I will pick up anything Lynn Austin writes, because she is that good. This book is one of the hardest books I've ever read--it deals with PTSD, inhumane treatments at the hands of "experts," the fallout of war on the soldiers returning home, and the families that have to deal with all of this.
Jimmy has returned from World War II where, as a medic, he saw some of the worst things men can do to each other in the name of ideologies. He tries to kill himself and ends up in a psychiatric hospital where he's subjected to insulin comas, electroshock, and water treatments. Peggy is the neighbor girl who has loved Jimmy like a brother and wants to help him find himself again.
The book is so well-researched that I found myself getting angry at how the characters were treated by family and doctors. I found myself sad at all that some of the characters had to go through. I found myself appalled and aghast and the callousness of the professionals. And I found myself rooting for the underdogs in the book. They were the true heroes.
This is definitely a five star book, but have your tissues handy, and gear yourself up to be in the right frame of mind to read it. It will tug your emotions in ways they have never been tugged before.
Tyndale House and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
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