Official Review: Brian’s Journey by Janet Dubrasky

[Saint Bruno]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Brian’s Journey" by Janet Dubrasky.]

---

4 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Nobody wishes to be bereaved, but I think losing one's child is arguably the most painful grief to bear. Brian's Journey by Janet Dubrasky is a memoir about the life of the author's first child, Brian Dubrasky, and his passing away at the age of thirty-four.

Janet Dubrasky recounts her marriage to her husband, Jim, and the eventual births of Brian and their second son, Michael. The author details the journey of her beloved son from infancy through adulthood. She describes him as a generous, fun-loving, and beautiful soul who was loved by his family and friends. Janet narrates the painful experience of Brian's illness, eventual suicide, and the excruciating grief that followed. But what could have led to Brian taking his own life?

I must say that I struggled to hold back my tears while reading this book. When someone we know is suffering from a terminal illness, we prepare for the worst, even though we wish for them to get well. But when someone full of life dies without any warning, the shock and grief are unimaginable. Hence, I must commend the author for taking the bold step to write this memoir. I believe it's a big step toward accepting her reality and being at peace with it.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed Ms. Dubrasky's writing style. She pours out her heart in an engaging way that makes her narrations flow seamlessly. Also, the timeline of events is linear, so it was easy for me to follow Brian's life. I appreciate the author's use of the first-person point of view in her narrations because it helped me relate to her feelings in a personal way.

What I enjoyed the most about this memoir is its message of hope. We often lose hope when we lose someone close. But the author informs us that we can be at peace with our reality if we understand that the person we lost is in a better place. There is hope! She also tells us that the people we lost did come to the end of their journeys, irrespective of them being young or old when they died. Thank you, Ms. Dubrasky.

On a brighter note, I enjoyed reading about the many beautiful places mentioned in the book. The Dubraskys enjoy having a good time together. They traveled to beautiful places for vacations. I liked how the author promoted the need for family vacations. More so, I enjoyed the part of the book with photos of Brian and the family. They just made the author's story very touching and real.

Was there anything I disliked about this book? The answer is no! Therefore, I am happily rating Brian's Journey 4 out of 4 stars. It is professionally edited, with a few typos and without profanities. I believe anyone in grief will find this book very beneficial.

******
Brian’s Journey
View: on Bookshelves

[RHD]

It's so sad to loose a close one, a child is a whole other story. Suicide is on the rise and am glad a parent got the courage to highlight it. Good job on the review!

[Saint Bruno]

It's so sad to loose a close one, a child is a whole other story. Suicide is on the rise and am glad a parent got the courage to highlight it. Good job on the review!

I agree with you. Thanks a lot for finding time to read and comment.

[Ada Ling]

This is not an easy write for a mother who lost a child. Pray for the whole family.

[MsH2k]

I do hope writing this book was a healing experience for the author. Thank you for a lovely review.

[AvidBibliophile]

While the death of a grown child is never easy to bear, writing about it in raw detail would have to add an additional layer of complicated emotions to work through. Despite such a heavy theme, it’s nice that the author was also able to weave in mentions of family vacations and finding peace after loss. Thank you for your insightful review.

[Saint Bruno]

This is not an easy write for a mother who lost a child. Pray for the whole family.

Yes... It is not easy to write. Thanks for finding time to read and comment.

[Saint Bruno]

While the death of a grown child is never easy to bear, writing about it in raw detail would have to add an additional layer of complicated emotions to work through. Despite such a heavy theme, it’s nice that the author was also able to weave in mentions of family vacations and finding peace after loss. Thank you for your insightful review.

I think it could be a good release too. Thanks for the kind words.

[Saint Bruno]

I do hope writing this book was a healing experience for the author. Thank you for a lovely review.

I hope so too. Thanks for finding time to read and comment.

[Yvonne Monique]

This sounds like a very emotional read and I am not sure whether I would be able to enjoy this book, imagining the pain if this would be happening to my own child. You wrote a very respectful review, though.