[stylist] Another book review--The Martian Child

Tue Jun 25 16:54:08 UTC 2013

Yeah. I truly would do it all again just to have him, but wasn't the
easiest year. Like I said, he's completely fine now, growing and
developing as he should. In fact, physically, he's about three months
ahead of the average kid, so doing good. Have things to work on like S &
S and my own writing, but also want to spend like every moment with him,
so trying to balance it all, smile.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jacobson,
Shawn D
Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 11:42 AM
To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [stylist] Another book review--The Martian Child

Understood.  Sounds I a hard last year or so.  Good luck with raising
Declan.

Shawn

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bridgit
Pollpeter
Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 12:38 PM
To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [stylist] Another book review--The Martian Child

I'm not saying you didn't, grin, but I don't remember it at all, nor do
I have it in my un-read submission folder. From about March up until,
really this January, I was dealing with a rough pregnancy then Declan's
NICU stay then when we brought him home finally, he was using a feeding
tube along with having severe acid reflux. Needless to say, S & S wasn't
on my list of priorities. Little Man is fine now and off the feeding
tube, as well as not exhibiting digestion issues, and I'm back to being
able to focus on S & S along with other things, smile. Well... Sort of.
He's being very moble since 7 months, pulling up on things at 8 months
and walking since 9 months, making up for lost time, smile. I don't sit
much, though at 10 months, I have small chunks of time I can devote to
other things as long as I do them in the same room as him since we don't
like it when people leave the room, ha-ha! So you can always resubmit
for consideration.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jacobson,
Shawn D
Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 11:06 AM
To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [stylist] Another book review--The Martian Child

Thanks for letting me know.

I thought I'd sent it (maybe I didn't).

Shawn

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bridgit
Pollpeter
Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 11:51 AM
To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [stylist] Another book review--The Martian Child

Last year? I don't recall it. It may have been sent when I was pregnant
and unable to fulfill S & S responsibilities at the time, and
unfortunately no one else was able to be acting editor at the time. I
don't recall ever seeing this review.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jacobson,
Shawn D
Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 10:13 AM
To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List (stylist at nfbnet.org)'
Subject: [stylist] Another book review--The Martian Child

Below, is a book review I did last year (submitted to Slate & Style but
was not accepted).  The book "The Martian Child" is about a single
science fiction writer who adopts a boy who thinks he's a Martian.  I
found the premise interesting.

Shawn Jacobson
Mathematical Statistician
Phone# (202)-475-8759
Fax# (202)-485-0275

The Martian Child, by David Gerrard
reviewed by Shawn Jacobson
In The Martian Child, David Gerrard writes a novelization of his
experience adopting a trouble child.  The child, Dennis is hyper active,
has a history of abuse, acts out, and (most disconcerting of all)
believes that he is a Martian. But the Marian part doesn't frighten our
protagonist, the adoptive dad.  After all, dad is a science fiction
writer and as long as Dennis doesn't bring home giant slugs from space,
dad can be cool with Dennis being a Martian as long as he needs to be.
And besides, when dad saw the picture of this little kid, he was in
love. Thus begins what, for the first half of the book, seems an idyllic
adventure in which the author adopts Dennis.  Dad loves Dennis, Dennis
loves dad and, everything works beautifully.  Problems here are glossed
over. Then troubles come and the narration becomes dark.  The Northridge
earthquake wrecks the house.  The dog dies.  Dennis is falsely accused
of sexual assault.  Dennis steals, breaks things, and acts out in
public.  The adoption is pushed to the brink.  To save the family, the
father must dig deep for the answer to why he wanted to adopt in the
first place; father and son must renounce their Martian heritage.  Thus,
this is a story of acknowledging, settling for, being human. I came to
this book because I am an adoptive father who dabbles in writing science
fiction.  I wanted to see the author's unique view of the process.
Though the author's fears of inadequacy mirrored my own, David's
domestic adoption of an older child differed from the international
adoptions of infants with which I am familiar. One reviewer criticized
the author for writing his adoption story as a novel rather than as
memoir.  However, telling the story in fictionalized form fits the theme
of this book that the stories we tell ourselves to explain the world and
our place in it make us human.  Pre-linguistic children are thus alien
until they join our society of story tellers.  In this light, Dennis'
story of his Martian heritage may indicate that he came to language late
in life.  The author's previous works of science fiction get lengthy
descriptions and are significant to in the lead-up to the climactic
scene. Other descriptions, of things, people, and weather are spare, not
memorable.  The exceptions, the description of Dennis from his picture,
description of the house after the earthquake, the description of the
weather on the climactic evening of the story, stand out by comparison.
This book is available through the Talking Book program, DB 67150.  The
NLS narrator, like commercial audio-book narrators, uses different
voices for the different characters.  The lisping, kiddy, voice used for
Dennis is more annoying than cute.  For those interested in reading
about a challenging adoption, uniting a troubled boy with a
non-traditional home, the book is worth putting up with the annoyance.

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