Many Readers and Critics have commented on the positive impact of this book:
This is a moving story about one girl's journey to find feelings of self-esteem and self-worth.
Jill Zimmerman Rutledge, LCSW, Author of Dealing With The Stuff That Makes Life Tough:
The Ten Things That Stress Girls Out and How To Cope With Them.
"Anita's book is a must read for Maslow fans that realize the only way to 'peak experiences' is getting your life in order, no matter what personal history you have to accept."
Edward McCann, Author of Rare Books in California.
This book helped open my eyes to what children go through when dealing with life's hardships. It helped me to realize that you can't judge a book by its cover. That the struggle for acceptance, love, acknowledgment or to be recognized can consume & overwhelm a child...it shows that despite adversity, you can turn your life around and soar to any height you dream possible. Thank you for sharing with me Anita.
Kimberly Cheryl , Author of Shattered Reality.
Customer who also put her Review on Amazon.
This short but potent tale is indeed the story of a young girl, Anastasia's, metamorphosis out of the smothering and woundedness caused by cruelty and abuse. . . .Perhaps this story will bring one person into a life of more fun and less pain!
Viviane Crystal, Member of Reviewers International Organization
This short but potent tale is indeed the story of a young girl, Anastasia's, metamorphosis out of the smothering and woundedness caused by cruelty and abuse. The reader won't learn exact details of where that hurt originated or in what specific form, but the author still manages to convey the damage to one born initially into a world of physical beauty, mental wisdom, and spiritual innocence.
The faculties of the Wise Old Owl are obviously latently within Anastasia as she moves through her journey through plenty of mistakes but also with just the right people to enable her to move from a victim to an independent yet loving woman who can actually become her secret fantasy, a ''Ghostly Owl'' guide and inspiration to children of the world.
Perhaps this unique story will touch many lives of those who need to know there is someone who understands and can offer hope beyond darkness, without needing to know the sordid details behind that pain. Perhaps you know of someone who needs to make that similar journey to ascend to the highest level of living that we were all destined to experience and manifest. Perhaps this story will bring one person into a life of more fun and less pain!
Viviane Crystal, Member of Reviewers International Organization
... I couldn’t put the book down until I completely finished it on the back cover. It is so down to earth, so well versed I could feel times that I was "Anastasia." Reading the words, but the brain saying "you’ve been there" too.
Emily Schuessler, Customer, Ontario
Anastasia and the Ghostly Owl (The Choice Was Hers!) is a book with a purpose, namely to inspire readers to overcome whatever challenges they may face... It's an unusual book. ...this book is meant to serve as a blinking arrow penetrating the darkness to point you toward the light that lies at the end of your own personal tunnel, and I think it succeeds very well in doing just that.
Daniel Jolley, one of Amazon.com's Top 50 Reviewers
Anastasia and the Ghostly Owl (The Choice Was Hers!) is a book with a purpose, namely to inspire readers to overcome whatever challenges they may face. It's an unusual book. In essence, this book is meant to serve as a blinking arrow penetrating the darkness to point you toward the light that lies at the end of your own personal tunnel, and I think it succeeds very well in doing just that.
Anastasia and the Ghostly Owl (The Choice Was Hers!) is a book with a purpose, namely to inspire readers to overcome whatever challenges they may face take control of their own lives, and basically go out and make their dreams come true.It's an unusual bookAnastasia's story does not read like your typical fiction, as it features layers of metaphors that infuse the writing with significant depth and meaning. The meat of this story is definitely between the lines. It is sometimes difficult to ferret out the details of Anastasia' story, but the important thing here are her feelings, and those shine through.
The book begins with a self-examination by Anastasia. It's an honest self-appraisal that recognizes both the positive and the negative. That's an important step in becoming the real you - but it's only a first step. It isn't long before we begin to see Anastasia wilt before some of the hardships life throws her way. She grew up feeling unloved, and this laid the imprint for her character as a young lady. She gave to others to compensate for all the things no one gave her, she radiated beauty but felt ugly inside, and she allowed the past - particularly one horrible experience that filled her with undeserved guilt and shame - to continually define her present. The mountain of her dreams lay before her, but she became discouraged by her slips and falls as she tried to climb it - and there was really no one there to help her along.
