A review by palmaceae
Let the Tornado Come: A Memoir by Rita Zoey Chin

3.0

Let the Tornado Come is a very well-written book, no doubt about it. Especially towards the end of the book, her raw feelings and explorations into her life were particularly poignant and hard-hitting. If I had a list of things that should be in memoirs, I'd check off the beautiful writing and the requisite emotional impact. However, no check for the originality of the subject matter. This is not to say I want people writing memoirs to fabricate lives that are more interesting for my pleasure. What this is to say is that when I picked up this book, I was counting on it being way more focused on horses than it actually was. A third of the book is devoted to the author's childhood, a third is devoted to her life as a panic-stricken adult, and a third is devoted to her time with horses. Sad to say, but it's kind of "been there, done that" at this point in memoirs when it comes to abusive childhoods and mental issues. I was hoping for a fresh look at a memoir through the lens of horses and riding, and there was not nearly enough of that. Ultimately, I'd say this was a good memoir, but not a great, fresh, unique one.

Note: I received this book through Goodreads' First Reads Program.