Reviews

A Severe Mercy: A Story of Faith, Tragedy, and Triumph by C.S. Lewis, Sheldon Vanauken, Sheldon Vanauken

joelaw's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

I read this book for my Well Read Moms book club. I’m glad I hung in there because, while the initial love story annoyed me, I really enjoyed this book. As a Catholic, I believe two become one but I don’t believe we should loose our individuality in our love. Just as the Trinity is three persons in one, so is the family unit comprised of persons. I found the kind of love that Davy and Van initially proposed to be suffocating and was surprised to learn that this was the realization he too came to in the end - that if Davy hadn’t died their relationship likely would have died anyway. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about their conversion to Christianity and the exchanges between Van and CS Lewis and was fascinated by how both perceived of and managed illness, suffering and death. This is one I will likely read again in the future. (I also wondered if this book didn’t influence the book club chooses this year as it contained references to the Four Quartets, Brother Lawrence and Brideshead Revisited).

mamatoca's review

emotional hopeful inspiring sad fast-paced

3.75

Third time reading. Still thought provoking.