Orange is the Color of Goodbye by Christina Suzann Nelson
5 Stars
Wow. The only way I can express my feelings truly is in the reading vlog here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atmbNGUoG-s&t=
But let me try....
Christina Suzann Nelson has become a favorite author from only reading 2 of her books now. That is truly saying something. Her writing is beautiful and immediately pulls you in. This book was an emotional, through-provoking story about family, grief, forgiveness....complicated mother-daughter relationships....BUT GOD. As always, God shows up in ways we least expect Him to.
We follow Eden, a mother who has been through difficult experiences with her son's cancer battle. Her son is cancer free and when all seems to be well.....she has to return home from California to Oregon to help care for her estranged, dying mother. She has to be forced to confront painful memories and unhealed trauma. Her husband is the best guy...he stays back with the kids and encourages Eden to do what she needs to do. He offers to help but Eden continues to say she has to do this all on her own.
One of the things that made this book especially meaningful to me was how deeply I connected with the subject of hoarding and the impact it can leave on a family. This isn't an easy topic to navigate, especially when it involves your parents. I grew up in a similar home as what Eden had to deal with and my parents still live in a home similar to it today. It's hard to process at times. I appreciate the author honestly exploring how hard this can be. Sometimes the people we love can leave us with wounds that are difficult to explain to others and healing isn't always as simple as deciding to forgive and move on.
The mother-daughter relationship in this book was another aspect standing out to me. The book explores toxic family dynamics, generational wounds....the difficulty to break cycles of dysfunction. I appreciate the author doesn't try to wrap everything in a neat little bow or give us a cookie-cutter ending. Instead, the book feels raw and real. She recognized that complicated relationships don't always have a simple resolution and that healing looks different for everyone.
The faith weaved in this book, even in painful circumstances, prove there is possibility of finding beauty in the ashes. We can lean on the Lord and allows others to support us through difficult situations. God sends people to help us even when we least expect Him to. Melody and Alyssa were true friends that the Lord sent to Eden in her time of need.
Overall, this was an emotional heavy read that gave me so much to think about. I think if you love realistic family stories that explore difficult relationships, grief, forgiveness and the messy process of healing will have a lot to appreciate here. It's a reminder that even in the hardest seasons, the Lord is with us.
Content note: This book explores parental illness and end-of-life care, a child's cancer journey, hoarding, toxic family relationships, past sexual assault, domestic violence, and generational trauma.
Thank you to Christina Suzann Nelson for providing a ebook copy to read for review. I have purchased a physical copy for my shelves, as this is now a favorite book of all time for me.
All thoughts are my own.
Amazon: https://link.amazon/B0cvCJgtV
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