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kailiyahknight's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
laurajordensharris's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
microbemom's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
erica_reads_things's review against another edition
5.0
The parental subject matters of this memoir are unlike anything I have ever read. The only way I can possibly describe Rose Mary and Rex are a cross between granola hippies and conservative hillbillies. This book had my emotions constantly at war - one second this family would be resilient and heartfelt, the next selfish and damaging. What a true, raw look at the complexities of humans, love, family, and growth. I highly recommend listening to Jeannette read this book as well.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Violence, Medical content, Trafficking, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Terminal illness, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
ginnygaleclaire's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Violence, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy
nebraskanwriter's review against another edition
5.0
As other reviewers have said, Walls does look at her past with rose-tinted glasses and does not tear down her parents. She tells us what they did, said, didn’t do that they should have done and let’s us the reader feel the anger for her. Which I thought was very tasteful of her, given what all her parents have put her family through.
Definitely one of the most powerful memoirs I’ve ever read. How they were able to save up money, budget at such a young age and be more of a responsible adult then both their parents to make it in New York. The strength of her and her siblings is truly incredible.
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
mandi4886's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Vomit, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship
charitylee92's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty
Minor: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Terminal illness, Medical content, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
wardenred's review against another edition
5.0
"Don't be sad, Mom. I'll write."
"I'm not upset because I'll miss you," Mom said. "I'm upset because you get to go to New York and I'm stuck here. It's not fair."
This memoir was completely engrossing and unputdownable—more than once, I felt compelled to put aside everything else in favor of reading it. It left me with a lot of emotion and a lot of puzzlement and honestly, the author's parents are just bizarre.
This is very firmly a family story. It can even be said that it's a story of endless optimism and unconditional love and free-spirited parents teaching their kids to see every problem or trouble life throws at them as an adventure. Except it's not the abstract, esoteric life that subjects these kids to problems and troubles. Pretty much every bit of pain they face—from a beloved pet thrown out of the car window, to being stuck for 14+ hours in the darkness forbidden to talk, to sinking repeatedly during impromptu swimming lessons, to being put on the verge of getting sexually assaulted, to all the problems that come with living in extreme poverty—all of it is of their parents' making.
Reading about this dysfunctional dynamic was fascinating, the same way particularly inventive horror movies can be fascinating. I guess I... have a lot of inspiration for creating lovable villains now?
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, and Grief