I just finished reading the Chronicles of Narnia. After sticking to an entire 7-book series, how did I celebrate?
By reading about drug addiction.
I needed something different, and, by golly, I got something different.
While I understand not everybody enjoys reading about addiction, it’s one of my favorite topics. One of my favorite books tells the story of a father dealing with his son’s meth addiction. I knew I had to read Broken as soon as I saw it on the shelf, and I had hoped it would be another quick favorite.
However, I soon discovered that not all addiction books are created equal.
First off, William Cope Moyers was a journalist for years. His father was a journalist. He was surrounded by accomplished writers, and he spent most of his life writing.
Why, then, does he kind of suck at writing?
I know that any editor would find countless things about my writing that need improving, but I don’t write for a living. I don’t get paid to do this. I simply enjoy the process of taking my thoughts and finding new ways of expressing them.
Moyers, on the other hand, doesn’t appear to have the writing skills I expected, and the whole book felt rather flat. He’s writing about a serious topic with rehabs, relapse, and recovery. Yet the emotions feel the same, throughout.
Also, at the time of writing the book, he worked for one of the rehab centers that he attended multiple times for rehabilitation. (If I were a journalist I’d find out if he still works there, but I have to finish this review during my lunch hour so I can get back to my actual job.)
There’s no problem with working for a rehab center. However, parts of the book felt like an advertisement for that specific center. He tears down other places, makes this one seem ideal, and – while it might truly be the best of the best – it just felt weird.
Lastly, he used the phrase “I could care less” instead of “I couldn’t care less”.
There’s no excuse.
Denver Nay Blogs 