How to Be Safe

Aftermath. How does one cope with the aftermath of trauma? That’s the subject that Tom McAllister explores in his novel titled, How to Be Safe. McAllister uses finely written prose as he places readers alongside a first-person narrator, Anna Crawford, whose turmoil can be overwhelming. In a world that seems to have gone nuts, Anna is on a similar journey of one descending into a personal madness. Readers can become agitated with her as she tries to figure out how to be safe. A novel that explores our relationship with violence and tragedy may not appeal to all readers, but McAllister’s fine writing kept me engaged. Each of us lives in the aftermath of something, and as we walk with Anna on her journey, we can reflect on how we have dealt with trauma in the past and how we might be faced with trauma in the future. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase How to Be Safe from amazon.com.