THE MAJEWSKI CURSE, a memoir by Lisa Dianne McInnes, is about the distinctly different but connected tragic deaths of three of her close family members. Stating that “life is often crueler than fair,” McInnes offers candid details about surviving heartbreaking losses and the healing process that follows.
In October 2012, Lisa and her husband Derek are wakened in the middle of the night by several police officers who advise them that Derek’s son Brandon has been in an accident and is in the hospital on life support. He does not survive his injuries. Less than seven months later, Derek’s other son, Devon, dies from a drug overdose. His death adds chaos to the already tumultuous household, leaving Lisa to spend most of her days trying to make sure everyone else is okay. When a rage-filled Derek is driven to excessive drinking and gambling, Lisa is driven into a state hopelessness. While Lisa seeks help from therapeutic professionals for help in dealing with the family losses, her husband Derek shuts down and attempts to deal with it on his own, causing their marriage and family life to deteriorate. Then Derek is diagnosed with terminal cancer.
McInnes shares what happens next and how it affects her and others with skillful introspection. She keeps focused and on point with the storyline with a well-structured narrative arc—her thoughts logically arranged and easy to follow. Her poignant description of the agony she weathers, how she overcomes her grief and transforms herself into a healthy, happy person is moving, informative, and thought-provoking. While the book may have been written for cathartic reasons, as she pieces together the multiple turning points of her story, readers can’t help but be pulled into the difficult and stressful period of McInnes life. Through her descriptive narration and “show, don’t tell” writing style, it is easy visualize each scene and feel a part of McInnes’ emotional journey. And her warning signs of complicated grief could potentially save lives.
Lisa Dianne McInnes’ memoir THE MAJEWSKI CURSE, a neatly-woven synopsis of the heart-rending suffering the author endured following the loss of three close family members and has the capacity to help others who are suffering from the painful loss of a loved one.
~Florence Osmund for IndieReader