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Ruby's Tuesday
What would you do if you were told that your unborn baby will be profoundly handicapped? What choices would you make?
With her husband Luke away on an extended business trip to China, Afric Lynch goes for a routine ultrasound and is told this terrible news. Fearing that Luke will not have the strength to cope with the truth, she chooses not to tell him while he is so far away.
Afric must face her dilemma and make her decisions alone...alone but for her little unborn companion who is with her every step of the way.
Raw, painful, and often hilarious, this novel takes the reader through a kaleidoscope of emotions, on a mesmerising journey of love and heartache.
With her husband Luke away on an extended business trip to China, Afric Lynch goes for a routine ultrasound and is told this terrible news. Fearing that Luke will not have the strength to cope with the truth, she chooses not to tell him while he is so far away.
Afric must face her dilemma and make her decisions alone...alone but for her little unborn companion who is with her every step of the way.
Raw, painful, and often hilarious, this novel takes the reader through a kaleidoscope of emotions, on a mesmerising journey of love and heartache.
Paperback
First published March 23, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 25, 2015
From BleachHouseLibrary.blogspot.ie
I came across this novel via The Irish Times online. The synopsis had me hooked and after browsing the author's website and watching a TV3 interview with her, I went straight out and bought the book within an hour. Most unlike me, as I have a massive To-Be-Read pile!
Afric Lynch is devastated to learn, during her routine ultrasound, that her unborn baby has major complications and is "incompatible with life". Her husband is away on business and she must digest the awful news alone, afraid and heartbroken. As the laws in Ireland forbid terminations, she is forced to travel to Liverpool to enable her to deliver her child at 24 weeks. Choosing to do this alone, the trauma of such a trip is intense and the reader is along for the journey. Afric talks to her baby all through the novel and her fears and sorrows are narrated with tinges of sadness and uncertainty. The topical decision to travel to the UK for the early birth is one that has been discussed plenty in the media recently as the country tried to imagine how difficult it must be for a woman to carry a baby to full term, knowing the devastation ahead. Try to imagine the idea of people, unaware of your unborn's illness, asking you are you ready for the birth, are you excited, how many more weeks left and other well-meaning nuggets of endearment being uttered at random moments. Try to see your reaction to these moments. Could you cope with the questions afterwards? What did you have? When did you have it? Where is the baby now? Now try to visualise that moment when you realise your baby cannot live outside the womb and all your hopes and dreams for this little person are now shattered.....
" I sat there, upright on the examination table, like a lost little girl. It was like someone had flicked a switch on my life and my world turned from colour, to a dull black-and-white."
The trip to the clinic in Liverpool is written with so much emotion. The atmosphere is described as calm and welcoming with the staff, who are more than used to their share of tragedy, helping Afric come to terms with her immense loss. After the birth, baby Ruby is brought to her mother so they can spend some time together before being separated forever.
" My fingers touched the side of her cheek. Her skin was soft and perfectly tender, like a normal baby's skin"
Gillian Binchy has written these details so well, that I almost felt like I was intruding on Afric's privacy at the most heartbreaking moments of her life. I could feel her pain and anguish as she kisses her daughter goodbye. These chapters were the most painful to read. I cannot, for the life of me, picture myself going through that experience without having my husband beside me, to allow him the chance to say goodbye too, and while Afric was trying to protect her husband from the inevitable pain, I just couldn't identify with her decision to do this alone.
This is a work of fiction, based on the author's experiences and is a tug-at-your-heart read, well written, raw and intense at times but with some balancing humour injected at times. I read it in a two hour period and am glad that I ran out to buy a copy as quickly as I did. I'm just raging that I didn't know about the book sooner as I would have liked to have met the author at its launch last month. I hope the subject matter brings some serious talks into government meetings and that the process of having to travel for such traumatic procedures will become something of the past.
Highly Recommended .................
I came across this novel via The Irish Times online. The synopsis had me hooked and after browsing the author's website and watching a TV3 interview with her, I went straight out and bought the book within an hour. Most unlike me, as I have a massive To-Be-Read pile!
Afric Lynch is devastated to learn, during her routine ultrasound, that her unborn baby has major complications and is "incompatible with life". Her husband is away on business and she must digest the awful news alone, afraid and heartbroken. As the laws in Ireland forbid terminations, she is forced to travel to Liverpool to enable her to deliver her child at 24 weeks. Choosing to do this alone, the trauma of such a trip is intense and the reader is along for the journey. Afric talks to her baby all through the novel and her fears and sorrows are narrated with tinges of sadness and uncertainty. The topical decision to travel to the UK for the early birth is one that has been discussed plenty in the media recently as the country tried to imagine how difficult it must be for a woman to carry a baby to full term, knowing the devastation ahead. Try to imagine the idea of people, unaware of your unborn's illness, asking you are you ready for the birth, are you excited, how many more weeks left and other well-meaning nuggets of endearment being uttered at random moments. Try to see your reaction to these moments. Could you cope with the questions afterwards? What did you have? When did you have it? Where is the baby now? Now try to visualise that moment when you realise your baby cannot live outside the womb and all your hopes and dreams for this little person are now shattered.....
" I sat there, upright on the examination table, like a lost little girl. It was like someone had flicked a switch on my life and my world turned from colour, to a dull black-and-white."
