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A review by chemistreadingonthejob
Junkyard Girl: A Memoir of Ancestry, Family Secrets, and Second Chances by Carlyn Montes De Oca
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
Compelling, Poignant, and Beautifully Written
Junkyard Girl by Carlyn Montes De Oca is a powerful memoir about ancestry and family secrets in an immigrant family striving for the American dream. When Carlyn was 57, she took an ancestry DNA test, just for fun, and learned something that would flip her world upside down. Her parents, who were immigrants from Mexico, were not her biological parents, and they took this secret to their graves. Carlyn was raised within the confines of a junkyard, in a house that showed signs of hoarding. She grew up feeling like an outsider, never fully understanding why. As the secrets began to unravel, memories of her childhood became clear. This is a story of self discovery and adjustment to the impact of longheld family secrets.
"That day, I stumbled into the mystifying world of Unexplainable Knowing, a place where hidden truths reside and where secrets patiently bide their time, waiting for their chance at revelation."
Carlyn has a beautiful way with words. Every emotion is felt by her narration. This book is as close as I'll ever get to knowing what's it's like to spend so much of your life not knowing you are adopted. I relate to Carlyn in that I am also adopted, but I knew about it since I was a child. I can't imagine a large family with sixty something cousins keeping this secret for so long. One of the things I admire the most about Carlyn is her ability to forgive. The bond with her sister especially resonated with me. I believe her sister who was like her best friend kept this secret for too long. I would find it hard to let it go, but this experience seemed to actually strengthen their relationship. I found this to be very heart warming. I also loved how Carlyn wove her love for dogs into the story. It was clear from her childhood that dogs bring her happiness and emotional support. There are many funny undertones to the stories displaying her Hispanic heritage. In the search for identity Carlyn gives a glimpse of what it's like to be bicultural. This memoir is unlike any that I've read before. Carlyn’s perspective is sincere and uplifting. Memoir readers will positively moved by Junkyard Girl.
Junkyard Girl by Carlyn Montes De Oca is a powerful memoir about ancestry and family secrets in an immigrant family striving for the American dream. When Carlyn was 57, she took an ancestry DNA test, just for fun, and learned something that would flip her world upside down. Her parents, who were immigrants from Mexico, were not her biological parents, and they took this secret to their graves. Carlyn was raised within the confines of a junkyard, in a house that showed signs of hoarding. She grew up feeling like an outsider, never fully understanding why. As the secrets began to unravel, memories of her childhood became clear. This is a story of self discovery and adjustment to the impact of longheld family secrets.
"That day, I stumbled into the mystifying world of Unexplainable Knowing, a place where hidden truths reside and where secrets patiently bide their time, waiting for their chance at revelation."
Carlyn has a beautiful way with words. Every emotion is felt by her narration. This book is as close as I'll ever get to knowing what's it's like to spend so much of your life not knowing you are adopted. I relate to Carlyn in that I am also adopted, but I knew about it since I was a child. I can't imagine a large family with sixty something cousins keeping this secret for so long. One of the things I admire the most about Carlyn is her ability to forgive. The bond with her sister especially resonated with me. I believe her sister who was like her best friend kept this secret for too long. I would find it hard to let it go, but this experience seemed to actually strengthen their relationship. I found this to be very heart warming. I also loved how Carlyn wove her love for dogs into the story. It was clear from her childhood that dogs bring her happiness and emotional support. There are many funny undertones to the stories displaying her Hispanic heritage. In the search for identity Carlyn gives a glimpse of what it's like to be bicultural. This memoir is unlike any that I've read before. Carlyn’s perspective is sincere and uplifting. Memoir readers will positively moved by Junkyard Girl.