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Dawn Beecroft Teetzel is a Canadian writer and poet, retired farmer and shepherd, a spinner of tales and wool. Using her descriptive writing, she reflects on her idyllic childhood, the love she has for family, and all things past. Her short stories and poetry have been printed in several magazines and anthologies.
Dawn Beecroft Teetzel resides in a small town in Southwestern Ontario with her life-mate and love, Ted.
Reviewed by Lorraine Cobcroft for Readers' Favorite
Spanning a lifetime of seventy years, Dawn Beecroft Teetzel’s My Mary: A Story of One Barnardo Home Child is a heartbreaking and emotional story, but also a deeply moving tale of enduring love. Mary Thistle, the titular Mary, was a Barnardo Home Child. Like thousands of stolen, forgotten, abandoned, and orphaned children all over the world and throughout history, Mary struggled with low self-esteem and confronting memories of trauma, abuse, and loss. Even after she met Charles and found true love, she battled melancholia, ultimately attempting suicide. The author begins the story with Mary receiving news of the death of the foster father she loved in her early years. She had been struggling with depression for a while. Her concerned husband wants her to see a doctor. Mary is committed to a psychiatric hospital. Now, to prove herself healed so she can return home to the men she loves, Mary must face her past.
Dawn Beecroft Teetzel tells us My Mary is fiction based extensively on fact. She researched thoroughly and wrote with an amazing depth of knowledge and understanding. With impressive sensitivity and insight, Teetzel shines a light on the machinations of the depressed mind, and the fierce struggle to overcome a feeling of worthlessness. Through a series of flashbacks, Teetzel tells of Mary's happy childhood in a foster home in England, her transfer to servitude in Canada, and her early adult life. It’s a challenging way to tell a story, but this author handles the changes of time and scene brilliantly. Rich imagery takes us into Mary’s world and her heart and mind to relive the struggles of her past. We endure with her the fear and pain of electroconvulsive therapy. We weep with her loved ones when she lapses. But ultimately, we celebrate her courage and endurance. This epic tale is both a powerful historical narrative and a beautiful love story. It’s a story that will stay with you long after you turn the last page. This is a must-read from a gifted author and one that will leave you hungry for more of Teetzel’s talent. It is truly a masterpiece!
