Zoe Murdock

Gripping and heart-wrenching - highly recommended.
By J. Marietta on July 10, 2016
Format: Paperback
Travel down the rabbit hole of Alzheimer’s disease with Aaron Young whose mind begins to betray him, causing him to question himself again and again as his memory fails. At first he lives in a state of vehement denial of his failing memory, all the while questioning every thought he has and every memory that he holds dear. You will experience Aaron’s frustration and anger in the early stages of his journey and then share the peace, and even beauty, of living each moment as a fresh, new experience, as the disease robs him of memories of what happened only minutes before. You will laugh at the wonder and simplicity of innocent love as Aaron meets and travels for a short time with new people, and feel his pain as they become only shadowy figures in his shattered memory. You will cry with Sarah, his daughter, who wants so desperately to understand and to help but who is the object of his anger because he is convinced that she is trying to rob him of his freedom and manhood.

Zoe Murdock has written an extraordinary tale with such sophistication and empathy that readers will feel that they have slipped into the mind of Aaron Young and they are sharing the mental rollercoaster ride of this awful disease with him. She has used considerable skill to draw the reader into Aaron’s point of view. You will experience what he experiences…not as an outside observer, but from inside his head and heart.

This is a second novel by an up-and-coming author, and like her first novel, “Torn by God”, it is wonderfully readable, with well-developed characters and a gripping story-line. Not only will it give readers who are touched personally by Alzheimer’s a glimpse at what it might be like to be the victim of the ravages of this disease, but for everyone else it is a lesson in compassion, empathy, patience, and love.

A terrific accomplishment by Zoe to take us into the mind ...
By Nezla Erekson on July 21, 2016
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
I just finished reading this fascinating and heart-wrenching book. With my own father dying from Alzheimer's almost 14 years ago, I now have a deeper understanding of what he possibly may have been experiencing himself. It also truly gives you an in-depth look at what the caregivers go through. Zoe's characters are so real you find yourself concerned and wondering what happens with their lives, too. A terrific accomplishment by Zoe to take us into the mind of someone as they are losing their mind. I gave this book 5 stars only because I couldn't figure out how to give it 6!

Must have done a great deal of research to be able to penetrate the ...
By toby scott on July 24, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition
I just finished reading “Man in the Mirror” and my mind is filled with thoughts. Alzheimer is a condition people talk about or experience as outsiders when a family member or a friend become afflicted with the disease, but how unique it is to explore the experience from inside the mind that suffers from it. That is the mastery of this book. It walks you through the life of a man in a way that tells outsiders – help me – I don’t know what’s happening with me – understand me –this is how I see you - this is how it feels – if you know how to handle me, I may stay put and not run, but I’ll probably still get in trouble.
I felt his anguish and his fear. In other words, as I read this book, I lived it.
I am convinced the author, Zoe Murdock, did a great deal of research to be able to penetrate the mind of her protagonist’s progression into the illness as deeply as she did. And she put him into life with others, filled him with love for beauty, made him caring and interesting. The plot is exciting, and through its various turns, I felt myself wanting to help him at every precarious moment, fearing for him, wanting to tell the people around him, don’t you see, he needs your understanding. But the book also makes you see how the family caretakers feel and how they try to cope. It is all so complex.
This is definitely not just another Alzheimer’s book.

Janet McNeil on July 21, 2016
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
I guess because of the subject matter, I expected a rather dark and perhaps difficult read, but it's quite the opposite. This is a hopeful, even luminous, telling of the story. The characters are drawn with such clarity and compassion. The author displays a deep understanding of and sympathy for the human condition. The struggle of the main character becomes a spiritual quest not only to remember, but also to discover himself. His eyes are continually opened to previously unacknowledged aspects of himself through his interactions with others. Their reactions to his words and behavior serve as a mirror in which he sees himself differently than before, with increasing truth and clearness, which is quite ironic for a man losing his memory. "Man in the Mirror" is a compelling read, highly recommended for anyone who appreciates good story telling.

