The Bottom Line
Pros
- Fans of the super multiples family will enjoy indepth details about the twins and sextuplets.
- Inspiring story of the family's spiritual strength and God's provision for them.
- Honest and open sharing about the issues of having extreme multiples.
- Mom Kate's personality shines through.
Cons
- Detractors will find more ammunition for their criticism of the family.
- Some of the material seems specifically aimed at deflecting or refuting the criticism.
- Some awkward syntax and vocabulary choices.
- It's nitpicky, but the spelling of the title (bles8ings) makes me crazy!
Description
- The story of the miraculous multiples is inspiring and heartwarming, and certainly entertaining.
- The family is generous in sharing openly about their story. Nothing is held back.
- Kate's voice rings out. Although Jon is listed as an author, the story is told completely from her perspective.
- Each chapter begins with a scripture verse.
- There are lots of details -- some gory -- about the process of infertility treatment and high risk pregnancy.
- Will appeal most to: fans of the show and those who are inspired by their faith.
- Highlights: the final chapter with spiritual lessons, the excerpt from Kate's journal, and all the photos of the kids.
- Sometimes the tone is defensive or seems to make excuses. Is it because the family has been so heavily criticized?
- I noticed some odd vocabulary choices. For example on page 129: Mady "... stamping her little foot with indigence..." Huh?
Guide Review - Multiple Bles8ings by Jon and Kate Gosselin
Multiple Bles8ings is an in-depth look at the family that has become so familiar as a television presence. It presents the "backstory," detailing how Jon and Kate met, the twins' birth, the fertility treatments that resulted in sextuplets, the agonizing high risk pregnancy and the challenges of caring for infant multiples. But most of all, the book provides insight into the faith and spirituality that sustains the family, a dimension that is not manifested as readily on television.
As a parent of twins, I am quite familiar with the challenges of parenting just two; it's hard to imagine the exponential escalation in issues when there are six. There's no denying that the couple has faced great odds and overcome tremendous obstacles through sheer force of will and gritty determination. The book makes it clear just how much they relied on their strong faith and God's provision to pull through the difficult times.
Some of the material in the book does seem aimed at defending or disputing some of the criticism leveled at the parents, such as an explanation of Kate's reaction to a complimentary home remodel when they brought the babies home to her resentment of the presence of numerous volunteers.
