thoughtsonbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoy reading memoirs a lot; part of it is seeing how other people cope with this thing called "life" and with the curveballs that get thrown at them. Another reason is the fact that usually you know things will turn out at least OK. The person made it out of whatever horrible situation they found themselves in and are now able to tell their story. I find solace in that and it makes reading about the aforementioned horrible situations bearable. I also find it important to see how other people live - it makes me more empathic person I hope and shows me that there is always more to a person than meets the eye.
Jessica Berger Gross tells the story of her childhood and her early adult years - about how her father was physically and mentally abusive and how her mother stood by. She does a remarkable job at still painting a well-rounded picture of her parents who are far more than abusers to her - they provide for her and they do love her and still do horrible things. Her parents until the end of their relationship with Jessica Berger Gross never see how all his wholly their fault and none lies with Jessica. No child deserves to be abused and to be scared at home and to internalize all the hateful things they hear.
I devoured this book in a couple of hours; I just needed to know for sure that she gets out and gets better and finds a way to live with her scars. The way the story is told is wonderfully crafted and painted a vivid picture of Jessica Berger Gross' journey and how difficult it was in places and how much better things got for her. While at the same time showing that those scars do not disappear over night and that she still fights with her memories.
Jessica Berger Gross tells the story of her childhood and her early adult years - about how her father was physically and mentally abusive and how her mother stood by. She does a remarkable job at still painting a well-rounded picture of her parents who are far more than abusers to her - they provide for her and they do love her and still do horrible things. Her parents until the end of their relationship with Jessica Berger Gross never see how all his wholly their fault and none lies with Jessica. No child deserves to be abused and to be scared at home and to internalize all the hateful things they hear.
I devoured this book in a couple of hours; I just needed to know for sure that she gets out and gets better and finds a way to live with her scars. The way the story is told is wonderfully crafted and painted a vivid picture of Jessica Berger Gross' journey and how difficult it was in places and how much better things got for her. While at the same time showing that those scars do not disappear over night and that she still fights with her memories.
jessryn's review
4.0
Intriguing memoir that gives a real feel for the contradictions of growing up in an abusive family. And while I, thankfully, haven't been in a similar abusive situation, I have always been fascinated with the difficulty some people have accepting someone else's familial estrangement. Even in circumstances where the abusive parent has been unwilling to accept responsibility and is often still repeating abusive patterns. So this is a good book for those in circumstances similar to the author and for those of us who aren't.
More...