Rules of Inheritance Review

Wow.

I don’t even know where to begin with this book. I’ve always been really honest in my reviews on here, and this one isn’t going to be any different.

This might have been one of the best books I’ve ever read. And I’ve read a lot. 

Rules of Inheritance by Claire Bidwell Smith is a memoir of Claire’s life – and just the fact that it really happened makes it that much more powerful. It documents her life in stages of grief, starting with her mother being diagnosed and then dying of cancer, to her father also being diagnosed and later dying of cancer. She recounts all the life choices she makes in a nitty gritty way that’s almost difficult to keep reading through the first few chapters. She seems to slip so far into her anger and sadness that you can’t help but put the book down and try to shake yourself out of her fog.

As she stumbles through men and drinking and jobs, while maintaining a relationship with her father for the next few years, you can begin to see the self realization she comes to at different times. No holds barred, she makes you feel like you’re right beside her as her world crashes down over and over and she picks herself up to carry on.

There were so many times in this book that I simply sat and cried as I read, my heart aching for her and her life. And the never ending hope that at some point, she’ll pull it together and things will begin to work out. It was an amazing read. Claire did an excellent job in writing this, and it was worth every moment and tear to get to the end.

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