If Pain Could Make Music
Review by Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
How does an adult recover from the legacy of sexual abuse as a child during the 1950s when such events were not acknowledged? If Pain Could Make Music follows the revelations of Lemeilleur, a young man who comes to the slow realization of the lasting impact of his sexual abuse and trauma, and the limited options he has for working past the pain of his discoveries.
Lemeilleur’s experiences read like a biography, incorporate the pain and passion of fiction, and capture the efforts of a young man whose goal is to “stop feeling bad about his life.”
As he forms relationships, struggles with sexual offers and the emotions they spark, and tries to feel a love that he knows he should harbor but can’t quite touch, readers receive a thought-provoking tale of anguish. This might trigger some who also struggle with past abuse, but will enlighten most about the special nature of this kind of healing journey.
Ron Morin peppers Lemeilleur’s explorations with thought-provoking growth insights:
“…words were nothing in themselves. Until words rang with truth they are nothing but harlequins out to thwart their master. He had to start over again. Mice had loved him, and Lemeilleur hadn’t FELT it!”
Awakening to feelings sparks a wellspring of unacknowledged emotions that compel Lemeilleur past the books that have provided him with both foundations and boundaries.
“Would Lemeilleur end up like Mice: paralyzed in a fear so great love was forever locked out?”
Few novels address the specter of male sexual abuse, much less the impact of such abuse taking place during times when sexual abuse was barely acknowledged; much less by men.
Libraries and readers looking for passionate, heartfelt novels that capture personal and community crisis alike will find If Pain Could Make Music a powerful study of the impact, healing, and fractured results of abuse.
“I am a family medicine nurse practitioner and I’ve often asked myself that question. So many TV shows are about maniacs who are driven by some deep and dark trauma—it’s almost a cliché. Now comes along “If Pain Could Make Music”—it’s an acclamation of resilience. I really liked this book. It’s very funny, very gritty, and very poignant, and probably timely given the trauma the country is going through right now. We can’t give up.”
Denise D.
“Loved this book! Compelling from the first page!!! The author created a provocative journey of the main character while educating, stimulating, entertaining and surprising the reader in the most delightful way. Thank you, Mr. Ron Morin. We want.more!”
Shelley P.
“Mr. Morin does not mince words. In this gritty novel his lead character, Lemeilleur, like Dante, takes us through hell, purgatory, then to heaven where he beholds the roots of beauty are our values. What a book for these times where values are shoved aside in the quest for power. Five stars!!!”
John T.
“In “If Pain Could Make Music” Ron Morin give us a thoroughly entertaining journey through the life of Lemeilleur. His central figure encounters a fascinating cavalcade of characters, engaging with them in a variety of sexual and emotional entanglements, which are the substance of the book. All are struggling to extricate themselves from the confusions of youth, family trauma, and the squalor of working class life in New Bouville.
This fast paced story is deepened and enlightened by layers of literary allusions. A rich and involving read!”
T.O.G.