Review by Loraine Oliver - 5 Amazing Stars
Walking Disaster is the second book in the love story between Travis and Abby and is told from Travis's point of view. Although basically it was telling the same story, it is important to read it so you can understand who Travis really is, some of the reasons why he is this way and get to know the man behind all the tough guy persona.
The book starts out when Travis is 3, and his mother is dying, and she asks her husband to bring Travis to her and she wants to talk to him and say goodbye, and this is what she says to him;
"First, it’s okay to be sad. It’s okay to feel things. Remember that. Second, be a kid for as long as you can. Play games, Travis. Be silly”—her eyes glossed over—“and you and your brothers take care of each other, and your father. Even when you grow up and move away, it’s important to come home. Okay?” My head bobbed up and down, desperate to please her. “One of these days you’re going to fall in love, son. Don’t settle for just anyone. Choose the girl that doesn’t come easy, the one you have to fight for, and then never stop fighting. Never”—she took a deep breath—“stop fighting for what you want. And never”—her eyebrows pulled in—“forget that Mommy loves you. Even if you can’t see me.” A tear fell down her cheek. “I will always, always love you.” She took a choppy breath, and then coughed.
From that moment on Travis, although loved by his brothers, and his father, misses his mom and he is mad. He does not understand why she left, and his Dad is so upset, he drinks himself into oblivion nightly and his eldest brother Thomas is left to take care of all the boys-there are 5 in all including Thomas.
Travis grows up learning to defend himself, as he is constantly fighting with his brothers, but from all of that emerges an unbeatable fighter that no one can win. All the girls want a piece of him and he gives of himself constantly never worrying about anything. Then one day at one of his fights he sees a girl he actually is mesmerized by. That girl is Abby and as you read in Beautiful Disaster, their road is rocky and it takes many mistakes by both of them to get it right.
Up to this point this has been Travis's attitude about girls:
I decided a long time ago I would feed on the vultures until a dove came along. A pigeon. The kind of soul that didn’t impede on anyone; just walked around worrying about its own business, trying to get through life without pulling everyone else down with its own needs and selfish habits. Brave. A communicator. Intelligent. Beautiful. Soft-spoken. A creature that mates for life. Unattainable until she has a reason to trust you.This is how he felt about Abby and that is why he called her Pigeon.
Why read the same book -if it is the same book just in the male point of view you say? It is simple- this book gives Travis's thoughts on the same things, it shows you how he feels which makes a big difference compared to everything Abby is feeling and it shows how, through trial and error, how Travis actually finally grows up without so much anger any more and finally understands what his mother told him all those years ago. It shows how a boy becomes the man he knew his mother and Abby would be proud to love. Most of all it shows how h learns to respect a woman and put her needs ahead of his own and be there for her through thick and thin, even when she gave him hell for it: he led the good fight and he won his "pigeon".
This book was really good, and I am so glad I got to read it, I liked seeing the same book written through a male's point of view and I also was impressed with the author's ability to keep the book moving at a good pace, and how well it was written, how the plot went one way for awhile, and then turned back around and completely surprised me.
I gave this book 5 stars and am glad I read it-do not miss out on a good book.
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