When I began this book, I had no idea what this book was about. I picked it up b/c it was an upcoming Book Club book; that is one reason I love Book Club. Sure the conversation is great and the food is fun, but I love the fact that I get to read books I normally wouldn't have picked up.
I had no idea this book was going to be so thought provoking. I had no idea I was going to be so shocked by how people treated Martin. I had no idea the abuse Martin went through. I had no idea someone could go through so much and still come out on top and even happy.
Ghost Boy: My Miraculous Escape from a Life Locked Inside My Own Body by Martin Pistorius gets 4 out of 5 stars in my review of this adult memoir. The book is inspiring. Martin's story is inspiring and eye-opening. I had no idea a 12 year old boy that complained of a sore throat could suddenly stop moving and talking and appear in a vegetative state. I had no idea people abused, physical and sexual, the vulnerable (aka those that can't talk or don't seem to have a high IQ).
The abuse was disturbing, but all of the challenges Martin overcame were inspiring. I was amazed Martin was able to communicate and even hold a job when at one point he couldn't move any part of his body. Though, love is what I found to be most amazing. I love that Martin overcame his fears of love; he loved and let someone love him completely for who he is.
A couple aspects I thought could've been better were the ramblings and skipping around which made figuring out the timeline difficult. I also felt the development of secondary characters, like his parents, lacking and it could've added to the power of the story.
Ghost Boy is a great book, and I'm sure it'll provide a lot of great discussion at Book Club. Though, I'm needed a lighter book to balance out all of these emotions.
Happy Inspiring, Emotional, and Thought Provoking Book Reading!
Ghost Boy: My Miraculous Escape from a Life Locked Inside My Own Body by Martin Pistorius
Rating: 4/5 stars
Best For: 18+, adults
Clean Read: No, language, sexual abuse, and physical abuse.
Worth a Check Out: Yes, it's Inspiring and sad all at the same time.
Buy It or Not: No.
Book Club Discussion: Would you react more like Martin's mom or dad with his diagnosis? What part of Martin's story is most inspiring/impressive? Were you glad you read this book, or did it skew you a bit? What is Martin's most admirable quality in your opinion? Was there anything in the story that most surprised you? What do you think motivated Martin to share his story?
Did you read Ghost Boy? What did you think?
A few quotes I loved from Ghost Boy:
“I’d been put into a box long before, after all. Each of us has. Are you the “difficult” child or the “histrionic” lover, the “argumentative” sibling or the “long-suffering” spouse? Boxes make us easier to understand, but they also imprison us because people don’t see past them.”
“God and I didn’t talk about the big things in life—we didn’t engage in philosophical debates or argue about religion—but I talked to Him endlessly because I knew we shared something important. I didn’t have proof that He existed, but I believed in Him anyway because I knew He was real. God did the same for me. Unlike people, He didn’t need proof that I existed—He knew I did.”
“Dreams can be any size you want them to be. But the important thing is that you have one that is yours.”
“None of us knows what we can bear until we’re asked.”
"I've lived my whole life as a burden, she makes me feel weightless."
"Life can't be experienced at arms length, it must be lived."
"Life is about shades of gray; it isn't black and white."
As you can tell from the number of quotes I have that this book was inspiring and thought provoking. As always, I'd love to hear what you thought.
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