Say Her Name

Some reviews of this book by Francisco Goldman say it's hard to tell what is fact and fiction in Say Her Name.

Goldman's wife, Aura, really did die in a bodysurfing accident in 2007.  Unfortunately that is a fact. I beg to differ with those who say there is much fiction in Say Her Name, this book is written as only a grieving person could write.

It has no logical structure. Goldman slips from memory to present to future at a steady pace. At moments it's hard to remember where you are - like when he talks about the 'daughter that wasn't born on 19 January'. I felt as though I was riding the rollercoaster of emotions with him. And that scatterbrained inability to think is exactly what grief does to you. Among other things. But thankfully and cleverly, it is only subtley centred on his grief because he is remembering her and telling the world about her. There are a few well-placed moments of heavy drinking and one night stands.

Say Her Name documents Francisco and Aura's four years together and it isn't until the end of the story that he details the way she died. We know from the beginning it was a bodysurfing accident but that's all. Small details throughout the book give us enough until I personally got a little bored about three quarters through and then miraculously things started to turn. More feeling appeared, Goldman's thoughts levelled out and he began to talk about himself a little more.

'I wonder where Aura's wave was born,' is one of the most haunting lines in my opinion. Stephen King once said something like: identify the monster and it takes the fear away but in this case identifying Aura's as having a personality makes it more menacing.  It starts as an innocent structure of water and ends up a murderer.

I enjoyed this book immensely. It is the most unselfish account of losing someone I have ever read.

If you enjoy an introspective journey through someone's mind rather than character, action, dialogue and plot-driven stories you'll like this.

Of to start The Great Gatsby now.

Lauren