Review of The Lost Me
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Erin Dydek
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Review of The Lost Me
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Lost Me" by Willie Atkinson.]
The Lost Me, written by Willie Atkinson, is a novella about a man named James who was deployed in Iran shortly after the events of September 11, 2001. He returns to the United States with no memories after his supply truck encounters an Improvised Explosive Device that leaves him with brain injuries and PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Follow James as he roams the U. S. on a bicycle, searching for his lost past. Will he ever find his way home to happiness, or will he wind up another homeless veteran on the streets?
I enjoyed the complexity of the story that the author tried to capture within this short fictional tale. Atkinson brought together multiple love interests, plot twists, and complex subjects to create a brief depiction of the effects of PTSD and recovery. I also appreciated that this story made for a quick, stand-alone read.
Unfortunately, I felt like to book tried to tackle too many heavy topics within too few pages. The straightforward writing style felt abrupt as the author discussed severe issues, including PTSD, homelessness, and drug recovery. Each time the characters reached a milestone in their recovery, there was a sudden switch to a sex scene, making progress seem superficial and rushed. I also found it challenging to connect to the characters emotionally, making it difficult for me to enjoy the book.
The final quarter of the book featured some Christian faith. Usually, faith elements in a novella don’t bother me, but there was no indication that any characters believed in God until the final chapters. I didn’t like the movie-miracle feel that the ending had, with the main character asking God for help and getting the exact answers he sought. His prayers could have been an emotional aspect of the book, but instead felt underdeveloped, abrupt, and inauthentic.
I noticed some minor proofreading errors that didn’t affect my reading experience too much. However, the number of mistakes and the issues mentioned above reduced my rating to one out of four stars. It’s hard for me to recommend it to Christian readers because of the amount of sex in the book, even though it was not erotic. I also have a hard time recommending it to people dealing with PTSD or drug addiction because the solutions presented in this book seemed simple, with no emotional connection to the difficulties of recovery and the actual struggle to find your lost self.
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The Lost Me
View: on Bookshelves
The Lost Me, written by Willie Atkinson, is a novella about a man named James who was deployed in Iran shortly after the events of September 11, 2001. He returns to the United States with no memories after his supply truck encounters an Improvised Explosive Device that leaves him with brain injuries and PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Follow James as he roams the U. S. on a bicycle, searching for his lost past. Will he ever find his way home to happiness, or will he wind up another homeless veteran on the streets?
I enjoyed the complexity of the story that the author tried to capture within this short fictional tale. Atkinson brought together multiple love interests, plot twists, and complex subjects to create a brief depiction of the effects of PTSD and recovery. I also appreciated that this story made for a quick, stand-alone read.
Unfortunately, I felt like to book tried to tackle too many heavy topics within too few pages. The straightforward writing style felt abrupt as the author discussed severe issues, including PTSD, homelessness, and drug recovery. Each time the characters reached a milestone in their recovery, there was a sudden switch to a sex scene, making progress seem superficial and rushed. I also found it challenging to connect to the characters emotionally, making it difficult for me to enjoy the book.
The final quarter of the book featured some Christian faith. Usually, faith elements in a novella don’t bother me, but there was no indication that any characters believed in God until the final chapters. I didn’t like the movie-miracle feel that the ending had, with the main character asking God for help and getting the exact answers he sought. His prayers could have been an emotional aspect of the book, but instead felt underdeveloped, abrupt, and inauthentic.
I noticed some minor proofreading errors that didn’t affect my reading experience too much. However, the number of mistakes and the issues mentioned above reduced my rating to one out of four stars. It’s hard for me to recommend it to Christian readers because of the amount of sex in the book, even though it was not erotic. I also have a hard time recommending it to people dealing with PTSD or drug addiction because the solutions presented in this book seemed simple, with no emotional connection to the difficulties of recovery and the actual struggle to find your lost self.
******
The Lost Me
View: on Bookshelves
Latest Review: Sylvia’s Garden by Diana Yu
