The Final Piece by Maggi Myers
I haven’t posted much in the way of book reviews here lately. But this one I had to share.
I finally got to reading Maggi Myers’ novel The Final Piece. Maggi’s been a fantastic supporter and friend, but for various reasons (mostly because I have very little time to read while I’m writing myself) I hadn’t gotten to her book yet. But today I devoured it.
Here’s the blurb:
Life shouldn’t be about picking up the pieces.
Beth Bradshaw has spent her life hiding from her tragic past. From the moment a trusted family friend steals her innocence until the moment another rescues her, she struggles to just survive.
Surrounded by the comfort and protection of her extended family, Beth embarks on a journey of healing far from the horrors of her home. In her darkest moments, she meets a boy named Ryan. For one incredible summer, Ryan shows Beth what it’s like to act her own age.
To feel free and let go.
If only for a while.Years later, another tragedy threatens to shatter the life Beth has carefully crafted. When faced, yet again, with more pieces to pick up, Beth begins to question what her choices have cost her.
Leaving her old life behind, she sets forth on a pilgrimage that will bring her back to the boy she could never forget. He wants to help her pick up the pieces of her life, but is she willing to do what it takes to become whole again?Can she trust him with a piece of herself?
Okay so… here’s the thing. Within the first five pages, this book broke my heart. And then slowly, carefully, in detailed, beautifully crafted writing, Maggi put it all back together.
I honestly can’t do any justice to this book in a review. The book takes us through a journey with Beth, who went through hideous abuse as a child. Maggi doesn’t shy from the detail, capturing both the physical and emotional experience of a child being sexually molested and raped. It’s devastating. But really, that’s only one piece of the puzzle.
Beth’s story doesn’t just add up to abuse. She’s a survivor. She fights back, and she’s blessed to have others who fight for her, especially Tommy, the older family friend who rescues her as a young teen and watches over her as she grows older. The reader gets taken along on her journey as she heals from her experience, pushes through her boundaries learns to live, and love again.
This book made me cry like a baby. I’m in awe of Maggi’s talent as a storyteller.
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Couple additional comments. Maggi opens the story with the dedication “For Bobby.” Bobby was a Vietnam Veteran who suffered from PTSD, who tragically took his own life. In his name, Maggi is donating a quarter of the proceeds from her book sales this month to Veterans for Common Sense. You can read her blog post about it here.