The Magic of Found Objects by Maddie Dawson

Rating:

Read | September 2021
Status | Personal Read
Format | Kindle

“You’re creating your reality, and the words you tell yourself, the story you believe about yourself, is the way things are going to turn out for you. You have to fill your heart with love for yourself, Phronsie. That is the first and most important thing you have to do. Everything you want will follow from that.”

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This is perhaps one of the books that reminded me of my love for reading. It’s the first one I finished in a long, long while. It was so relatable, I learned so much from Phronsie and her relationships – whether it involved the intricacies of love towards her complicated friendship with Judd, father, stepmother, coworkers, and most especially, her mother.

It began with an exciting retelling of how she and her twin were manifested in Woodstock, after that I could not put the book down. And I feel like that’s very rare, I haven’t experienced this since I was in middle school or early high school. Reading this was very reminiscent of pulling all-nighters as a teenager just so I can find out what’s happening. And I must admit, it is a bit corny at times, but I felt that Dawson represented these moments in the stories with realism – despite the magic surrounding it.

Maybe it was because I read this during a difficult time. I had just moved to California, I was faced with different choices, missing home and relying (reluctantly) on my support system. It was the time I started seeking a sense of belonging in a place I felt alone in. And I was given it. I found a lot of people, places, and experiences that were truly magical – things affirming my faith that everything was meant to fall into place.

Is this still considered a review? I hope so. My goal is to share this experience that gave me a wide-eyed impression of the world, once again. A book that nudged me towards parental forgiveness and faith that people, whatever their intent, are trying their best.

I do have to say, these lessons are not tied within this timeline. I am still learning so much about what forgiveness looks like, but this has given me insight to a perspective I haven’t considered before. And that’s what I love about books, or learning in general…they provide opportunities to view similar contexts with another pair of eyes.

I dove into this book without expectation, I thought I would be hooked within the love story, instead I found so much substance in the stories of Phronsie and her familial relationships. This book may be a different experience for you, I think it’s worth giving a chance to find out. And if you have the time for it, I would like to hear how it goes for you.

Want to view more of my reading activity? Visit my Goodreads page here!

Thanks for reading! I am currently a part of two book clubs. I am looking forward to reading more books and sharing what I learned from them.