erinfiebs's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
cassmensah5's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
4.5
A remarkable read. So beautifully written and honest. Not giving 5 stars because the author uses the r* word multiple times throughout which is pretty jarring given how recently it was written.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Ableism, Alcoholism, and Miscarriage
catsrgray's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
irmingard's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
5.0
curloline's review against another edition
4.75
the middle 50% of the book I wasn’t sure about. I was ready to give it maybe a 3.75. but the last quarter of it made up for it and tied it all together in a sad beautiful intimate way.
rbrano's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Really fantastic deep-dive into the mind of a woman who existed until she learned how to live. Deeply relatable at times, deeply harrowing at other times, in one moment downright unforgivable even with all of the context provided, and yet I walk away from the book feeling understood.
Lots of trigger warnings should be listed, but I’ll just say that if you have any deep trauma, basically anything at all save perhaps personal experience with combat and war, you should proceed with caution. Personally I found it very healing to hear about a girl whose lives experience aligns so closely with mine as a child. It helped me to be angry and scared and helpless with her. It was deeply validating, especially to watch her stumble through adulthood after all of those years without the foundation that should have been built for her as a child.
This book was inspiring without being ham-fisted, tragic without being melodramatic, heartbreaking without being hopeless, and above all, an artistic expression of a woman who should have never made it to where she did but did anyway.
Lots of trigger warnings should be listed, but I’ll just say that if you have any deep trauma, basically anything at all save perhaps personal experience with combat and war, you should proceed with caution. Personally I found it very healing to hear about a girl whose lives experience aligns so closely with mine as a child. It helped me to be angry and scared and helpless with her. It was deeply validating, especially to watch her stumble through adulthood after all of those years without the foundation that should have been built for her as a child.
This book was inspiring without being ham-fisted, tragic without being melodramatic, heartbreaking without being hopeless, and above all, an artistic expression of a woman who should have never made it to where she did but did anyway.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Miscarriage, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Child death, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Car accident, Grief, Incest, and Physical abuse