Blame is the story of a young alcoholic woman, Patsy and where her journey through and recovery from alcohol take her. Patsy's world comes to a crashing halt one morning when she comes to in jail only to be told that she is responsible for the deaths of two people as a result of drinking and driving. This begins her journey that includes the slow realization that she has the disease of alcoholism, surviving prison, and ultimately learning to live the new life she is thrust into upon her release.
Blame takes you into the world of alcohol, prison, and recovery. The book shows just the kind of destruction that alcoholism can produce and the struggle that people experience to recover. While the book accurately portrays many if the aspects of alcoholism and recovery, I wish the author would have also portrayed alcoholism as a disease - this is a little-understood fact but a crucial one in developing a thorough understanding of alcoholism.
Knowing from the book jacket that Patsy ultimately finds redemption from her crime, I read the second half of this book with much anticipation. Along the way, you see Patsy learn how to live in society sober and the obvious struggle involved. Patsy develops relationships, resumes her career, and gets married. Unfortunately, I found the second half of the book to be somewhat slow and when I finally reached the part where Patsy learns the truth of the night of her car accident, I was disappointed. While most of the book felt very real to me, this part felt forced and lacking authenticity.
I was also disappointed in the way Patsy's marriage unfolded. Perhaps this is because I like happy endings, and while not an unhappy one, I would have liked for this to resolve itself differently. On a personal note, my reaction to this aspect of the book may also be because I myself am married to an older man with children and we have found such joy and happiness in our life together that I want to see that portrayed as possible.
Ultimately, I am glad that I read Blame but I cannot say that I loved it. However, I appreciate the look into what the disease of alcoholism can do to the many lives it affects and the experiences it can take a person to.
Blame takes you into the world of alcohol, prison, and recovery. The book shows just the kind of destruction that alcoholism can produce and the struggle that people experience to recover. While the book accurately portrays many if the aspects of alcoholism and recovery, I wish the author would have also portrayed alcoholism as a disease - this is a little-understood fact but a crucial one in developing a thorough understanding of alcoholism.
Knowing from the book jacket that Patsy ultimately finds redemption from her crime, I read the second half of this book with much anticipation. Along the way, you see Patsy learn how to live in society sober and the obvious struggle involved. Patsy develops relationships, resumes her career, and gets married. Unfortunately, I found the second half of the book to be somewhat slow and when I finally reached the part where Patsy learns the truth of the night of her car accident, I was disappointed. While most of the book felt very real to me, this part felt forced and lacking authenticity.
I was also disappointed in the way Patsy's marriage unfolded. Perhaps this is because I like happy endings, and while not an unhappy one, I would have liked for this to resolve itself differently. On a personal note, my reaction to this aspect of the book may also be because I myself am married to an older man with children and we have found such joy and happiness in our life together that I want to see that portrayed as possible.
Ultimately, I am glad that I read Blame but I cannot say that I loved it. However, I appreciate the look into what the disease of alcoholism can do to the many lives it affects and the experiences it can take a person to.
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