Monday, April 16, 2012

Over the Edge by Brandilyn Collins

Summary:
Torn from the front lines of medical debate and the author's own experience with Lyme Disease, Over the Edge is riveting fiction, full of twists and turns—and powerful truths about today's medical field.

Janessa McNeil’s husband, Dr. Brock McNeil, a researcher and professor at Stanford University's Department of Medicine, specializes in tick-borne diseases—especially Lyme. For years he has insisted that Chronic Lyme Disease doesn't exist. Even as patients across the country are getting sicker, the committee Brock chairs is about to announce its latest findings—which will further seal the door shut for Lyme treatment.  

One embittered man sets out to prove Dr. McNeil wrong by giving him a close-up view of the very disease he denies. The man infects Janessa with Lyme, then states his demand: convince her husband to publicly reverse his stand on Lyme—or their young daughter will be next. But Janessa's marriage is already rocky. She's so sick she can hardly move or think. And her husband denies she has Lyme at all.   

Welcome to the Lyme wars, Janessa.

My take: 4 looks
This was a very good book and very easy to read. It was gripping from the start, and gave much very good information about Lyme disease, a reference to the author's own battle with the illness.

The characters and story were nicely written and very real. Jannie's devotion to her husband and daughter were palatable, as were her increasing symptoms and the way she dealt with them. She was trusting but not naive, dependent but not weak. I liked her very much and probably would have handled her situation in much the same way.

The male characters in the book were likewise real. Brock was distant, arrogant and finally frustrated to the breaking point. The progression was a natural one, given the story line and it felt genuine. Jud and the perpetrator were as full as they needed to be to round out the story and provide a very interesting twist and satisfying ending to the book.

I do wonder, though, why does the person on the cover of the book have one light eye and one dark? :)

Recommended.

1 comment:

  1. A course of antibiotics is the standard treatment for Lyme disease but it does not assist the immune system and could disrupt the natural healing process of the body. If you want a successfully recovery that also ensures the well being of the patient then herbal supplements can be a good alternative to antibiotics.

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