sadie_reads_again's review against another edition
4.0
This is the second of Galloway's memoirs. This covers her teenage years, whereas her first memoir [b:This is Not About Me|4455494|This is Not About Me|Janice Galloway|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328724372l/4455494._SX50_.jpg|4503741] is, I gather, about her childhood. This is the first of the two I've read, and having done so I don't think you need to read them in order.
I really enjoyed Galloway's writing when I read her novel about mental health - [b:The Trick is to Keep Breathing|468488|The Trick is to Keep Breathing|Janice Galloway|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403201951l/468488._SY75_.jpg|2468841] - last year. I enjoyed this book just as much, where she turns her lens on to her own difficult upbringing. Growing up in a small flat, sharing a bed with her mother after her much older sister has returned home after walking out on her marriage and child. Trying to be a good student and daughter whilst living under the scrutiny and abuse of her sister, teenage Janice becomes more unsure of herself. She finds solace in her love of Latin, reading and playing in the school orchestra, but these passions only seem to further draw out her sister's spite. Her mother provides little protection, and Janice finds herself looking for belonging elsewhere.
This is the sort of memoir that completely drags me in. Honesty with an unflinching introspection, that allows the reader to really understand the starting blocks from which an impressive person has pushed off. There is tough stuff to read in this book, it is very bleak in parts. Some of it resonated quite painfully with me. But it is balanced out with some humour and a writing of real clarity and poise. Plus, Scotland. I devoured this book and can't wait to get to her first memoir to read about what came before.
I really enjoyed Galloway's writing when I read her novel about mental health - [b:The Trick is to Keep Breathing|468488|The Trick is to Keep Breathing|Janice Galloway|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403201951l/468488._SY75_.jpg|2468841] - last year. I enjoyed this book just as much, where she turns her lens on to her own difficult upbringing. Growing up in a small flat, sharing a bed with her mother after her much older sister has returned home after walking out on her marriage and child. Trying to be a good student and daughter whilst living under the scrutiny and abuse of her sister, teenage Janice becomes more unsure of herself. She finds solace in her love of Latin, reading and playing in the school orchestra, but these passions only seem to further draw out her sister's spite. Her mother provides little protection, and Janice finds herself looking for belonging elsewhere.
This is the sort of memoir that completely drags me in. Honesty with an unflinching introspection, that allows the reader to really understand the starting blocks from which an impressive person has pushed off. There is tough stuff to read in this book, it is very bleak in parts. Some of it resonated quite painfully with me. But it is balanced out with some humour and a writing of real clarity and poise. Plus, Scotland. I devoured this book and can't wait to get to her first memoir to read about what came before.
hey_laura_mc's review
5.0
Worrrrr. I bloody love a bit of a misery memoir and this trumps the lot. Her style is TO DIE FOR, people. I want to read everything she's ever written. Five big fat stars.
janice_72's review
5.0
really enjoyed reading about Janice's life growing up in Saltcoats/Ardrossan - definitely not a sugar coated story.
balancinghistorybooks's review
3.0
I love Galloway, but this wasn't as gripping as her first volume of autobiography, and I must admit that I took it back to the library before finishing it.
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