn from sanctuary to prison. Thank you for your great review!

[Yasmine Zaki Muhieddine]

Ms. Peula is an amazing person and her story seems to be one that needs to be known. It's sad that so much tragedy followed her from her childhood and through her marriages.

[patricia MGBEMENA]

I can only imagine the amount of love and affection Ms. Peula was meant to receive but it is really sad that both her mom and dad was abusive to her and her siblings.