BOOK REVIEW: The Words of My Father by Mark Nemetz

The Words of My Father

Author: Mark Nemetz

Genre: Picture Book
Publication Date: 9 July 2020
Publisher: Higher Ground Books & Media

Book Description:

The Words of My Father captures the nightly dialogue between a father and son before the boy falls asleep. Every evening, before tucking him in, Giuseppe tells his son stories, some from his own life, some fictional, which serve to illustrate the phrases which make up the Lord's prayer. "Papa, I don't understand!" the boy protests. So his father, step by step, illustrates what the words mean for him in the light of his life and imagination before his son dozes off. The stories transport the boy into far off kingdoms or into his father's childhood where he learns to reflect on the meaning of words and experiences captured by the Lord's Prayer rather than simply passing over them. Little by little, both son and father reach a deeper understanding of fatherhood, kinship, faith and gratitude.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

I got a great sense of nostalgia as I read The Words of My Father, a story about a father and son bonding during night-time bed routine with young Joseph asking his dad to explain the Lord's Prayer in a bid to prolong time so he can stay up longer. Admiring the cleverness of his son, his dad makes a deal that he will explain the Lord's Prayer but one line at a time, which Joseph agrees to.

The bond between father and son in this book was beautiful. The way Joseph's dad explained the Lord's Prayer was very eye-opening, and it certainly made me question my understanding of certain passages and their meaning. I liked how he drew from his past experiences with his own father as he explained his interpretation to his son. Joseph was also well portrayed as an inquisitive young boy, asking questions you would imagine a child his age would ask. It was an authentic portrayal of the relationship between a father and his son. I also liked the inclusion of Joseph's mother, providing her own perspective and interpretation. It made for a wonderful family dynamic.

It was an enjoyable read. I found myself laughing at times. That little Joseph is a clever one, I tell you. I tried not to get distracted by the grammatical errors and the formatting, but it took some getting used to. Separating the dialogue would have made it easier. All the same, I still enjoyed the story.

VERDICT

Award: Gold

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Source: Courtesy of Author