On his way to meet his 13-year-old son for the first time, Henri is struck by a car and ends up in the hospital on life support. For the next 46 days, he is joined by his son, Sam, and his former love, Eddie (short for Edwina). Deep in his coma, Henri relives his life, sometimes confronting reality and other times not. Meanwhile, Sam becomes attached to Madelyn, the only surviving member of her family who is in the same hospital wing as Henri. Sam is a synesthete, someone who sees voices and words as colors, and he can see and sense both what Henri is feeling as well as what Madelyn thinks and feels.
Eddie finds herself in the position of holding Henri's medical power of attorney. As she sits by his bedside, she remembers their relationship (it is her version that we ultimately believe) and mourns its passing even years after it ended.
And then there are the doctors and nurses who treat both of these patients as well as others on the floor. It is through them that Sam and Eddie (and the reader) come to better understand comas and how they work. And also through them that we understand that sometimes science doesn't hold all the answers.
I really liked this book. I liked the way the author
blends both the real world and the dream world. It is a little sad but ultimately uplifting and reassuring. Reading this book was time well-spent and I mourned its ending just a little bit.
No comments:
Post a Comment