Katherine Bishop

I adored this book. Like the films Finding Nemo and Up, the first few chapters tore me apart and had me crying in public places 🤣 The story of their survival in the face of a superhuman pile of c*** piled on them is inspirational. Her description of how unhelpful medics were really rings true too. There are a lot of comments criticising Ray's 'self pity', disorganisation re doing the walk, odd decisions like blowing money on chips.....I really disagree with these comments. The book affected me so much because I have been through some (not the worst re her husband's diagnosis) of what she did, but I handled it even worse. People do odd things when their world is so utterly ripped apart, and that is why Ray's writing is so touching- the very real, odd reactions the human brain has to devastation. I didn't find self-pity- she writes from her mind, so of course we hear all those terrifying thoughts flooding her brain. What wife wouldn't think like that, and the fact is that she and Moth didn't succumb. Far from insulting the homeless, she sheds light on the discrimination towards them, and impossible barriers preventing them escaping.