Customer Reviews

Twilight Children: Three Voices No One Heard Until a Therapist Listened

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have read several of Hayden's books and enjoyed them all, so I was glad to see a new one come out. However, this book falls a bit short when compared with the others. This book is the story of 3 patients that Hayden treated around the same time; Cassandra- a girl who had been kidnapped by her father, Drake- a boy who, according to his mother, spoke at home but nowhere else, and Gerda- an elderly woman who had suffered a stroke.
Given the title of the book, you can't help but wonder how Gerda fits into the story and you are expecting that some trauma from her childhood will be revealed. Although it is revealed that Gerda suffered an impoverished and "marginalized" childhood, this does not seem to have anything to do with her speech problems which were apparently just the result of the stroke. However, Gerda's situation, her sad tales from childhood, her estrangement from her children, and the fact that someone had all her well-cared for cats put to sleep while she was in the hospital add a lot of depth and poignancy to the book. The part about the cats made me cry.
As for the other two patients, Cassandra and Drake, their stories were also interesting, but the book suffers from excessive repetition - especially re: Cassandra's story. I think the editor should have stayed with this one a little longer. Hayden draws vivid portraits of both patients and their relatives as she tells her tale, which is one of her strong points. If you haven't read Hayden's works, I would not suggest starting with this one, but if you are familiar with her books, you will definitely want to read "Twilight Children".

Torey's newest book is an excellent read! I couldn't put the book down! I loved the way she rotated the story among the three characters and I enjoyed reading about her time as a therapist, as opposed to a classroom teacher.

Reading this book reawakened in me a fervent need to reread all of her books and I'm currently on a reading marathon. As an eighth-year special education teacher, I highly recommend all of her works to anyone interested in children with special needs. We certainly need more people to follow the compassionate example she has set and documented in each of her books.

I was thrilled to see a new Hayden book and grabbed it off the library shelf. I read the book in one sitting as I could not tear myself away from the compelling stories. Hayden writes so well, by the end of the book you feel very involved in the lives of the characters. I found this book fascinating, sad but mostly compelling reading. Highly recommended.

I loved this book. I thought it was interesting. It was very sad as well. I thought it had a good mystery. Trying to figure it out was just like the real thing. I can't wait to read more of her books.

In this book, Hayden focuses on three of her patients. Cassandra is a sexually-abused girl who has a habit of making dangerous abuse allegations. But Hayden discovers that there is truth behind her stories. Drake is an adorable, outgoing boy who is mute with everyone except his mother. Hayden must figure out whether the boy truly cannot speak, despite his efforts to. She also works with Gerta, an elderly stroke victim, who speaks seldom. Whether her lack of speech is due to depression, having lost her family farm, or as part of the stroke, Hayden must discover.

All three stories are genuintely moving, though my favorite was Drake's. Highly recommended.

I can't put Torey's books down. They are real, and keeps your interest at every turn.

If you've never read a Torey Hayden book, I suggest you begin with her first and work your way through to this one. No one, but no one works with challenged children in quite the way Torey does. I love the way she writes and I love her stories. Instead of her usual school setting this one takes place in a hospital setting, working with troubled kids. One in particular is a handful, abused and neglected, she is an angry little girl, ready to rip the world apart. But Torey intercepts and changes the direction of her journey. Filled with joy, sadness, an anxiety, this book follows the lives of a number of children, and the issues blocking their full growth. As always, Torey's writing propels you to turn page after page, engrossed in her methods of helping, she's a winner as is her ability to help these kids past their own inner demons. A must read for anyone who likes to read child psychology books. A must read for anyone who loves to read well written books...I highly recommend this and any other Torey Hayden book.

Twilight Children seamlessly integrates beautiful writing, therapy, and compassion in one poignant book. Although these stories are based on the actual lives of three of Torey's patients, they read like fiction. The stories of Cassandra, Drake, and Gerda magically come to life in the book, just as each patient came to life while working in therapy with Torey. In addition to providing three captivating and touching stories, this book also offers valuable information on psychotherapy and its role helping both the patient and the therapist find their voices.

How can you not love Torey Hayden? My aunt introduced my mother to Torey. My mother introduced me to her. I introduced my partner to her. I have all her books and have enjoyed them all. I just have one last book to read of hers, *The Very Worst Thing*.

Torey is a teacher and a specialist in elective mutism. However, this book is a little different. She is now working a unit in a hospital. Although she works as a therapist, the teacher in her emerges from time to time.

*Twilight Children* revolves around 3 stories:

Cassandra is a bright girl. However, when she was 7 years old, her divorced father, lured her into the car and abducted her for 2 years. Cassandra returned to her mother, abused and distrustful of anyone.

Drake is a charismatic bright 4-year-old with a charming smile. The problem is that he doesn't talk to anyone, except to his mother. The grandfather doesn't make things easier for Torey because the grandfather expects magical results within a session.

Gerda is an exception. A nurse has asked Torey a favor to look in and assess Gerda. The thing is that Gerda is 82. Torey has no experience in geriatrics. Nonetheless, she tries to work with Gerda. Gerda has suffered a stroke and has no one around to care for her. While Torey tries to help her talk, Gerda tells her of a haunting past.

Rotating between the 3, Torey has to work with each individual and unique cases. I just love how Torey tells the story. I also love how she gives simple explanation of her assessment, theories and diagnoses. A couple of them were food for thoughts that I had to just share with other people for intellectual discussion. I love it when people are able to give you something substantial to think about.

Torey did not disappoint me with this book. She still remains to be the best.

Tory Hayden does it again....drawing the reader into the story in such a way that you feel as if you know the characters personally. Outstanding....Maybe her best work yet!