Title: Whisper of Hope, Cry of Despair
Author: Vicky Bedi
Publisher: PageTurner Press and Media
ISBN: 9798891740181
Pages: 66
Genre: Non-Fiction / Autobiography
Reviewed by: Lily Amanda
Hollywood Book Reviews
Whisper of Hope, Cry of Despair is an emotionally stirring memoir about how author Vicky Bedi was molded by the life experiences of both her mother and father.
All through her childhood, Bedi painfully watched her parents spend long hours arguing and fighting. She grew into maturity deprived of their love and recognition, and as a result, she developed anxiety as well as emotional tension, resulting in stomach aches and insecurity. Her father had been a victim of brutality and violence at an orphanage in Weathersfield, Vermont, in 1917 and had been forced to work on various farms during his teenage years. He later started a family with Laura Hayna, an easily irritable woman who later turned out to be extremely violent, beating him physically and nearly murdering him with a knife – twice. To Bedi, she was mentally ill, and it didn’t surprise her when both family and friends began to avoid her.
Bedi equates living with her mother to living in a war zone. She lets it all out in the third chapter: “There were two outstanding facts about Mom’s abuse. She repeated every episode, word for word, thousands of times. They were incantations for her. She screamed at the top of her voice many times every day. The battles used mostly words, but knives, frying pans, and dishes were all used as weapons.” These, among other episodes, were clear indications of what her mother could do to anyone who crossed her path, including her father, and all Bedi could do was hope that perhaps one day all this would change. Sadly, that was a dream she would not live to see come to pass.
Bedi’s story beautifully illustrates the lasting effects of parental abuse. She is a strongly-willed survivor of psychological trauma who candidly shares her family secrets. She also reveals the revolutionary moment when she forgave her torturer after coming across crucial information from a health specialist. Her story is profoundly elucidating and offers a reminder to readers of the power of resilience when faced with some of life’s most frightening situations.
Whisper of Hope, Cry of Despair is a must-read for anyone who wishes to learn how a child’s upbringing can affect their character, as well as their parenting style later in life. The importance of healing from trauma is emphasized along these lines, and the author’s accomplishments highlighted in the epilogue are uplifting. Raw, brutally honest, and thought-provoking, it is a text you can’t afford to ignore.