'Phoenix' rises to the occasion

By Lisa Rajt

For The Daily

The phoenix: A bird that, after a long and magnificent life, impales itself upon a pyre and burns. The phoenix then rises from the ashes to begin anew. For this reason, the fiery bird is used to represent immortality, hope and rebirth.

Such is the theme of J.D. Dolan's moving first novel, "Phoenix: A Brother's Life." As the title implies, the life of Dolan's brother John parallels that of the phoenix, representing hope and new beginnings. This story is about many themes: Family relationships, dealings with death and the circularity of life. It is written with grace, honesty and passion.

The story, which is a memoir, begins with Dolan as a young boy and gradually unfolds from there. Dolan moves back and forth in time to tell his story in a way that is fragmented yet complete; the reader gains bits and pieces of the story as he goes along, and the novel is written in a style that resembles that of a journal. Always honest and heartfelt and never pretentious or overly literary, this book is a joy to read.

The story begins with a sense of impending doom on the part of Dolan, who as a child idolizes his seemingly blessed older brother, John. This sense of doom, as well as the feelings of love that Dolan had for his brother, drives the story. To illustrate, Dolan writes in the opening pages, "My brother was lucky. And I knew that soon, very soon, his number would come up." Indeed it does and the tragically short life John lived is where the allusion to the phoenix initially comes from.

As one reads the book, one is taken through some defining moments in Dolan's life, many of which include his beloved older brother. From just hanging out in their neighborhood to motorcycle racing in the desert, the brothers form a bond that unfortunately breaks with apparently little provocation when they become adults. The reader is also made privy to the events that break up the bond and cement the lack of communication that will define the relationship in the last years of John's life.

Dolan's older brother John is a "phoenix," figuratively speaking. John leads a short life, punctuated by pain and sorrow. He is a quiet, angry man. Coincidentally, Phoenix is also the town in which John dies, and Dolan notes the inherent irony of that fact. John's death represents new beginnings, as well; the day of John's funeral is the same day that Dolan first becomes a published writer. As his brother's life is ending, a significant new chapter in Dolan's life is beginning.

The reader learns early in the story that at the time of John's accident, Dolan and his brother have not spoken in five years. Dolan himself is not sure of why this is so, but his unresolved feelings of anger and hurt, as well as the knowledge that these feelings will likely remain unresolved, are a major part of the story.

One soon discovers that Dolan's brother was in a horrible accident and is suffering from severe burns on 90 percent of his body. A large portion of the book is set while Dolan is keeping vigil with his family on the burn unit of the hospital. Here, too, Dolan's brother represents a phoenix; John is literally burned to death.

The author is defined as an adult by his close childhood relationships with his older siblings and his troubled relationship with his younger ones. Dolan's need to reconcile and come to terms with his estrangement from his brother is the impetus for the narration of the book; the reader senses that the writing of this book was cathartic and part of a long and difficult healing process.

The only aspect of the book that was less than satisfactory was the occasional choppy sentence; however, that did not detract too much from a book that was otherwise enjoyable and well written.

J.D. Dolan is a man who began working in his profession, writing, relatively late in life. He did not receive an expensive education or extensive training. He is a man who simply has a knack for writing things beautifully and with honesty. "Phoenix: A Brother's Life" is a memorable piece of work, and it could serve as a model for dealing with the death of a loved one gracefully. It will provide the reader with an insight into an all-American family and the relationship of two brothers who loved very much, but sadly, got burned.