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After suffering under years of emotional and physical abuse, Syreeta embarks on a search for the identity beyond wife and mother. Now, removed from that destructive relationship, she struggles to find out who she is and what she is capable of. With the help of her psychologist, Syreeta begins to expose the many scars that layer her soul -- healing the guilt, hurt, and shame that have alienated her from friends and family for far too long.
Syreeta discovers the many options life still has to offer her, and must find the bravery she possesses to heal herself, forgive those who beat her down, and move on to a fresh start in life. Beneath the Bruises is a riveting and empowering take of rediscovering one's dignity and exposes the devastating cycle of domestic abuse and a better understanding of its victims.
A courageous African-American housewife and mother of five seeks freedom from domestic abuse in Birch's powerful ode to self-renewal (and her own work with domestic violence victims). When Syreeta Lynch marries Randall Michael Taylor III, her high school sweetheart, she has no idea that, 11 years later, she'll feel trapped by her perfect union. In that time, Randy becomes a successful investment banker, but also a manipulative monster with no qualms about physically and emotionally punishing his 32-year-old wife when she doesn't behave according to his whims. Then Syreeta's chance encounter with therapist Dr. Jordan Curtis leads her to seek help. With an intense first-person narration, Birch depicts Syreeta's journey of healing; raw, intimate struggles with Randy, revealing sessions with Dr. Curtis and a late-book conversation with her angry older son, K'wan, are especially well-wrought. Syreeta's Aunt Edie dispenses advice on the nature and importance of responsibility ("Every day is a choice"), in case the empower-yourself message didn't quite make it through; if readers can forgive Birch's occasional excesses, they'll find this an honest and inspiring novel. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.This is the story of a battered wife, who has everything that the heart could desire material wise, but has a very abusive husband. This book will take you on a emotional rollercoaster. I hated the husband and kind didn't like the wife for putting up with it. This is a great book for a book club, or even just conversations. This is something that happens everyday that millions of women deal with on a daily basis.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.WOW!!!!! WHAT A POWERFUL LITTLE BOOK. THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME READING ANYTHING BY THIS AUTHOR. I JUST HAPPENED UPON THIS BOOK AT THE LIBRARY. I WAS THERE TO PICK-UP ANOTHER BOOK, WHEN THE TITLE OF THIS BOOK CAUGHT MY ATTENTION. BIRCH REALLY TOOK HIS TIME WITH THIS NOVEL AND COVERED EVERY ASPECT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WITH HIS MAIN CHARACTER SYREETA TAYLOR. THE BULLYING BY HER HUSBAND RANDALL IS SO CLASSIC IN THESE TYPES OF CASES. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW IS WRONG, BUT WE AS WOMEN FEEL LIKE WE ARE HELPLESS. WE SOMETIMES FEEL THAT STAYING EVEN WITH THE ABUSE IS SOMEHOW BETTER THAN LEAVING. BUT WE HAVE TO FIND OUR STRENGTH AND COURAGE LIKE SYREETA, AND START PUTTING BACK THE PIECES OF OUR LIVES. AND DEFINETELY TEACH OUR CHILDREN THAT HITTING, BEATING AND SLAPPING OF ANY KIND IS NOT RIGHT. LOVE IS NOT SUPPOSE TO HURT. THAT IS THE MESSAGE WE MUST KEEP TELLING OUR YOUNG LADIES. I CAN'T WAIT TO READ BIRCHS' FIRST NOVEL SHATTERED SOULS. BUT I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT EVERYONE READ BENEATH THE BRUISES.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged."Beneath the Bruises" is the latest from author Dywane Birch. It is both heart-rending and compelling. We witness blatant manipulation. We witness purposeful bullying. We witness abuse.
Birch shows once again that he can handle a wide range of emotion as he chronicles the journey of one woman as she changes with the loss and recapture of self. Syreeta Taylor is a mere shell of her former self. Years of victimization and abuse at the hands of her husband has taken its toll on her. With the help of Dr. Curtis, a psychologist, she sees that freedom is within reach.
There were vast stretches of overly long narrative. Whether this is a good or bad thing will depend on the taste of the individual reader. For me, I'd have preferred a little more story and a little less emotional narrative. At times, it felt like I was reading someone's diary instead of a book.
Ultimately, "Beneath the Bruises" is a moving novel, with strong elements. Despite its dark content, it is a bright beacon.
Reviewed by: Toni
Dywaned Birch , Has really done some soul searching with this story , it is a though he has first hand knowledge eveythought of a women was captured in this book, Every emotion the pain the love the self worth. How a women just looses herself into her husband how her life just became whatever he wants always putting herself on the back burner. This is turly a LIFE TIME STORY a must read!
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Overview
Based on the author's experiences working with offenders of domestic violence -- an extraordinary novel about one woman's courageous journey to discover her voice, strength, and dignity after drowning in an abusive marriage.
After suffering under years of emotional and physical abuse, Syreeta embarks on a search for the identity beyond wife and mother. Now, removed from that destructive relationship, she struggles to find out who she is and what she is capable of. With the help of her psychologist, Syreeta begins to expose the many scars that layer her soul -- healing the guilt, hurt, and shame that have alienated her ...