I thought this book was amazing. I must admit that I know the author, but I wouldn't call this book amazing if I didn't think it was.
Special is the true story of the up-and-down relationship of author Michael Raff and his first true love, a young woman named Jill Adams. It's the story of how they came to fall in love, how they coped with their differences in age and lifestyle, and ultimately how Jill's belief that she would die young played out. It is a simple yet multifaceted story of boy meets girl, girl is too young for them to be together, girl grows up and then love blooms. There are many obstacles to their love which they must overcome, and they do. The complexity of the story is in the details and in Michael's honest exposure of his strengths and weaknesses as he grows into manhood.
It is never a secret that Jill dies as she predicted, but it is a secret exactly when and how it happens. By then we've come to know Jill. Losing her may not hurt us the same way it hurts Michael. After all, we've been primed for it while he lived through it, hoping and praying her prediction wouldn't come to pass. But her death does affect us. It makes us think about how we can't always stop something from happening even though we are warned. Why is that? It makes us think about how life goes on and good things are still in store even in the aftermath of tragedy. Thank goodness.
But on second thought, I don't know what it will make you think or feel exactly. We're all different. But I bet it will haunt you at least some, give you pause, and make you wonder about life.
I know I'm going to think about Jill from time to time. Such a brief life. Such a shining star. Such an emotional relationship between her and Michael that happened so many years ago. It is touching that Michael would write this book. I'm glad he did and I'm glad I read it.
Special is the true story of the up-and-down relationship of author Michael Raff and his first true love, a young woman named Jill Adams. It's the story of how they came to fall in love, how they coped with their differences in age and lifestyle, and ultimately how Jill's belief that she would die young played out. It is a simple yet multifaceted story of boy meets girl, girl is too young for them to be together, girl grows up and then love blooms. There are many obstacles to their love which they must overcome, and they do. The complexity of the story is in the details and in Michael's honest exposure of his strengths and weaknesses as he grows into manhood.
It is never a secret that Jill dies as she predicted, but it is a secret exactly when and how it happens. By then we've come to know Jill. Losing her may not hurt us the same way it hurts Michael. After all, we've been primed for it while he lived through it, hoping and praying her prediction wouldn't come to pass. But her death does affect us. It makes us think about how we can't always stop something from happening even though we are warned. Why is that? It makes us think about how life goes on and good things are still in store even in the aftermath of tragedy. Thank goodness.
But on second thought, I don't know what it will make you think or feel exactly. We're all different. But I bet it will haunt you at least some, give you pause, and make you wonder about life.
I know I'm going to think about Jill from time to time. Such a brief life. Such a shining star. Such an emotional relationship between her and Michael that happened so many years ago. It is touching that Michael would write this book. I'm glad he did and I'm glad I read it.
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