mckenna lisa cole
Author * Editor * Speaker
mckenna lisa cole
Author * Editor * Speaker
A true story that reads like a novel
What's So Unique About This Book?
Compounded Loss in Real Time
Two main things differentiate Navigating Hell from other grief books—it's written almost entirely in real time, and it involves a variety of overlapping losses in rapid succession. It chronicles primary, secondary and tertiary losses related to people, relationships, beliefs, trusts, jobs, directions, dreams, identities, normalcy and more.
Her Fingers Point Inward
With only one exception (no spoilers), McKenna never advises a reader to "do this" or "do that." In this sense, Navigating Hell is a non-invasive journey. It allows you to live each moment with her and silently relate to the degree you are comfortable. Every person and situation is different, and what a reader decides to do or not do is strictly their choice.
Unfiltered Confessions
The format—which reads like a novel or screenplay—includes raw and uncensored depictions of thoughts, feelings and events. Italicized passages invite you inside McKenna's most private internal conversations and confessions. There are countless opportunities to say, “I can’t believe she admitted that, but I'm glad she did.”
Insight for Bystanders
One thing McKenna discovered by being a grief insider and a grief outsider at the same time is that the right way to help is almost always a moving target. That said, Navigating Hell may help you better understand someone who is grieving and identify possible ways to assist given your circumstances.
Highlights the Intricacies
Navigating Hell includes even the most subtle twists and turns that often accompany tragedy and serve as indicators of grief's fingerprint. Every type of loss is different. Every process is different. Who we are before, during and after is different. Every person in the book has a story, and you will likely identify with many of them.
A Powerful Anytime Read
You don't have to be grieving to be drawn in. Navigating Hell is a powerful story of devastation, decision and survival, regardless. The potent blend of emotion and unpredictability makes it hard to put down. If you are looking for a compelling summer read, this book checks that box, too.
A Messy Spiritual Journey
Whether a reader is a Christian or non-Christian, Navigating Hell is relatable. In addition to the losses themselves, McKenna details the volatile spiritual struggles that accompanied them...
And she doesn't hold back.
A Complex Path to Hope
Loss forced McKenna to navigate tragedy in a variety of ways. Grief is an intensely private journey that no kind word, hug or good intention can shorten. However, Navigating Hell illustrates that life's ashes can be effective fertilizer.
Vivid Imagery
There is a razor-sharp thread of imagery that spans from cover to cover and makes Navigating Hell exceptionally visceral. The story takes the reader from standing on the perfect mountaintop to freefalling down a pit to hitting bottom to climbing out and beyond.