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Bookmark on DeliciousPublished: Oct. 02, 2010
Words: 99749 (approximate)
Language: English
Ebook short description
Inspired by real life events, this is a story of courage, friendship and unconditional love. Alex, freelance writer and survivor of child abuse, shares a house with homosexual couple: Steve and the disturbing Matthew. Alex finds that she is inexplicably attracted to Matthew and must battle with her repressed sexuality and fear of intimacy.Extended description
Partly inspired by real life events, this is a story of courage, the gift of friendship and unconditional love. The story involves three people whose lives cross for a short period of time and the profound effect which results from their interaction. Alex Dorian, freelance travel writer and victim of child abuse, arrives in Sydney in an attempt to exorcise the ghosts of her past. She shares a house with Steve and the disturbing Matthew, a gay couple. Alex finds herself inexplicably attracted to Matthew, and she must battle with her repressed sexuality and her fear of intimacy.Matthew, extremely good looking and an inspiring actor/model, lives with Steve, who is dying of AIDS. Matthew has his own battle, that of dealing with the rejection of his socialite parents, and facing a future without his partner. Steve is the rock to which the troubled Matthew and Alex cling as they examine their lives and beliefs. Steve finally dies, but his legacy lives on in the strength which both Mat... (Read more)
Adult-content rating:
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Tags
fiction, love, friendship, drama, gay, triumph, child abuse, spiritual, homosexuality, death, inspirational, sex, aids, illness, adversity, heterosexual, unconditional love story, obstaclesAvailable ebook reading formats
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Review by:
Dannye Williamsen
on Jan. 19, 2012 :
Once the mystical tale of the Soul Bearers is revealed, the impending sorrow is evident. However, "The Soul Bearers" is not about this loss. It is about the journey that surrounds the loss. It is about discovering unconditional love, about letting go of the past in order to rejoice in the present, about learning how to love yourself enough to be open and receptive to life. Author Sylvia Massara does an excellent job of weaving the psychological evolution of the characters into the story, drawing you into their pain as well as their joy.
Alex is a woman who was damaged by her stepfather’s abuse and left home at fifteen, eventually becoming a travel writer, which allows her to avoid commitments to people or places. Her life begins to change when she makes her first commitment to putting down roots and facing her fears because it draws her into the world of Matthew and Steve.
Matthew is the gay and extraordinarily handsome partner of Steve, who is dying of AIDS. Thrown out of his home when his father discovered he was gay, Matthew depended on friends for support until he met Steve, who became the love of his life. Despite the joy of having Steve in his life, Matthew has never reconciled his feelings about being rejected so completely by his parents or the superficiality of those attracted solely by his looks.
Steve has had to face the ultimate challenge—the knowledge that he is dying. He has developed a sense of peace around the process—a peace that allows him to offer those around him unconditional love and understanding. It is a gift that both Alex and Matthew need if they are going to survive their pasts.
It takes courage to change one’s life, and Massara’s characters exhibit this reality of change. Massara doesn’t trivialize the effort required or sugarcoat the angst involved, which makes it all the more real for the reader. You may be surprised at the turn of events in this novel, but Massara doesn’t disappoint as she takes you on an emotional journey that will touch your heart.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Lori Morin
on Aug. 31, 2011 :
What a beautiful story of Love & Friendship and Tragedy & Triumph! It brought a couple of hard subjects to light and showed how the characters found the strength of friendship and unending love to bring them to acceptance & forgiveness. It will always warm my heart when I see a butterfly and bring a tear to my eye for the "Soul Bearer". I really enjoyed this wonderful book that I was lucky enough to win, and I thank Sylvia for writing it and Sandy Wolters for picking my name in the drawing!! I'm looking forward to reading more of Sylvia's books in the future.
Lori Morin
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Kristie Leigh Maguire
on Aug. 27, 2011 :
The Soul Bearers is a riveting and compelling story that brought me to tears in many places but somehow managed to leave me with hope in other places. Sylvia gives a no holds barred look within the lives of a woman who was brutally sexually abused as a child and two gay men who love each other deeply despite being disowned by their families for their lifestyle.
I cannot say that I enjoyed reading about the pain and suffering of the three people in this book because no one wants to see another human being suffer. However, The Soul Bearers was a book I couldn't put down once I started reading it. I was deeply moved by this story. It continues to stay with me even after I finished reading it.
Sylvia certainly has a masterful way with words. Excellent writing! I highly recommend The Soul Bearers.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Sandy Wolters
on July 21, 2011 :
In The Soul Bearers, Sylvia Massara was able to make the reader feel the character's emotions. Everything from rejection of family because the character needs to be himself, resolving long ago memories of horrific child abuse, to the loss of a very dear loved one.
The reader gets a glimpse into these three people's lives, all broken in their own way, and then the reader gets to see the transformation when they become more than just close friends, they become each others family and learn what unconditional love truly is.
This was one of the most heartfelt books I have read to date. Be prepared for a roller coaster ride with this book. The author has the ability to make the reader feel as though they are there with the characters, feeling both their pain and joy. I loved this book.
The is a must read.
(reviewed long after purchase)
Review by:
Darcia Helle
on Nov. 20, 2010 :
With The Soul Bearers, Sylvia Massara takes on three challenging and often controversial topics. While she does not besiege us with graphic details, not once does she shy away from the emotional journey. The pain is raw, the joy exhilarating. Sylvia gives us a look at the worst and the best of humanity. We could all learn a little something from her characters.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Tina Rolfe
on Oct. 05, 2010 :
I read Sylvia's other novel "The Other Boyfriend", which was a romantic comedy and I wasn't sure what to expect of "The Soul Bearers". I have to say I was not disappointed and this was a totally different genre, too.
The story was absolutely beautiful and very inspirational; teaching us that there is always hope in the face of adversity - not matter how bad things get. Anyone who loves stories where courage overcomes difficulties and where unconditional love wins the day won't be dissapointed. When I finished reading this book I was crying tear of joy, but also tears of "what might have been". I was uplifted and inspired. Highly recommended read.
(reviewed the day of purchase)