Michael Without Apology, a review by Joanna

Funnily enough though, I’ve had my Advance Review Copy for several months, but something about the blurb put me off starting it – maybe because I didn’t want to read about a child experiencing trauma. Don’t make my mistake – yes Michael’s accident is described, but not gratuitously, and this is all about how he not only recovers, but finds love, answers, acceptance and success. There’s a love story, but it’s not a romance, and it’s very sad in parts, but ultimately uplifting.

There are fabulous characters, like his forthright lecturer “My name is Robert Dunning, and I have scarring on my face and hands…You didn’t think we’d talk about it, did you? You’re all looking at it, but you all figured we wouldn’t speak of it. Why not? It’s not a secret. It’s not a scandal. It’s not a moral failing on my part. It just is.”  Or his kind sensible adoptive father Charles “After a while you get to be just like those damned politicians. They try so hard to be all things to all people that they end up being nothing to anybody. You’re better off being you. Half the people you know’ll applaud you for it and the other half’ll be pissed off. If the people applauding you are the people you like and respect, then you’ll know you got it right.”