Review: A Sparrow Falls

A Sparrow Falls by Vicki Olsen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was what I expected but at the same time was more than what I expected. It is Sarah’s story. It is Dee’s story. Dee is Sarah Jane’s mother. Sarah is the only daughter in a hardworking farm family. Some might have called it a white trash family. I don’t consider anyone trash but I have heard the term and know it’s usage. The story of Sarah does involve abuse, child sexual abuse to be exact. I knew it was going to be difficult to read because of that and my own history. I expected to go slowly with the book. The scenes were not over the top or gratuitous, in my opinion. I did take breaks after reading them but they weren’t what they could have been. Being ready for them helped me. There is more more to this book than that portion of it.
To me the book is about family and family isn’t always wrapped in pretty paper tied with a bow. It is about society, too. The ways we help, the ways we don’t and the times we ignore. I think the best part of this book was the lesson that we can’t change where we come from, what people do to us or what people say or think about us. Those things are all choices made by others that affect us. Our power is in our choices. Our choice to be a victim or be a survivor. Our choice in accepting or refusing to believe what others think, say or their treatment of us. Our choice in how we respond to it all. It’s a story about the healing power of love and the freedom found in forgiveness.
I cried copious amounts of tears. I recommend having tissues handy. I loved crying so hard. It meant the author forced me to feel something, which only happens when you have been transported to the world between the pages. What that means for me is that I will spend time after I close the book thinking about it. Relating to it. Working on my self improvement because something in the story has me examining myself.
I recommend this book to those who enjoy memoir type books. At times I wondered if this was based on fact. Afterward, in thinking about it, I realized it was. It might not be the authors story or even someone’s that she knew. But out there in the world..it is or was someone’s life.
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. A review was not required. I voluntarily reviewed the book and all opinions are mine.

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