Unspoken: A Memoir

by Luke Daniels

A grief memoir like no other grief memoir.

Beloved sci-fi narrator Luke Daniels feels a little exposed right now. Up until now, words have never been in short supply. However, by and large, this unending tide of words has been someone else's. In real life he's an introvert who seriously doesn't even talk much, preferring to observe and mimic. That's his Comfort Zone. But Luke's own personal story? That's his Danger Zone. And frankly, he's terrified.

But this story deserves to be told as much as it needs to be heard. So here we go.

In 2016, the morning after Valentine's Day, Luke's son passed away from breathing issues complicated by congenital birth defects. He was 21 months old. And his name was Finnegan.

This kind of loss is terrifyingly huge and scary, but the love and light in this story far outweigh the tragedy. Through comic book metaphors, Shakespeare references, and lilting Irish brogues, Luke tells the story of his too-short time with Finn. This is his tribute to storytelling, parenthood, and his rosy-cheeked, blue-eyed baby boy.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Memoir, Parenting, Biography, American

Audiobook

Published August 31, 2020

About the author

Luke Daniels has performed at various repertory theatres around the country, with an emphasis on Shakespeare. His many audiobook credits range from action and suspense to young adult and adult fiction,including works by Philip Roth and John Updike. He currently resides in the Midwest.

Reviews

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Luke Daniels did a video announcing the release of Unspoken, I did not know of the blessings, hardships and tragedies he had endured. To be honest, I wept before I even started listening. But Daniels is not only a fantastic narrator, he is also a brilliant storyteller. He opened up and shared not just Finnegan’s story but his own story of grief, acceptance, and survival.

Sure, I wept. As a mother, as someone who has lost and as someone who has witnessed another suffer… but Luke Daniels also made me smile and laugh.

He shed light on the struggles of identifying medical issues, of managing multiple doctors, of the hopelessness and small miracles. He opened up about his own feelings, frustrations, doubts and decisions. It was raw, honest, and I imagine healing to share, to say the words and to bring voice to all the Finnegans.

Don’t shy away from this emotional tale. It’s beautifully told and a reminder of how precious each moment truly is.

This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer

[بدور · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this audiobook.
It’s incredible how it made me cry and laugh immediately after.
Cheers to all parents who have to endure so much for their children, you’re underappreciated heroes.

With this, I complete my reading challenge for the first time in years.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good lord. The sling-shotting of emotions from joy to utter heartbreak is something I can't advise at 1.75x speed, they all come at you way too fast. This one should be listened to at 1x just so you have time to process what is happening because the gut punches come as fast as the laughs do.

I am glad to have shared this moment with Mr. Daniels and will also be glad to share it with people I know.

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started this. I just saw that Luke Daniels had written something, and since he's one of my favorite audiobook narrators, I was excited to hear him give voice to his own voice for a change. Ooooh, boy.

This would probably not have been as difficult a listen say, 8 or 9 months ago, before I had a son of my own. But even then, it would have been difficult because of the several friends I have who have been through similar situations. The story of Finnegan Roy Daniels is absolutely heartbreaking, and I have no idea how Luke Daniels manages to tell it with such warmth, and humor, and without completely breaking down. No, actually, I do--he manages for Finn, that's how.

This is a really honest look at the grief that comes with losing a child, or that comes with caring for a child with major medical issues or with special needs, and about the need for us to talk more about it. It's a beautiful tribute to his own child, and one that manages to be both hilarious and heart wrenching at the same time.

If you have Audible, this one is definitely well worth three hours of your time.

[Susan Crowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written and moving account of a father experiencing the life and death of his young son Finnegan.

[Hali Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prepare to sob. A lot. And laugh sometimes. But no, mostly you're just crying. Or rather, mostly, you find your asthmatic self trying to power through peanut butter and banana toast at breakfast while you're pulsing with sobs, and yeah okay you should have taken your time but Steven has to go to work soon and now there's snot all over his jacket from holding you. That's how this book is. Cheers to you, Daniels, and it was a sad/lovely pleasure/endeavor hearing about your boy.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful tribute to Daniels' late infant son. Much of it was really difficult to listen to, but I was amazed and comforted by unexpected similarities of losing Gabriel and my ensuing journey with grief. Daniels left nothing behind in his open and vulnerable recounting of his precious son, gone too soon.