The trip to the clinic in Liverpool is written with so much emotion. The atmosphere is described as calm and welcoming with the staff, who are more than used to their share of tragedy, helping Afric come to terms with her immense loss. After the birth, baby Ruby is brought to her mother so they can spend some time together before being separated forever.
" My fingers touched the side of her cheek. Her skin was soft and perfectly tender, like a normal baby's skin"
Gillian Binchy has written these details so well, that I almost felt like I was intruding on Afric's privacy at the most heartbreaking moments of her life. I could feel her pain and anguish as she kisses her daughter goodbye. These chapters were the most painful to read. I cannot, for the life of me, picture myself going through that experience without having my husband beside me, to allow him the chance to say goodbye too, and while Afric was trying to protect her husband from the inevitable pain, I just couldn't identify with her decision to do this alone.
This is a work of fiction, based on the author's experiences and is a tug-at-your-heart read, well written, raw and intense at times but with some balancing humour injected at times. I read it in a two hour period and am glad that I ran out to buy a copy as quickly as I did. I'm just raging that I didn't know about the book sooner as I would have liked to have met the author at its launch last month. I hope the subject matter brings some serious talks into government meetings and that the process of having to travel for such traumatic procedures will become something of the past.
Highly Recommended .................
July 3, 2014
I was very lucky to have won this paperback book and read it in 2 days. My normal type of book is happy ever after chick lit and this book is certainly different from that. I had to carry this book with me for some reason wherever i went over the 2 days, even though i knew i would have no time to read it, i just needed to have it there by me.I gave the book 5 stars but to me the writing alone should be 5 star +++++. This book had me hooked from the very first page until the very last word written. I'm openly admitting at one time I sobbed so much but it also gave me some smile moments. What I must state is the book is a novel but is written by the author after the similar heartbreak she had to endure.
There are 3 main characters Luke married to Afric and their 23 week unborn baby Ruby. While Luke was working away in China, Afric went for her 20 week scan which after a few appointment showed that her unborn baby was un compatible with life, she had just too many genetic malformations. Afric has to terminate the pregnancy but doesn't want to distress Luke who is thousands of miles away. Afric is so very stoical and traveled to Liverpool for the procedure to be done. This I found very hard to understand and I don't know enough to start a religious or political debate but that girls/women have to travel to England for a termination when there is no hope of a baby living must be doubly frightening. Afric talks to Ruby showing the baby her life while she is in her tummy.
The compassion of the nursing staff in Liverpool (apart from 1 doctor) is just so kind and perfect. There is no right or wrong in these situations and they treated Afric and Ruby with the upmost care and respect.
I'm really not sure who to recommend reads this book, it's for you all to make your own minds up. It's a compelling read that will stay with me, maybe a bit perhaps because I work in a delivery suite as a receptionist and have all to often seen the look in the eyes of women in similar situations. Sometimes no many words are needed, just a hand to hold or simply a touch. If you want a true honest read about when pregnancies go wrong, that sometimes makes such a lump in your throat you need to gulp, then this is the book for you.
There are 3 main characters Luke married to Afric and their 23 week unborn baby Ruby. While Luke was working away in China, Afric went for her 20 week scan which after a few appointment showed that her unborn baby was un compatible with life, she had just too many genetic malformations. Afric has to terminate the pregnancy but doesn't want to distress Luke who is thousands of miles away. Afric is so very stoical and traveled to Liverpool for the procedure to be done. This I found very hard to understand and I don't know enough to start a religious or political debate but that girls/women have to travel to England for a termination when there is no hope of a baby living must be doubly frightening. Afric talks to Ruby showing the baby her life while she is in her tummy.
The compassion of the nursing staff in Liverpool (apart from 1 doctor) is just so kind and perfect. There is no right or wrong in these situations and they treated Afric and Ruby with the upmost care and respect.
I'm really not sure who to recommend reads this book, it's for you all to make your own minds up. It's a compelling read that will stay with me, maybe a bit perhaps because I work in a delivery suite as a receptionist and have all to often seen the look in the eyes of women in similar situations. Sometimes no many words are needed, just a hand to hold or simply a touch. If you want a true honest read about when pregnancies go wrong, that sometimes makes such a lump in your throat you need to gulp, then this is the book for you.
July 14, 2014
Different and drawn out
being a massive fan of maeve binchy I gave this a read the writing is good and I certainly felt the loss of the baby but it just didn't do it for me ... whilst it resonated with my own experience with my first child being told she had possibly a chromosome disorder ( Edwards syndrome) and was subsequently found healthy post amniocentesis I could not understand how the mum who had previously not bonded had suddenly such an emotional response
that said it is well written but a little repetitive and drawn
out
being a massive fan of maeve binchy I gave this a read the writing is good and I certainly felt the loss of the baby but it just didn't do it for me ... whilst it resonated with my own experience with my first child being told she had possibly a chromosome disorder ( Edwards syndrome) and was subsequently found healthy post amniocentesis I could not understand how the mum who had previously not bonded had suddenly such an emotional response
that said it is well written but a little repetitive and drawn
out
May 20, 2014
Such a beautifully written poignant book, so sad to think this happens in Ireland every week, month, year.
August 24, 2014
Can't say I really enjoyed it as it's a very difficult subject. Raw but well written. ... a short read. No feel good factor though so leave at home if you're heading off on holiday!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews