Matt McAvoy Book Review

As far as memoirs go, this is an intriguing one, with a premise engaging enough to entice even a die-hard atheist like myself (which I guess is the exact opposite of Louisa’ s die-hard woo-woo).  I won’t share my opinion on the authenticity or credibility of Louisa’s claim to a degree of transcendence since a bad recreational-drug experience, for the primary reasons that a) it’s just rude to do so, and b) I have no right to, as a book reviewer.  Whatever her experience is, she believes it to be something divine and has written a genuinely decent book to share it.  So, in summary, whether you go into reading this with a fully open or fully closed mind isn’t really the point; what is, is that this is a wonderful author who writes with candour, flair, quality and humour, and feels passionately for her subject matter.  Authors write for several fundamental reasons, memoir-writers mostly because it is cathartic or therapeutic for them, and it is very easy for a reader to judge their beliefs, thoughts, feelings and character when in.  I propose to read Louisa’s book with an objective eye – and in that respect it is a winner of a life-story. 

Skimming over the subject matter, I don’t believe it is going to convince or convert the average sceptic, but rather reinforce those susceptible to its message.  It is my opinion that a near-death experience will make many people feel closer to God in some way – I suspect that is only natural – and those people are the readers who may benefit most from reading this autobiography.  Readers who are traumatized or likewise feel blessed, for their own reasons, may also find the message in this book more digestible.  For the rest of us, Louisa spares no blushes; she is open and honest about her life, humble and also proud in just the right measure.  She is an admirable person, and one with flaws she will happily attribute to her non-fictional caricature, for us all to know her.  She has chosen to focus the memoir on this one particular aspect of her overall development, yet from what I conclude reading this book, the “woo woo” presents as just one aspect of her character; she is interesting in many ways.

This is as good a memoir as you might read about the trials of existing in contemporary society.  It is arguably about how the pieces of her life fit together, good or bad, resolved and unresolved.  She is a notably multi-layered character, and it is fitting that she chose to write about her life.  As for the NDE and her subsequent interpretation of divine events, this aspect will appeal to those who have a vested or otherwise genuine interest in such things.  For everyone else, it’s just a fun, well-written book.