Name: House on Fire
Item: House on Fire
Rating: 5
Author: Mike Pacifico

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House on Fire is a poignant and thought-provoking story that delves into the complexities of

Synopsis

How far would you go to keep a promise? Bernadette Rogers swore she’d never put her father in a nursing home. Does that include euthanizing him to keep her word? Her mother thinks it does. Bernadette isn’t so sure. And even if she were, it’s not like you can walk into a drug store and buy Nembutal.

Neo-hippie turned ICU nurse, Bernadette’s no stranger to the blunt realities of death but her mother’s request to help her father—who’s disappearing into the abyss of dementia—go “peacefully” blindsides her. Her mother thinks it’s assisted suicide. Bernadette knows better. Even if they do it for all the right reasons, it would still be murder.

What was supposed to be a relaxing two-week break with her best friend becomes an emotional rollercoaster as Bernadette is forced to make an agonizing decision about her beloved father and figure out just how far she’s willing to go for love.

House on Fire is a raw and emotional exploration of the difficult choices faced by families dealing with mental illness. The protagonist, Bernadette Rogers, finds herself at the crossroads of love, family loyalty, and the ethical dilemmas surrounding assisted suicide. As she grapples with her father's dementia and the burden of a promise made years ago, she is forced to confront her own personal struggles, including her son’s violent outbursts and her own battle with anxiety and depression.

The book is a powerful narrative about the complexities of mental health, where no simple answers exist. Bernadette's journey is heartbreaking, as she struggles with the weight of her mother's request for euthanasia and her belief in the sanctity of life. The first-person narrative immerses readers in her emotional turmoil, making her decisions feel all the more intense and heartbreaking.

The dialogue-driven storytelling is fluid and natural, allowing the characters' personalities and struggles to shine through. The book addresses the ethics of euthanasia and mental health with sensitivity, exploring how different belief systems, including Christian and pagan, influence perspectives on life and death. Bernadette's community, her pagan faith, and her nursing background all provide her with the support and insight she needs to navigate this difficult journey.

While the book occasionally shifts between past and present, which may cause some confusion at first, it remains a compelling and thought-provoking read. House on Fire is not only a deeply moving family drama but also a critique of how society handles mental illness and the elderly, with a poignant look at how these issues intersect with family dynamics and personal morality.

For readers interested in a story that challenges the norms surrounding family loyalty, mental health, and end-of-life decisions, House on Fire offers an impactful, unforgettable reading experience.

House on Fire is a powerful and emotional exploration of the struggles faced by a family dealing with dementia, mental health challenges, and moral dilemmas. The novel centers on Bernadette, a woman grappling with her father's declining health, her mother's request for assisted suicide, and the chaos of her own mental health and family responsibilities. The book skillfully addresses the complexities of caregiving, the ethics of ending a loved one's suffering, and the societal pressures surrounding mental illness. With a fresh perspective on pagan beliefs and mental health, the story is both heart-wrenching and thought-provoking, offering a compelling narrative that keeps readers engaged and questioning their own beliefs about life, death, and family.

House on Fire is a gripping, thought-provoking novel that delves deep into the moral, emotional, and physical toll of caring for a loved one with dementia. The story follows Bernadette, who is forced to confront a harrowing decision when her mother asks her to help her father end his life rather than send him to a nursing home. The novel excels in portraying the complexities of this moral dilemma, exploring themes of love, duty, and the ethics of assisted suicide. The depiction of Bernadette’s personal struggles, including her own mental health issues, her son’s violent outbursts, and her challenging work as a nurse, creates a multidimensional character whose journey is both heartbreaking and relatable.

The narrative is deeply immersive, with natural dialogue that pulls the reader into Bernadette’s world. The author also thoughtfully integrates paganism, providing a unique cultural perspective while exploring the intersection of belief, morality, and family. The alternating between past and present events may be confusing at times, but overall, the structure adds depth to the narrative, building tension as Bernadette's decision looms closer. With its unflinching exploration of difficult subjects like mental illness, family, and euthanasia, House on Fire is an unforgettable read that challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths while offering empathy and understanding.

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Featured → Contemporary Fiction

House on Fire

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