Nearly Departed

A must read memoir. I cannot say enough about it. A must read about family, parenting, love, loss and perseverance through a preventive cancer surgery and subsequent diagnosis and treatment. The writing is raw, funny, vulnerable and just incredible.

Gila has such sharp witt and is funny and filled with hope. I loved this book. She has such perseverance through everything. I am high risk for cancer also with family history, and I have considered having a double mastectomy. She holds nothing back and gives it to you straight, while also sharing her fears, but also her joys. And how she found the strength to move forward.
I am excited to get a copy of this and give it to others in my family to read.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

As someone who also lost both of my parents way too early in life and then also went through a (fortunately, non-cancerous) surgery shortly thereafter, Gila’s story resonated deeply with me. I appreciate her sense of humor, and her willingness to talk about loss, grief and navigating faith & faith traditions amidst it all. The book is a good reminder that sometimes our greatest tragedies and struggles in this life reveal our very purpose.

My thanks to Netgalley, Gila Pfeffer & The Experiment for the digital ARC.

Gila Pfeffer tells her story—of loss, grief, family/motherhood, and cancer—with so much courage and humor. I would recommend this memoir to anyone, but especially to people at higher risk of breast cancer or with a family history of cancer.

Gila’s approach to prevention, self-advocacy, and personal boundaries was inspiring. She knew what she needed, chose her support system accordingly, and opted to protect her children from knowledge of her illness until they were older. She took charge of her health and wellness and controlled what she could, and she ended up saving her own life. I’m grateful that she decided to share her story.

Thank you, The Experiment, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was a powerful true story, told in the first person, regarding Gila Pfeffer's journey with breast cancer. From her mother to herself to other family members, she had to overcome her own and beliefs to 'save her own life'. Clearly she survives, as she has written this book, but what a tortuous path she had to follow. The writing is clear and often light hearted, which can't be easy given the serious nature of her illness, but the story often led to tears - hers and my own. Clear throughout is her strong faith and family connections and I'm convinced she couldn't have done it without that community. I understood very well most of her references to Judaism, but other readers might struggle with her constant references to rituals. Perhaps an appendix on the various beliefs and rituals would help others navigate this story. On the whole, however, I think a casual reader could find their way through her struggles successfully.

This ARC was provided by the publishe and NetGalley, the opinions expressed herein are strictly my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a moving and wonderfully written memoir, definitely a must read.

Thank you, Net Galley, for the opportunity to review this book for a review. Being a motherless daughter since I was ten years old motivated me to want to dive into this memoir. It is not a club we ask to join. I fully expected there would be tears as the author shared the dark and dirty of grief. What surprised me was how she shared it with such raw honesty and humour. Thank you for sharing your story and making this reader feel less lonely. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has lost or has been a caregiver in some capacity. You might catch yourself laughing while crying too.