Guest Author - Krissi Danielsson

I recently received a copy of Forever Our Angels by Hannah Stone, which I've been unfortunately remiss in getting a review posted for. This book is a compilation by Hannah Stone of stories of miscarriage and pregnancy loss. The first thing that really struck me is that she really got the cover right. Unlike some of the other books that I've seen that have fairly unremarkable artistic renderings on the front, Forever Our Angels has a very well chosen photo of a sad meadow. There's no one in it. No people, no animals, no birds. It's a physical representation of the lonely place you find yourself in after loss.

As you thumb through the book, its simplicity is another thing that will strike you. It's a no-frills kind of a book. It has an introduction by a psychiatrist and a preface by the author. Then it jumps right into the stories. They're all told in first person, and each carries the name of the lost angel. Each recounts a very personal story of loss, and most end on a hopeful note either with the birth of a live baby or a look toward the future.

Reading through this book, I can't say this is the most compelling book of its kind that I've seen. Nothing in it really got to me in a primal and emotional way. But for a book of this kind, that's not necessarily a bad thing. I didn't get the feeling that most of these writers were professional authors who were trying to make me cry with their stories. What really struck me about them was how they seemed like such real people. The stories are told without fancy words designed to tug at your emotional heart strings. They are told by parents who are sharing how they felt and discussing what they have gone through.

And that does give you something to relate to. You will probably recognize elements of your own experiences in these writers' stories. It's helpful to know you're not alone. In the fullness of the detail recounted by these writers, I almost wonder if this book is even better for the friends and relatives and doctors of women who miscarry than it is for the women themselves. A reader would be hard pressed to get through it without acquiring a better understanding for the experience of miscarriages.

So, I do give it a thumbs up. (But if you're looking for a book that's going to make you cry, try this one too.)

Be sure to check out the author's website for more information at http://foreverourangels.tripod.com/.

Thanks to everyone who's responded to my survey so far! If you haven't yet, I'm still looking for more comments. These will be included as sidebars in a miscarriage support book I'm working on. Visit the survey here.