Review: What I Had Before I Had You

What I Had Before I Had You

by Sarah Cornwell

Publisher: Harper

Pages: 288

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  A woman must face the truth about her past in this luminous, evocative literary novel of parents and children, guilt and forgiveness, memory and magical thinking, set in the faded, gritty world of the New Jersey Shore.

Olivia was only fifteen the summer she left her hometown of Ocean Vista. Two decades later, on a visit with her children, her nine-year-old son Daniel, recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder, disappears. Olivia’s search for him sparks tender and painful memories of her past—of her fiercely loving and secretive mother, Myla, an erratic and beautiful psychic, and the discovery of heartbreaking secrets that shattered her world.

Kritters Thoughts:  Is bipolar disorder genetic?  Can it be passed down from generation to generation?  This book made me think twice about these questions and even do some research of my own.  With three definite generations battling various levels of the disease and hints at even more family members suffering from the disease in the past, it was very interesting to read about the different ways this disease can manifest and affect people.  The other thing that the author did a fantastic job of was showing how other family members are affected by the attention that those who suffer get due to their disease.

By far, this was not an easy read due to subject matter, but it was definitely an intriguing read.

Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.