rromanereads's review against another edition
5.0
what did I just read?
Jeannette's story made my blood run cold. She was born into an eccentric family, but at some point it turns into child abuse. I was terrified to discover the childhood she had, the conditions in which she had to survive. With an alcoholic father who squanders the few resources the family has, a mother with untreated bipolar disorder who only thinks about her career as an artist, Jeannette and her siblings have experienced the most precarious of circumstances. Many times during the story I had to remind myself that I was not reading fiction and that a little girl had actually experienced all of this and survived, mentally and physically. These memoirs are a life lesson for all, an outstanding example of resilience, determination - though a forced one in this case.
I have been caught by this hectic story. I shivered, winced and smiled. For those who like memoirs, this is definitely one to read. The parent/child relationship is terrifying, especially as seen through the eyes of a little girl who just wants a little affection from her parents, but is used by the very people who should be protecting her more than anyone else. It is a poignant story. The strong bond that has developed between this sibling group to face the world together and survive is heartbreaking. It is them against their parents, they had to create their own little family to survive, and the only way to do that was to exclude their parents.
Jeannette's story made my blood run cold. She was born into an eccentric family, but at some point it turns into child abuse. I was terrified to discover the childhood she had, the conditions in which she had to survive. With an alcoholic father who squanders the few resources the family has, a mother with untreated bipolar disorder who only thinks about her career as an artist, Jeannette and her siblings have experienced the most precarious of circumstances. Many times during the story I had to remind myself that I was not reading fiction and that a little girl had actually experienced all of this and survived, mentally and physically. These memoirs are a life lesson for all, an outstanding example of resilience, determination - though a forced one in this case.
I have been caught by this hectic story. I shivered, winced and smiled. For those who like memoirs, this is definitely one to read. The parent/child relationship is terrifying, especially as seen through the eyes of a little girl who just wants a little affection from her parents, but is used by the very people who should be protecting her more than anyone else. It is a poignant story. The strong bond that has developed between this sibling group to face the world together and survive is heartbreaking. It is them against their parents, they had to create their own little family to survive, and the only way to do that was to exclude their parents.
carrot_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
5.0
kyxshi's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
4.5
I don’t quite know how to talk about this book. I loved it. I hated it sometimes. I almost threw my phone at one point. I have been grappling with my own biases (I maintain my opinion that mental illness and difficult circumstances explain but in no way excuses the absolute neglect the Wallses subjected their children to) in the complexity of this family’s story.
This book will stick with me for a long time, I think.
This book will stick with me for a long time, I think.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Violence, and Pedophilia
Child abuse primarily in the form of neglectemilyrosemoss's review against another edition
4.0
This one was hard for me to read. I hate that there are children who grow up in these conditions (and worse).
As far as quality of book, it was well written, maybe paced a little slow. Very eye opening and thought provoking
As far as quality of book, it was well written, maybe paced a little slow. Very eye opening and thought provoking
marcelabrina's review against another edition
3.0
Coming from a not-too-privileged background myself, a lot of the actions in this memoir were familiar and unfortunate, and plenty of them made me angry. I found myself thinking these people (the parents) should be sterilized and if that sounds harsh, it's because it is. The memoir itself is well written and engrossing, but I got tired of coming home angry (listening to it in the car), and both remembering and predicting several of the actions of the individuals involved. It's worth reading and forming your own opinion, but I wouldn't recommend it for parents who actually care about their children.
27chickpeas's review against another edition
4.0
It was a great book with compelling storytelling. My only qualm is I was confusing the plots between this one, Educated, and Where the Crawdad Sings. But that’s not really the author’s fault. Definitely recommend to anyone who is interested in memoirs!
woohehe's review against another edition
4.0
This was an absolutely fascinating look at Walls's childhood. She was able to talk about her family's struggles through a lens of understanding as an adult that still expressed her frustrations as a child. Her story provides insight into lives of people who choose to live differently that mainstream society and are subsequently rejected, as well as the burdens their choices place on those around them.