Book Review: The Night the Lights Went Out by Drew Magary

I have read Magary’s fiction before and not always found it to my taste So while I was very intrigued by his memoir about surviving a TBI I wasn’t sure if his writing style in a nonfiction context would work better for me than it does in a fictional one. I’m pleased to report that It does.

I found his voice here to be true, brutally honest, and raw in a way that rang clarion-clear given the situations he was writing about. His journey was difficult to read. I appreciated that he didn’t sugarcoat any of what he went through or downplay any of the negative aspects both of his accident or his recovery. I particularly appreciated his thoughtful consideration of how everything he went through impacted his family and friends. I also have a family member who suffered a TBI (as a result of a car accident) and all our lives changed afterwards. It made this a more moving (and difficult, at times) read for me, but also a more meaningful one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.