Preface: I’m the wife of a veteran who has PTSD, my son is currently serving, so I have a vested interest in this content.
Josh and Mary’s story sheds much-needed and articulate light on the possible situations surrounding the return of veterans from active duty service. In this fictionalized account, the reader/listener has a front-row seat to the mental gymnastics those with PTSD encounter, from suicidal thoughts to new daily annoyances, as they strive (some more than others) to pick their civilian lives back up. I connected well with both main characters and the secondary characters were well-drawn as well. This story has improved my understanding of those with PTSD and brought me to tears twice (visiting the gravesite and Bill’s prayer). If someone you love struggles with these types of issues, you owe it to yourself and them to enter this world for a bit.
The dual narrators worked well for me, it felt stiff at first, but increasing the speed helped remedy that issue for me,