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The Forum > Article Comments > The literature review > Comments

The literature review : Comments

By Jay Thompson, published 24/8/2009

Book reviewers regard books as important and not as faceless 'texts'. Good book reviewing enhances one’s reading experience.

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Nick,
I was taking my kids to the library today anyway, and we’re now in possession of “Perfect Skin”—Butterfish is out on loan. I’ve talked to my eldest two, both verging on teendom, and we three are going to collaborate on a review! We shall put your book to the sword in a week or so!
The first few pages look promising. I remember my first wife going through a similar procedure and her doctor’s also being confident he’d got it all. In fact, all the doctors pretended to be confident, even when she was getting radium. Janice was a nurse, however, and knew better. The melanoma metastasised first in the lymph system, then the brain, and eventually the bowel, at which point all pretence was over and she entered a palliative care ward to slowly die of multiple organ failure. She received pain relief but nothing else, neither food nor water, and survived for nearly a week, lapsing in and out of consciousness. The urine in the catheter that hung by her bed got gradually darker until the slow drip stopped altogether and the contents resembled over-cooked caramel. I used to idle away the time thinking up such descriptions. I only brought the kids in to see her occasionally by that point because they could no longer relate, or even recognise her, and were a little afraid. She was 39 when she died and the last coherent gesture she made was two distinct little kisses she aimed at Isobel (the youngest) when I held her up to her.

All classically pathetic. I asked doctors and staff how this death by desiccation differed from euthanasia, as dehydration is just as lethal as a lethal injection.
Young children are incredibly indelicate creatures; mine used to ask the most appalling questions, and would have no truck with euphemism! As a result, we’ve all grown up willing to deconstruct anything honestly. So in answer to your concerns, not to worry, my oldest two are surprisingly sophisticated readers. And as I say, phoebe’s been coming out with more mature questions about it all lately.
Posted by Squeers, Sunday, 6 September 2009 2:22:38 PM
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