- ASIN: B09ZF8YR5N
- Publisher: New Degree Press (2 May 2022)
- Language: English
- Print length: 203 pages
- Genre: Grief & Bereavement Memoir
The BookViral Review:
Donna McCart Welser creates a lasting and poignant memoir of her husband, Ray (Rue), in her first book, ‘Rue’s Butterfly’. Capturing the essence of a thoughtful, loving man with a wicked sense of humour and timing, and the impregnable relationship they shared, she leads her reader through a journey of happiness and pain, of satisfaction and loss, and how to move on whilst retaining and honouring the memory of another.
Welser creates recognisable and well-crafted snapshots of life, both untroubled and tragic, using delicate imagery and realism to transport her readers with her through waves of hope and despair, and of recovery and rehabilitation.
Despite living a successful and contented life, the tragedy of loss is no stranger to Welser. Her reflections strike a deep chord of resonance and recognition with all who have faced a similar experience; ‘the echo remains, and one is changed’.
However, what makes this book really special is its abundance of emotional and practical support for all those negotiating the minefield of caregiving, or attempting to pick themselves up and carry on after the unimaginable pain of losing someone close.
With the authority of lived experience, Welser recommends the constructive steps of positive intent, a bucket list and conscious choice, but does so with empathy and understanding, using realistic suggestions and anecdotes of these in practice. This creates a journal to be dipped into; a support document helping the reader to create a plan of action; a virtual road to recovery.
Welser concludes her memoir with the beautiful analogy of the Japanese art of ‘kintsugi’, the repairing of broken pottery by inlaying the cracks with gold, thus eloquently demonstrating how despite being broken, it is possible to move on whilst retaining valuable and joyful memories.
Generously transparent and thoughtful, Welser gives her all in her writing, providing a lifeline for others caught up in the same inevitability, and solid advice for all to consider the possibilities of tomorrow, whilst living for today. Rue’s Butterfly is a highly recommended 5-star read!
