Colm (pronounced Colum) has died seven times in his seven years of life. Cathleen Magee (his mom) has experienced this and has been put through a lot of heartache. Cate is a single mother trying to raise Colm alone, although she has her brother, Sean, to be the father-figure in Colm's life.
Cate is trying to hold her career down along with trying to find the reasons behind Colm's medical condition. Cate was brought up very Catholic and she and Colm and Sean attend church every Sunday.
Cate seems to be holding on to her faith like a life preserver. There are times when it makes her feel hopeful and times when it just seems to be routine. Her mother was a very religious person and attended church every day.
Cate brings Colm to many doctors who don't seem to have any answers about Colm's condition. She is recommended to visit Dr. Gaspar Basu, who immediately seems to recognize the condition that Colm suffers from. Dr. Basu has had the opportunity to read Colm's medical records and tells Cathleen immediately that Colm should have a pacemaker installed. It is his diagnosis to stop Colm's heart from stopping, as there seems to be a disconnection between Colm's brain and heart.
Cate is a little taken aback at such an early diagnosis by one doctor, but feels a strong connection between Dr. Basu and Colm and heeds to the doctor's diagnosis.
Dr. Basu had lost his wife and son in India and instantly felt a pull toward Colm. Colm also fees the connection and instantly bonds with Dr. Basu.
The relationship between Dr. Basu, Cate, Sean & Colm becomes stronger. There is an attraction between Cate & Dr. Basu that is not really addressed by either. Cate is offered the opportunity to take Colm to Italy by her church to see if there are miracles that can be performed to save Colm. Cate asks Dr. Basu to go with them. Dr. Basu wants very badly to make Cate understand that travel might not be the best for Colm, but he understands that Cate is again trying everything to save her son. It always comes down to her faith and wanting Colm to have every chance she can give him for life.
Colm has always had one fantasy: to find his father. Cate has never told Colm too much about his father, as he left Cate when pregnancy was announced. But Colm has dreams every day that his father will be at the apartment when they return, although he does not tell this to his mother.
Colm is a very wise child, knowing that his life is short-lived, irregardless of this mother's endless means of finding any way to prevent that from happening.
This story is such an eye-opening and thought-pondering mix of faith and non-faith. There are many thoughts about what people believe and the clash between those beliefs. The young boy seems to keep the faith going because his mom needs it that way, but then declares his real feelings and puts Cate into the mindset that really makes her question her own position.
Well written and Colm is a very brave and smart child who goes through so much and loves his mother with all of his being. Worth the read and makes you ponder the attitudes of different thoughts on faith.
Cate is trying to hold her career down along with trying to find the reasons behind Colm's medical condition. Cate was brought up very Catholic and she and Colm and Sean attend church every Sunday.
Cate seems to be holding on to her faith like a life preserver. There are times when it makes her feel hopeful and times when it just seems to be routine. Her mother was a very religious person and attended church every day.
Cate brings Colm to many doctors who don't seem to have any answers about Colm's condition. She is recommended to visit Dr. Gaspar Basu, who immediately seems to recognize the condition that Colm suffers from. Dr. Basu has had the opportunity to read Colm's medical records and tells Cathleen immediately that Colm should have a pacemaker installed. It is his diagnosis to stop Colm's heart from stopping, as there seems to be a disconnection between Colm's brain and heart.
Cate is a little taken aback at such an early diagnosis by one doctor, but feels a strong connection between Dr. Basu and Colm and heeds to the doctor's diagnosis.
Dr. Basu had lost his wife and son in India and instantly felt a pull toward Colm. Colm also fees the connection and instantly bonds with Dr. Basu.
The relationship between Dr. Basu, Cate, Sean & Colm becomes stronger. There is an attraction between Cate & Dr. Basu that is not really addressed by either. Cate is offered the opportunity to take Colm to Italy by her church to see if there are miracles that can be performed to save Colm. Cate asks Dr. Basu to go with them. Dr. Basu wants very badly to make Cate understand that travel might not be the best for Colm, but he understands that Cate is again trying everything to save her son. It always comes down to her faith and wanting Colm to have every chance she can give him for life.
Colm has always had one fantasy: to find his father. Cate has never told Colm too much about his father, as he left Cate when pregnancy was announced. But Colm has dreams every day that his father will be at the apartment when they return, although he does not tell this to his mother.
Colm is a very wise child, knowing that his life is short-lived, irregardless of this mother's endless means of finding any way to prevent that from happening.
This story is such an eye-opening and thought-pondering mix of faith and non-faith. There are many thoughts about what people believe and the clash between those beliefs. The young boy seems to keep the faith going because his mom needs it that way, but then declares his real feelings and puts Cate into the mindset that really makes her question her own position.
Well written and Colm is a very brave and smart child who goes through so much and loves his mother with all of his being. Worth the read and makes you ponder the attitudes of different thoughts on faith.
Review first published on my blog: http://memoriesfrombooks.blogspot.com/2011/10/proof-of-heaven.html
Proof of Heaven is a book about a mother and a child and the lengths any parent would go to save a sick child. It is also a book about beliefs - as the title suggests - about god and what happens after death. Cathleen is a young single mother trying to care for Colm, her very young but very sick child. Due to his illness, Colm has "died" many times in his life and then returned.
The book touches on different points of view on heaven and what happens after death - the absolute believer in heaven, the nonbeliever, the one torn between belief and nonbelief, and the believer who no longer believes. Ultimately, the book is about a mother's love and her desire to take any path that will mean a cure for her son.
The topic of the book is an interesting one that has been discussed in so many contexts. The first half of the book develops the different points of view and depicts them through individual characters in the book. The characters are at some points likable and at some points really not. The story is well told at this point and interesting to read.
The latter half of the book unfortunately goes beyond that. To me, it becomes melodramatic. Colm is age seven towards the end of the book. The statements attributed to him come across as much older sounding. Perhaps, that is maturity attained through living with illness, but it does not always ring true. It seems to be there to make the point of the book.
Whether or not the book gives proof of heaven, I leave you to discover.
*** Reviewed for LibraryThing Early Reviewer *** ( )
Proof of Heaven is a book about a mother and a child and the lengths any parent would go to save a sick child. It is also a book about beliefs - as the title suggests - about god and what happens after death. Cathleen is a young single mother trying to care for Colm, her very young but very sick child. Due to his illness, Colm has "died" many times in his life and then returned.
The book touches on different points of view on heaven and what happens after death - the absolute believer in heaven, the nonbeliever, the one torn between belief and nonbelief, and the believer who no longer believes. Ultimately, the book is about a mother's love and her desire to take any path that will mean a cure for her son.
The topic of the book is an interesting one that has been discussed in so many contexts. The first half of the book develops the different points of view and depicts them through individual characters in the book. The characters are at some points likable and at some points really not. The story is well told at this point and interesting to read.
The latter half of the book unfortunately goes beyond that. To me, it becomes melodramatic. Colm is age seven towards the end of the book. The statements attributed to him come across as much older sounding. Perhaps, that is maturity attained through living with illness, but it does not always ring true. It seems to be there to make the point of the book.
Whether or not the book gives proof of heaven, I leave you to discover.
*** Reviewed for LibraryThing Early Reviewer *** ( )
Ordered this book on accident when trying to get a different title "Proof of Heaven". Decided to give it a go as it was on my bookshelf. Interesting and different story. Liked; didn't love.
