Before I Wake – Robert J. Wiersema

In many ways I am a conservative reader, tending to stay with authors I know will provide me with a satisfying story. Lately, however, I have been branching out with unfamiliar writers, mainly because there is little new with my favorite ones. The experience is proving to be worthwhile.

The latest book I read, Before I Wake, by Robert Wiersma, reminds me in some ways of the very first book I read many years ago by the late Brian Moore, called Cold Heaven, in that both deal with themes of family relationships, miracles, and the challenges inherent in accepting personal responsibility. Before I Wake begins with one of the worst things a parent can imagine, the prospect of losing one’s child. In this case, Sherry Barrett, the three year old daughter of Karen and Simon, is struck down by a truck as she is crossing the street with her mother. In a coma and with no hope of recovery, her parents make the incredibly hard decision to take her off life support. However, the unexpected begins when she is disconnected from the respirator – she continues to breathe.

Wiersma then takes us to the Barrett home several months later, where Sherry, still comatose, is being taken care of by her mother Karen and a nurse, Ruth. By this time, Simon is no longer in the home, having moved out to be with a fellow lawyer, the much younger Mary. The plot then takes an unusual turn as Ruth reveals to her sister, dying of cancer, that she is no longer afflicted with her crippling arthritis. She attributes her cure to Sherry, and invites her sister to meet her. As a result of this meeting, a cascade of events develops, ultimately threatening the safety, and even the lives, of the Barrett family.

All of the events described take place very early in the novel, after which we are introduced to a fascinating array of characters: the rather sinister Father Peter, his acolyte Leo, the enigmatic Tim, and the contrite hit and run driver Henry. Each has an important role to play in the drama that unfolds.

As far as I know, this is the first novel by Robert Wiersema; his facility with plot, character and narrative structure all bode very well for building a loyal readership in the years to come. He certainly has me convinced of his talent.