Eventually, Anastasia came to the inevitable fork in the road. The choice was hers as to whether she would continue plodding along in a darkness haunted by her past or make a break from the heavy weight of bad memories and dare to move forward toward the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel that would illuminate the footholds leading up the mountain of her dreams. In other words, she had to discover who she truly was, and she had to find out that the strength to overcome her personal obstacles lay inside of her all along.
Anastasia chose to be a survivor rather than a victim. That is the message Anita E. Wladichuk wants to get across with this book - that each of us has the power to change our lives for the better. Certainly, some face greater hardships than others, but no one has to remain a victim. The journey begins within, and there is always hope even in the darkest hours. Adversity can defeat you, but it can also make you stronger.
In essence,this book is meant to serve as a blinking arrow penetrating the darkness to point you toward the light that lies at the end of your own personal tunnel, and I think it succeeds very well in doing just that.
Daniel Jolley, one of Amazon.com's Top 50 Reviewers
"Anastasia and The Ghostly Owl" is about hope and overcoming obstacles that you will read and re-read, and will be a classic treasured by generations to come.
Florence Starr, Customer, and Founder of The Home For The Aged in Fernie, BC
'Who am I?' is a question that many people of many ages ask - it is the first question of the story. Anastasia asked this of herself over and over; of course, life is properly a process of discovery, and this can take place at different times and in different ways for each individual.
...This book shows a creative spark and an intense desire to share with others. It lacks the polish and the focus of a more experienced writer, but this is Wladichuk's first book. Hopefully, Wladichuk will continue to write and share her ideas in more focused ways - perhaps a purely narrative tale?
A good premier effort.
FrKurt Messick, one of Amazon.com's Top 50 Reviewers
'Who am I?' is a question that many people of many ages ask - it is the first question of the story. Anastasia asked this of herself over and over; of course, life is properly a process of discovery, and this can take place at different times and in different ways for each individual.
Wladichuk is better at physical descriptive writing than interior monologue/dialogue; with a bit of polish, the character of Anastasia could come out much more robust in a character sense. However, we do get glimpses of this - Anastasia's identification with the Owl ('the ultimate of beauty, strength, and wisdom', according to Wladichuk) does give a glimpse of deeper character currents.
I agree with the fellow reviewer when he draws attention to the teaching aspect of the story - it does slip back and forth between non-fiction self-help kinds of lessons and a fictionalised tale. Including names such as Maslow and Freud are signs of a teacher, not a storyteller. These (and others) have ideas that are better served in a narrative form by more subtle incorporation.
However, Anastasia does provide a vehicle for helping others to see certain elements in themselves - the power of self-identification, the power of outside symbols, the power of seeking help from others (both personal and professional) to navigate the tricky turns of life.
This book shows a creative spark and an intense desire to share with others. It lacks the polish and the focus of a more experienced writer, butthis is Wladichuk's first book.Hopefully, Wladichuk will continue to write and share her ideas in more focused ways - perhaps a purely narrative tale?
A good premier effort.
FrKurt Messick, one of Amazon.com's Top 50 Reviewers
...I appreciated the simplicity of this very complex story that describes the struggle of Anastasia as she survives the life that was presented to her. I read the book 3 times within a 24 hour period and each time I was forced outside my comfort zone and caused to remember and experience again my own journey to self-actualization. I look forward to Anita's next book. Thank you for sharing this story with me.
Tom Jones, Customer who also put his review on Amazon
Sometimes when reading a book, you have to stop critiqing the book, the author and just follow the path it sends you on. I appreciated the simplicity of this very complex story that describes the struggle of Anastatia as she survives the life that was presented to her.I read the book 3 times within a 24 hour period and each time I was forced outside my comfort zone and caused to remember and experience again my own journey to self-actualization. I look forward to Anita's next book. Thank you for sharing this story with me.
Tom Jones, Customer who also put his review on Amazon
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