Emotional roller-coaster with a purpose.
By Scott D. Sudbury on August 4, 2016
Format: Paperback|Verified Purchase
Man in the Mirror, by Zoe Murdock beautifully captures what must be a tremendously emotional struggling journey for more and more families and individuals today. Throughout this work I accompanied Aaron on what was to become an increasingly frustrating ride as he strives to hang onto his independence. All the while those who loved him try their best to maintain some semblance of normalcy amid a set of all too common circumstances which are anything but normal. Reading this work has me chuckling one minute, anxious for the central figure another and finally in tears on still another. All the while riding this emotional roller-coaster I found myself simultaneously educated regarding the frustrations and emotional tuggings care givers face. While it is not presented as an educational work, Man in the Mirror is very much educational, enlightening, eye-opening and helpful. I would encourage anyone facing this journey with loved ones, or who knows someone dealing with it, or who just enjoys a good read to pick this novel up and give it a good read.

Man in the Mirror
By J. Sudbury on August 4, 2016
Format: Paperback|Verified Purchase
This tale is written in a style which brings the reader inside the minds of the characters of the story, especially the mind of Aaron. Fiction based on fact is an intriguing means of examining the mystery of Alzheimer's Disease, opening hidden chambers of the imagination. A though provoking novel, Man in the Mirror is an exploration of incongruities and inconsistencies in the ordinary lives of extraordinary people.

A Must Read!
By K. Goode on August 2, 2016
Format: Paperback|Verified Purchase
What a journey Zoe Murdock takes us on in her fascinating new novel, "Man in the Mirror!" It’s a tribute to this author’s talent and compassion that she is able to transport the reader into the declining mind of Aaron Young, an Alzheimer’s patient struggling to maintain his dignity and independence. But Murdock does more than take the reader along as an observer—she draws him in as an empathetic companion to Aaron. In fact, you may be so involved in Aaron’s journey that you begin to question your own lapses of memory. (It took this reader a couple of days after finishing the novel to decide “I’m still okay”)! Great novels leave you changed in some way. I like to think that Murdock’s novel will make me more patient and understanding should a loved one ever be afflicted. Almost impossible to put down, "Man in the Mirror" is a must read for family members, caregivers of Alzheimer patients, and anyone seeking a better understanding of this tragic disease.

Mind Reflected
By Scotty Brown on July 30, 2016
Format: Paperback|Verified Purchase
What does it feel like when you know your memory is slipping? It happens to all of us at one time or another, doesn't it? But what about when it happens again and again? What is the feeling when you find yourself somewhere, and you don't know how you got there, why you are there, and don't even know where "there" is? This became a troubling situation for Aaron Young. He began to question his actions, confronting a dilemma of unsure memories, even feelings, about his relationship with his deceased wife, whose surprising poetry about their life together, turned up to haunt him, just at the onset of Aaron's mental disintegration.
Alzheimer's will rob you of your ability to concentrate, to reason, to remember what you were just about to do, or what you just did. Though you may deny it, and insist that you are fine, those who surround you may know otherwise. They may make "secrets with their eyes" ~ a clue to schemes against you.
As I delved into "Man in the Mirror", I began to feel that I had tumbled down "the rabbit hole" with Aaron. The writing progresses at a non-stop pace, matching the merciless advance of this man's disease. I began to wonder what was real and what was not in my own life. Was I making the mistakes in judgement too? How would I know if my memory was going? Even if someone told me, it wouldn't stick, would it?
Zoe Murdock brings out many points to consider, for not only one sinking into confusion, but also for his or her loved ones.
I was captivated by Zoe's style, and the story. I think if I encounter anyone undergoing loss of memory, I would do well to stop, look, and listen, with a heart...and take them by the hand.… (más)

A riveting family drama that takes place in 1959 in a small Mormon town in Utah. It chronicles the devastation brought upon the Sterling family when the father has a vision which leads him to become involved with a local polygamist group run by a self-serving fundamentalist. The father comes to believe that the Mormon Church never should have rescinded polygamy. Even though the practice is now against the law and grounds for excommunication, he feels it is something God demands of him. Twelve-year-old Beth watches helplessly as her mother sinks into depression and illness. When her father leaves town to build a church for the polygamists, the family is cast off by the Mormon community and it is up to Beth to take care of her sick mother and her little brother. The story delves deep into the controversial association between mainstream Mormons and fundamentalist off-shoot groups such as those led by Warren Jeffs. It explores the power of indoctrination and religious control. It is a story inspired by true events.… (más)