Beneath the Bruises [Paperback]

Dywane Birch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 4, 2008

Based on the author's experiences working with offenders of domestic violence -- an extraordinary novel about one woman's courageous journey to discover her voice, strength, and dignity after drowning in an abusive marriage.

After suffering under years of emotional and physical abuse, Syreeta embarks on a search for the identity beyond wife and mother. Now, removed from that destructive relationship, she struggles to find out who she is and what she is capable of. With the help of her psychologist, Syreeta begins to expose the many scars that layer her soul -- healing the guilt, hurt, and shame that have alienated her from friends and family for far too long.

Syreeta discovers the many options life still has to offer her, and must find the bravery she possesses to heal herself, forgive those who beat her down, and move on to a fresh start in life. Beneath the Bruises is a riveting and empowering take of rediscovering one's dignity and exposes the devastating cycle of domestic abuse and a better understanding of its victims.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A courageous African-American housewife and mother of five seeks freedom from domestic abuse in Birch's powerful ode to self-renewal (and her own work with domestic violence victims). When Syreeta Lynch marries Randall Michael Taylor III, her high school sweetheart, she has no idea that, 11 years later, she'll feel trapped by her perfect union. In that time, Randy becomes a successful investment banker, but also a manipulative monster with no qualms about physically and emotionally punishing his 32-year-old wife when she doesn't behave according to his whims. Then Syreeta's chance encounter with therapist Dr. Jordan Curtis leads her to seek help. With an intense first-person narration, Birch depicts Syreeta's journey of healing; raw, intimate struggles with Randy, revealing sessions with Dr. Curtis and a late-book conversation with her angry older son, K'wan, are especially well-wrought. Syreeta's Aunt Edie dispenses advice on the nature and importance of responsibility (Every day is a choice), in case the empower-yourself message didn't quite make it through; if readers can forgive Birch's occasional excesses, they'll find this an honest and inspiring novel. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Dywane D. Birch, the self-published author of two novels, has a master's degree in psychology and is a clinically certified forensic counselor. He lives in New Jersey. You may contact the author at [e-mail].

Product Details

• Paperback: 242 pages
• Publisher: Strebor Books; Original edition (November 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593092083
• ISBN-13: 978-1593092085
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #234,249 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dywane D. Birch, a graduate of Norfolk State University and Hunter College, is the author of Beneath the Bruises (2008), From My Soul to Yours (2007), Shattered Souls (2007), and When Loving You is Wrong (2005). In addition, he is a contributing author to the compelling compilation, Breaking the Cycle(2005), edited by Zane--a collection of short stories on domestic violence, which won the 2006 NAACP Image award for outstanding literary fiction. He is also a contributing author to the anthology Fantasy (2007), a collection of erotica short stories. He is the author of the novella, The Goddess of Desire in Zane's erotica anthology Another Time, Another Place.

Dywane has a master's degree in psychology, and is a clinically certified forensic counselor. A former director of an adolescent crisis shelter, he continues to work with adolescents and adult offenders, while working on his next literary endeavor.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Making Decisions, November 9, 2008

By 

D. Frazier (Cleveland, Ohio) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beneath the Bruises (Paperback)

Beneath the Bruises by Dywane Birch is the type of fiction that mirrors reality so much it is hard to believe it is not true. Syreeta, wife and mother of five, struggles to maintain her sanity as she walks on eggshells in her own home. Attempting to live the façade of a perfect life, she denies her needs and wants, and supplements them with whatever her abusive husband desires. But how long can Syreeta live without her own identity? And how long will she accept black eyes and insults as a part of love? When she meets her counselor, Dr. Curtis, a journey away from abuse toward self-discovery is opened. But will Syreeta be strong enough to overcome the obstacles that have kept her shackled?

Birch wove a beautiful, pain-filled story. He leads you into Syreeta's mind so that you feel the turmoil, guilt, and shame of her abusive relationship and it definitely takes you beyond your comfort zone as she is confronted, exposed, and fragile right before your eyes. Birch's harmonic writing really sweeps you up and carries you along Syreeta's journey. At times, it felt as if she was whispering her story to me. I recommend Beneath the Bruises to people who enjoy emotional reads, those affected, directly or indirectly, by domestic violence, and of course, Dywane Birch fans.


Reviewed by Darnetta Frazier
APOOO BookClub

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love Should Never Hurt....., March 15, 2009

By 

Queen Of Books "Viva La Diva" (Hampton Rds Va) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beneath the Bruises (Paperback)

As I Sat & Read This Story About Abuse It Really Got To Me. Because There Are So Women Living Like This Every Day! What I Really Enjoyed About This Story, Was How Syretta Found The Strength To Stand Up For Herself & Not To Allow Herself To Be Abuse At The Hands Of Her Husband Any More. She Had, Enough! She Ended Up Be A Very Very Strong Sister After All That She Had Endured From Her Abusive Husband. There Are So Many Women, Who Stay In Bad Marriages & Abusive Relationships, For What Ever Reasons. To All Women Who May Find Themselves in A Situation Such As What This Character In This Book Went Through, Theres Help Out There For You... Find Your Strength & Do What Ever You Need To Do. Cause Love Should Never Hurt.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Every Day Is A Choice, January 11, 2009

By 

OOSA Online Book Club "O.O.S.A. Gets It Read!" (World Wide Web, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Beneath the Bruises (Paperback)

"Beneath the Bruises" is the latest from author Dywane Birch. It is both heart-rending and compelling. We witness blatant manipulation. We witness purposeful bullying. We witness abuse.

Birch shows once again that he can handle a wide range of emotion as he chronicles the journey of one woman as she changes with the loss and recapture of self. Syreeta Taylor is a mere shell of her former self. Years of victimization and abuse at the hands of her husband has taken its toll on her. With the help of Dr. Curtis, a psychologist, she sees that freedom is within reach.

There were vast stretches of overly long narrative. Whether this is a good or bad thing will depend on the taste of the individual reader. For me, I'd have preferred a little more story and a little less emotional narrative. At times, it felt like I was reading someone's diary instead of a book.

Ultimately, "Beneath the Bruises" is a moving novel, with strong elements. Despite its dark content, it is a bright beacon.

Reviewed by: Toni