Reviews

I loved this book so much. I wanted to hug 12 yo Ashley and her mom and dad. I wanted to meet her grandmother and Kelly. I wish everyone in this book as much happiness and love as the world can shower upon them.

hilaryshelby's review against another edition

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dark inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.75

kaitlyncookies's review

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

4.5

This is a powerful, beautifully written memoir. I really admire the author’s honestly in talking about her complex relationships with family members, and past traumas. I highly recommend the audiobook in particular. Although she reads it slowly, it is worth it for the poetic rhythm of Ford’s voice. It made the story much more emotionally impactful. The scene where

Ashley visits her father in prison

is what really broke me, it was very touching. There is also a wonderful interview with the author at the end of the audiobook.

Content Warnings

hannahfie's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

m_petranoff's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

3.0

Beautifully written, this memoir weaves through Ford's life and the challenges of reconciling the love she has for her incarcerated father with the violence he perpetrated, a violence that herself is undone by several times. The story lacks resolution, perhaps because Ford's life is not a tightly knit narrative but an actual life. I was not as moved as others have been through the reading, but then again, my own experiences do not resonate as strongly with that of Ford's.

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