[AlexNms · Rating 5 out of 5]

Κάθισα και το τελείωσα όλο στην δουλειά σήμερα (δεν ήταν μεγάλο γενικά. 3μισι ώρες περίπου διαρκούσε) and oh boy. Αν ήμουν μόνη μου, θα είχα βάλει τα κλάματα. Ήμουν στο κλικ να δακρύσω αλλά δεν μπορούσα γιατί έπρεπε να δίνω προσοχή σε αυτά που έβλεπα στην οθόνη. 😭 Σπαρακτική ιστορία. Είχε το χιούμορ της σε μερικά σημεία (καθώς ο συγγραφέας και αφηγητής είπε πως το χιούμορ είναι coping mechanism του) αλλά ουφ. Πόνεσε. Μετά από αυτό δεν μπορούσα καν να ακούσω μουσική. Απλά έκανα την δουλειά μου στην ησυχία (aka βαβούρα του γραφείου).

[Tera Bunger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg!!!!! It’s a full out attack on your feelings. Amazing hearing their story. Shows just how powerful grief is and how people handle it differently. Luke does a great job of writing and reading.

[Nick Sampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone has greif.. one of my favorite audible voices shares his, to hope everyone can learn to share theirs, and talk about it. It may poke old wounds and trigger old grief.

Though it certainly helps us (me) to realize that burying our grief is not good, and that saddness and showing it is NOT a weakness. Asking for help, or a shoulder to cry on is not a bad thing. It takes more strength and courage to ask for help when you need it, than to pretend you are ok.

I wished this was a lesson I'd have learned when my mom passed. And was one I was only just learning when my dad (stepdad technically) passed.

I suggest giving it a listen, it didn't cost me anything .. but its a great heartfelt story... one i'd have paid for.

[Choyang · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Unspoken: A Memoir', written & narrated by Luke Daniels

A beautiful memoir of the tragic death of Luke's baby son, Finnegan, who was suffering from congenital problems.

Luke is one of my favorite narrators, (Iron Druid series, etc) so as soon as I saw this, I popped it into my Audible library.

An excellent book, bound by tragedy but filled with so much love, occasionally even humor, in the thrall of heartbreak! Well-written and spoken, and the music & singing added an extra special depth to this beautiful tribute from Luke to his baby son, Finn, who passed away far too soon.

Really liked the storytelling and the author's expressive narration through that roller-coaster ride when parts of his life teeter dangerously close to the verges of Hell-mouth, as he and his family navigate their way though incredibly grievous life circumstances. My heart goes out to him and his loved ones! And to baby Finn who fought courageously to stay with his family.

Top notch story; glad I discovered it!

Blessings, may all be auspicious for Luke Daniels and his family from now to forever and a day! 🌈💖🌟🌺

Two thumbs up! 👍👍

[Colette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know Luke Daniels as the narrator for the Iron Druid series. Then I got to know him a little better when Kevin Hearne talked about their relationship and the jokes they play on each other, and still a little more from his Facebook page.

So when he wrote something, I was curious to read it.

I had no idea what it was about.

I’m glad I listened to it on Audible. He shared something so painful and life changing in an authentic and heartfelt way and I appreciate his need to tell the story and hopefully experience some healing from sharing it.

Thanks Luke for trusting people with this story and for being willing to share something so painful with honesty and vulnerability.

[KJA · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one will tug at your heart.

Thank you, Luke Daniels, for sharing the story of your baby boy. Life is so precious. He was so strong and brave and so were you.

[Tammy Bulcao · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartfelt!

What a beautifully heartbreaking story. I’ve never known the loss of a child. The only time I’ve ever come close to this experience, (which wasn’t really close at all), was when my dad was really sick before he passed away. He also had breathing issues among other things. We (his children) had to take care of him in a similar manner. But my dad died at 72 and lived a full life.
Luke, I just want to say that you’re a hero. Your son knew it, your family knew it. And now your fans know it. Like all superhero’s, you had your moments of weakness like your Kryptonite, but you continue to fight and overcome some major obstacles. You’re stronger than you think, and you have friends, family & fans who will be with you every step of the way.
I hope that if you ever have doubts about life or your place in this world, you put your feelings down on paper and then if it helps, give your words a voice.
Your story will help others who might be going through something similar, for this I have no doubt. But more importantly, it sounds like it helped you in a way that none of us could.
Thank you for opening your heart and sharing something so personal with all of us.
PS as always, your narration was perfection.
I highly recommend this book.

