A deeply felt and emotionally nuanced tale…
Morrison’s latest novel is bolstered by well-drawn characters and strong, confident storytelling. Meredith Golden, a playwright and performer, thought she had left her traumatic past behind when she married the charismatic Greg. But Greg’s alcoholism and violent temper forces Meredith to walk away. Trying to forget her past, she begins to see the sensitive and caring Paul. But Greg has no intention to let her go. Meredith and Paul are sympathetic protagonists whose past experiences leave them cautious when it comes to trusting new people in their lives. The alternating first-person narration gives the reader a window into the terrible burden of traumatic burden that Meredith carries around Greg, always trying her best to ignore his increasingly abusive behavior, painfully aware that things are getting out of control. She faces her challenges with a sense of level-headedness that feels natural. She has days when the reality of her changed life hits her and she finds it hard to cope, and she has moments where she faces everything with her head held high and hope in her heart, and eventually learns to take control of her own life in the wake of unexpected betrayals and emotional trauma. Paul leaps off the page with his unique voice, and his relationship with Meredith evolves slowly and satisfyingly. Along the way, Morrison delves into the questions of self-love, self-realization, integrity, strength, and determination while exploring alcoholism, mental and physical abuse, violence, lies, and deceit. A story about self-discovery and survival that is heartbreakingly honest and deeply poignant.
Shaken No More
Jacqui Morrison
Pub date August 11, 2021
ISBN 978-1954804258
Price $6.40 (USD) Paperback, $2.35 Kindle edition
