Media Room - Reviews

Hummingbirds Don't Fly In The Rain
By Kimberly Klein, PMA Press

Reviewed by Carol Davala

"Our final destiny is planned out for us; it is how we get there that we can control to some extent."

When a young life is cut short, whether through illness, accident, or some bizarre twist of fate, friends and family are often left to ponder why. While Kimberly Klein suffered the devastating loss of her 13-year-old daughter, Talia, who died in a private plane crash along with her father, Michael Klein (the author's ex-husband), Klein subsequently embarked on a cathartic odyssey to reveal a mother's undying love and devotion to her child, as well as to gain a deeper understanding of the interconnections between this earthly life and the next realm.

The writing of Hummingbirds Don't Fly in the Rain was not only a means of organizing the chain of events that Klein dealt with during this sudden whirlwind tragedy, but it also helped her remember everything about her life with Talia and elementally connect with her daughter's spirit. There is an intimacy in the author's writing that draws readers into the personal drama of this true-life account and timeframe. Here Klein's emotions run the gamut from shock and disbelief, to chaos, grief, bitterness, and quiet contemplation. We quickly learn that Talia was an "old soul". A well-liked, trusted, and respected adolescent, wise beyond her years. It is obvious that Klein took great pride and care in raising her daughter, as she offers several instances of guidance and mentoring that clearly influenced Talia in her development as such an honest, gracious, and self-sufficient individual. Klein's own life story also unfolds as she details early years, her marriage, and ultimate divorce from Michael, and the often reverberating consequences of his less-than-honorable actions. Along with the particulars of the wrongful death suit Klein filed against her ex-husband and his estate, such information puts into perspective her close affinity with Talia and her conscious efforts in writing this book.

Declaring herself agnostic, Klein suddenly found herself open to the experience of spiritual dimension beyond this life. Soon after the crash, a spirit communicator that Klein had known, proved able to connect with Talia through a meaningful bracelet. Later communications came directed through family members and friends. Select messages from Talia are openly shared in this book, while additional offerings have been published in a separate volume. Klein's documentation is a well-written, graceful blend of both tragedy and triumph. For anyone dealing with the loss of a loved one, hopefully this story will open readers to the possibility of understanding that life as we know it and the infinite essence of spirit might truly be one continuum.