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Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
The memoir, Barely Visible: Mothering a Son Through His Misunderstood Asperger Syndrome, follows author Kathleen Somers' path as a mother raising her son, Jack, who has Asperger syndrome. Somers shares the impact of the loss of her first child, Angela, and the subsequent birth of Jack, who becomes the center of her world. The memoir spans Jack’s development issues, social isolation, and academic difficulties, as well as Somers' evolving understanding of his needs, including therapy, specialized education, and medication. Somers works to balance Jack’s ambitions, guiding him through college and the COVID-19 pandemic, while working through friendships and dating. Somers frequently comes up against societal judgment, her guilt, and trying to juggle a personal life of her own. Her work is a testament to her resilience, love, and acceptance.
Barely Visible by Kathleen Somers is a heartfelt and skillfully written memoir that stands out for its unvarnished honesty and authentic voice. Somers shows us how the ever-exhausting world of parenting is on overdrive when raising a neurodiverse child, achieving this with sharp observations and clear delivery to her readers. Her writing style is conversational and most of the stories she shares feel like a chat with a friend. I found it interesting that, as she walks us through the delicate balance between supporting and pushing Jack toward independence, the same needs to be applied to herself as well. Somers is a mother and her son obviously comes first, but she is also a woman who wants a nice house and a loving partner. All of this comes through with a little humor and a lot of tenderness, making it a perfect read for those who are on the hunt for a memoir with real substance and heart. Very highly recommended.
