Book Review 2

Book Title: One last wish series, Mourning song
Author: Lurlene McDaniel

Summary:
Dani’s older sister, Cassie, was diagnosed with brain tumor and the treatments are not helping. Dani is furious because she is powerless to help her sister remove the side effects of the treatments. She could not convince her mother to take them on a trip to Florida that Cassie longed for.
After receiving an anonymous letter offering Cassie a single wish, with the help of Dani’s good buddy, Austin, they ran away from the hospital in Ohio to Florida by driving. At there, Cassie managed to feel the water, see the rising sun, sitting on the white sand admiring the view that she would never have from the hospital bed.

Reflection:
Dani listened to her mother for almost everything, hiding the truth that Cassie would die, that the treatments would not help and her fear of losing Cassie. Dani is brave but lost in her own thoughts whenever she is in school knowing that Cassie’s friends are gossiping about her illness, not even bother about visiting her making her day better. In front of Cassie, she is always trying to change topics when Cassie starts to complain about staying in the hospital missing her Senior trip and graduating, Dani always hold back her tears. Having a game of harsh racquetball, she poured everything to Austin, showing the soft side of her.

Dani used the one hundred thousand dollars check to plan a last trip for her sister, including Austin to drive them there because getting on the plane means their mum would know where they have gone when a police report is done to search for them. During the trip there, Dani stayed strong despite seeing her sister suffer from the horrible headaches and vomiting after meals that aches her heart. She even worried that her sister would not make it till the end of the trip, yet her sister endured the pain when the pain killers could not help. Cassie slept for most of the trip, making the trip seem shorter and that she will not feel the pain.

When they called their mother to assure her that they are safe at their destination. Mrs. vanoy rushed over and the three of them talked about why they hide the truth from her. Cassie talked about her wishes for her last days of life, that she do not want the help of machines to keep her alive. By then, all of her wished except one were already fulfilled before she agreed to go to the nearest hospital for jabs to ease the pain. Without help of machines, she fell into a coma and passed away. Dani even fulfill her wish by attending the release of sea turtles by the beach few days after she passed away. There are similar books from the same author, touching stories about family love and relationships.

Juliana