Giving Away Simone by Jan L. Waldron

Synopsis: The personal in-depth account of motherhood, family and familial bonds.

Writing Style: Straightforward. Striking!

Pacing: Fast.

Personal Highlights:  The writing, right off the bat, was striking. This aspect was what initially kept me reading, given I wasn’t sure where the story was going. It wasn’t long before finding myself wrapped up in a what Jan described as the curse…i.e., generations of women giving away babies. This was a cycle she was going to break, which happens a little late for ‘Simone’, but ironically timely for anyone looking for material on adoption!

Oh my goodness this story is so meaningful and useful and RELEVANT!!! I LOVED the grandmother! Respected the Farrell’s. And thought the world of the brother. Jan relayed perfectly the strongholds on genetics and paternity, and the historical trend of what young (unmarried) girls of the yesteryears who got pregnant dealt with. Like how many times have we met a woman who openly admitted to giving away a child? And yet the number of orphaned, adopted and abandoned children are staggering. Rebecca on the other hand described perfectly how children naturally want to know their birth origins, and the emotional toil they experience when learning they were ‘given away’. (More so female children). There was so much to absorb. Just too many places for deep reflection. Those letters, along with both Jan’s and Rebecca’s perspectives throughout, was a real turning point for me. I was beyond moved. Overall, ‘Giving Away Simone’ is heartfelt, genuine, powerful… and wait for it… wait for it… SPOILER ALERT: I really LOVED that ending AND afterword! Awesome. What an unforgettable story! A Must!