'
What daughter doesn't need advice? What mother can't give it? Whether
she's 18 or 81 a daughter can always benefit from a second opinion on
the condition of her soul, her heart, her head, her hair, her
cleavage. Also her loves, her hates, her dreams, her debts, her teeth
and sexting. No second opinion will be more valuable that her
mother's because it will be offered with love tempered by wisdom and
in the certain knowledge that without it this daughter will end her
days on the streets, in the gutter, with spoilt children, gum diseas
and bosom droop.
Barbara
Toner acknowledges the universal truth that advice should only ever
be offered if sought. She's chosen to ignore it, as any
self-respecting mother should, in this heartfelt address to her own
three daughters. The result is an indispensable guide to be shared by
mothers and daughters of all ages everywhere.'
Because I love you is a beautifully presented
hard covered book that has a feminine gentle look about it that is
modern, stylish and sleek. From the shelf it will draw your
attention, calling you to open its cover and absorb its words, but
that is where it started and ended for me.
It is not very often I am drawn to a book by its cover
alone. Usually the title will engross me and the back blurb with keep
my interest intact, leading to a love of the book from beginning to
end, but with Because I Love You by Barbara Toner I was lost
at the first page. As a mother of two daughters I will admit that the
title is catchy and the back blurb is enticing, what mother doesn't
want to hand a bit of wisdom and advice to their daughter, but I am
sorry Barbara I couldn't quiet work out what you were getting at with
this book or even the reason it was published.
From the first paragraph I was scratching my head trying
to work out whether Barbara Toner was being serious or trying
to write a book of humour. I was tempted by page 5 to put the book
down and declare I could not read it but continued to the end seeking
the answer to my questions of who would read this book? What is the
book trying to portray? And Why publish this book?
Don't get me wrong Barbara Toner can write. Her
words flow beautifully and the overall content makes sense but I
found the advice she gave to be condescending and belittling toward
her daughters at times. I soon realised that this was Barbara's dry
sense of humour. I did laugh a couple of times and I did agree with
Barbara a couple of times in jest but this book is not something I
would give to my daughters in order to give them advice. Not sure
whether Because I Love You is meant to be read by the mother's
or given to the daughters. It mentions that this book is a heartfelt
address by Barbara to her three daughters. Maybe one needs to know
Barbara and her daughters to fully understand it.
When logging the book into Goodreads.com and giving it
three stars I noticed that everyone else who had read it had given
it three stars or less as well.
Giving
it only two stars Suzanne Landstrom writes “ This
is a tongue-in-cheek, dry humor sort-of-book. Light reading - not
much depth to it - but okay to pass the time with.”
Because I Love You by Barbara Toner is sure to
open itself to a bit of conversation as readers discuss how they felt
about it and try to work it out. As an avid reader who loves to
explore words and travel the journey of a book of any genre it is not
often I can honestly say I wouldn't bother but sorry Barbara Toner
Because I Love You has just been placed on my list of books to be
read if one really has nothing better.
review: Jennifer Deaves
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