Tuesday, March 17, 2020

It has been said one should not let the good other’s say about us (or our work) to go to our heads, or the bad they say go to our hearts. In the case of this poignant book review, my heart could not escape an onslaught of emotion from reading such endearing words…

Hope at the End of the Tunnel: A Book Review by Olivia Overlease

Think back to the last time you went through something seemingly unexplainable. It doesn’t take too long to come up with an experience; the horrible seems to persevere no matter how long it has been or how much effort has been put into forgetting. Yet, despite this urge to let go of the bad and put the past in the past, some have decided to remember and embrace the hardest parts of their life. Julie Overlease serves as a perfect example; through the book Hope Upon Impact, Overlease has immortalized her unexplainable experience and made it available for all to read. Her memoir lays out the undeniably heartbreaking events encompassed in “the accident” in a sophisticated and emotion-wrought fashion, ushering her readers into the uncomfortable realities of disaster through the lens of hope.

Words of love, faith, and family fill the pages of this simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking display of blind hope in all things good. No matter the obstacle, a piece of that pain can be found within the covers of Hope Upon Impact due to its raw portrayal of sadness and helplessness. Through straightforward and relevant language and situations, putting this particular read down is near impossible, especially because it hits so closely with the hurt that can be buried down deep. The story is blunt in its details: a mother screaming at an ambulance driver, a little girl facing left-side paralysis, and a stranger speaking words of love and hope.

By featuring those directly connected to “the accident” and incorporating their experiences into the pages, Overlease offers a more comprehensive view of what really went down. Obviously she couldn’t be everywhere at once, so this addition adds multiple dimensions, helping connect the account to those who may have been bystanders to tragedy or experienced it indirectly. This enables the book to serve as a mirror, urging readers to see themselves in at least someone who appears between the covers. Whether that’s a doctor or paramedic, friend or family member, and even those directly affected, there is undoubtedly someone with whom to connect.

Trials and tribulations are a part of life, and most of us have just accepted that. Despite this grim outlook, Julie Overlease―my mother―has found a way to turn one of her worst experiences into a beautiful, articulate work of art. In Hope Upon Impact; the reader is encouraged to follow the story of my family as “the accident” led us closer to faith. Overlease’s message is heartfelt and sincere, a much needed break from the sappy, sob-stories that circulate all around us. Hope Upon Impact helps all to find the light at the end of the tunnel, even when it seems there is no hope.