Sisters Spotlight 💜

[LoriO · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up, because how do you not round up a memoir from a parent who has lost a child?

When Daniels tells his parenting story, it's compelling and touching and seems to be truly respectful not only of Finn, but also of Finn's mother and half-sister and others who may or may not have wanted to Daniels to tell their story. My problem was with the "this is getting maudlin, let me tell you random stories about my life that really don't shed light on anything else in this book" moments. Some of those bits connected; others very much did not, and they were a little bit frustrating. It almost felt like he'd been given a word count, and was stretching to meet it.

I also spent a good amount of this listen frustrated by the lack of information he had (was given? was not given?) about Finn and his issues; I'm still not sure if this is a story of medical malpractice, or just of the limits of medicine. At times, it seems about one; then it seems it's really about the other.

I wish Daniels and his family healing, but also to keep Finn's memory alive. This certainly goes a long way toward doing that.

[Kajal · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Grief is definitely a club. A club that you don't ask to be a part of. It's like the mafia, once you're in, you're in. Grief can sometimes feel like a badge of honour or like a scarlet letter."

In my opinion, losing a child is the worst kind of pain one can go through. It's fascinating how he manages to make such a personal topic feel so specific to anyone reading it. I felt personally called out at many points while listening to this book.

It's a strange thing to say, but I love reading books that revolve around the theme of grief and this one does a beautiful job of taking you on a journey through the author's grief. This book is so raw and personal, it felt like the author gave us access to his personal diary.

The author said that through this book he wanted to give his grief a voice, his voice. I think anyone who reads this book will feel like he has managed to give their grief a voice too.

(knocked off one star because the interspersion of chapters about other parts of his life didn't flow too well for me. I understand they were added to provide some form of levity, but I found myself racing through them to get to his child's story.)

[Catherine Puma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a moving grief memoir, made more impactful by being narrated by the author himself. Luke Daniels, sci-fi audiobook narrator, tells the story of how his 21 month old son Finnigan passed away after battling with esophagus, lung, and stomach issues his entire life. He gives a voice to the often alienating yet all too common experience of parents who lose a severely sick child. Be prepared to cry multiple times.

The structure shifts between "Before Finn", "During Finn", and "After Finn", which helps organize themes and balance tone. The only parts I didn't like were when Daniels makes up dialogue between fictional people and does silly voices for them; it only happens 2-3 times but the jokes don't land. Even so, the only other grief memoir I've read is by C.S. Lewis, and I really appreciated Daniels' work for being set in the modern American health system and not over theologizing his stages of grief.

Rest in peace, Finn, and I'll think of you when the cardinals sing.

[Wigglygirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most people who have experienced grief have learned it can be hard - and yet there are fewer things that can grieve the heart than losing a child. My favorite audiobook author shares his personal experience with having a child with medical complications and then having to let him go.

There were some parts that were hard to hear; a battle with alcohol and the justice system and many medical hardships but I truly think that stories like these are important. There is no lesson to be learned, no thing that should have been done to change the circumstances, no right way to act when one's world have been blown apart. In this book, we get to sit with Luke and his grief, and witness the light that was his son during his brief time on earth. It is brave stories like these that help my heart to grow bigger and to remind me to reach out because none of us are alone.

[Bree Hatfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Each story gets passed down and around, they intertwine and connect, expand and focus. A story carries the souls and actions of its characters to new ears and new minds, and stories are given new life each time they’re told. In that way, stories can be eternal.”

I don’t have many words for this memoir, but wow. Luke Daniels is, in my opinion, the best narrator on Audible, and he’s also a damn good writer. This book is well-written, well-performed, and utterly beautiful. This is the best memoir I have read. This book feels right, it feels like one of those moments when everything in the universe comes together just perfectly. Luke Daniels’ audio memoir is a story that needed to be told, and was in such a fantastic way.

Please read this.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional, powerful

An extremely touching and poignant story of a father's love and grief for his infant son. The reality of the struggles no parent should have to go through - but some do - is given a voice by this exceptionally talented author whose own personal experience makes it uniquely accurate.
I cried big, fat, sopping tears throughout as well as chuckled in spurts. I wholly identified with the the pain points of being a new parent to a child where things just didn't go quite right.
This book gives justification to every parent to grieve, to deal, and to heal in the best way that suits them and their situation.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is truly awe inspiring. An honest, open account of the hardest thing a parent could ever go through. Whilst hearing of the true heart ache and despair I laughed my tits off. Luke Daniels is one of my favourite narrators and his style of writing is amazing. He draws you in to a situation that is utterly shit then throws in some of the funniest one liners I’ve heard like a handful of glitter thrown on a turd. I can’t begin to imagine how difficult this would have been to write but can fully understand the touchstones and talkstones and find it admirable. It shows how small things can mean the world to you

[Danica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy heck! This book was a punch in the gut and then some. It is extremely raw, and the author/ narrator gets very real with you. I laughed, and I most definitely ugly cried. This experienced narrator shares his own personal story of grief and loss, and though it has been four years since the incident, at times you can hear the unsteadiness and pain in his voice... Although I am not a parent and I have not experienced the same loss as the author, I could empathize with many of the same feelings and emotions. This was a short but powerful listen that will change your perspective on traumatic experiences.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luke Daniels is my favorite audiobook narrator (I have purchased books just because he was the narrator, he’s that good). I was so excited when he announced that he wrote and narrated a book. He opened up about the grief and heartache of losing his precious son (who was only 21 months old). I cried through most of it but it’s an amazing book and a must listen (as of now, it’s only available in audio form).

Thank you Luke for sharing yours and Finn’s story with us. ❤️ I know he is so proud of you and he’s going to touch many lives with this story.

[Jul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luke Daniels is my favorite audiobook narrator. This memoir is an honest, heart-wrenching story about parenting, grief, and the unimaginable tragedy of losing a child. Words can have healing abilities and I'm grateful Luke Daniels had the courage to write this memoir, to open himself up on a personal level. This memoir is an invitation to not let such tragedies become taboo, to continue to speak about those we've lost as a way to honor and remember them. And yet, despite the tears, Luke Daniels still manages to give you some laughs, comfort and hope.

[Kayley Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Content: The content is hard to listen to, not because it wasn't good, but due to the raw emotion the narrator shares as he speaks of his sons passing. It was beautiful and heartbreaking hearing this account of such a horrible experience.

Audio Quality - Good, listened via audible

Overall -  Was a good listen, I enjoyed the length. It was less than 2 hours, brief but a excellent account with all details relevant.

Recommendation - If you want to listen to a personal account of grief, specifically a father who lost his son. This one will be hard for some listeners.

[Torunn Hjøllo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of Finn and of his father trying to deal with a life that ended to early is both sad but also offers a honest and raw look into an impossible situation. It show the strength, love, kindness, awareness and vulnerability of a beautiful life and how it affected the people around. It balances the sad and though realities with shorter stories before and after. I have seldom read a more honest and caring story. I recommend it with all my hearth!

[Heather La · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. I have always loved Luke Daniel’s voice. At the start it was hard to separate his voice from the characters I have put with his voice, however as his story progressed he became totally new to me. Raw and real.

His son’s story (I listened and did not read and do not wish to misspell) is a life that needs to be told. For those of us in the health care field as well as those outside of it.

Thank you for making me cry, see a life behind my patient’s eyes and feel.

[Swamy Atul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a deeply personal memoir of a father processing the grief of the loss of his son. As someone who had bottled up these thoughts, I have come to face them and, to my surprise, it doesn't hurt as bad as I thought it would to face the grief. There is some beauty in fond remembrance, which we tend to ignore because we are too afraid to think of the loss. Thank you for sharing this Luke.
Love you T2, my lost child :)

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a fan of Luke's performances, but before this memoir, I didn't know much about the man behind the voice. In a way, it was delightful to learn he's just as witty as all the books I've ever heard him read. There was also the sadness and battered hope of a father in grief. It's ultimately a lovely work, and I thank Luke and Audible for providing it for us.

[Matthew Wentworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Luke Daniels as a narrator. He's professionally read so many stories that I guess it's not surprising that he became a good writer himself.

Although this is a heartbreaking story, Daniels still infuses the memoir with humor because, as he says in the beginning, it's his way of coping.

Definitely worth a quick listen.