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babygina's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed this one
I enjoyed the content of this memoir and the way it was told. Even in the moments where I was like "Damn, that sucks!" the author wasn't trying so hard to garner sympathy and emphasize that she was a victim. She understands that most of her readers are going to have to the common sense and basic human compassion to empathize with her just based on the raw information she shared with us. On top of the writing style, I was drawn in by the interesting choices she made in her youth. I liked reading about her experiences with the friends she made in the goth scene and developing as a writer.
I enjoyed the content of this memoir and the way it was told. Even in the moments where I was like "Damn, that sucks!" the author wasn't trying so hard to garner sympathy and emphasize that she was a victim. She understands that most of her readers are going to have to the common sense and basic human compassion to empathize with her just based on the raw information she shared with us. On top of the writing style, I was drawn in by the interesting choices she made in her youth. I liked reading about her experiences with the friends she made in the goth scene and developing as a writer.
samthequeen's review against another edition
3.0
I read the book, because I was curious about what the life of a runaway looks like. I also wanted to know how a person overcomes such a difficult start to adulthood. I felt like the synopsis is a little misleading- a very small portion of the book takes place with the author living on her own away from either parent. But, the idea of having to choose parents and different forms of dysfunction was still an interesting read.
About half way through the book, the author started dropping one-liners that alluded to a life lesson on being strong, being able to say no, recognizing others' faults and not just your own. But the lesson never came together and it felt like the book ends rather abruptly. An epilogue might have been nice just to help us understand the path from where the book leaves off to where the author is currently.
About half way through the book, the author started dropping one-liners that alluded to a life lesson on being strong, being able to say no, recognizing others' faults and not just your own. But the lesson never came together and it felt like the book ends rather abruptly. An epilogue might have been nice just to help us understand the path from where the book leaves off to where the author is currently.
elena_gilbert's review against another edition
2.0
Did this book even have an editor? As others have mentioned, this was not quite as advertised. Bummer.
veliciajerus's review against another edition
4.0
I rounded up on this one -- really about 3.75 stars... The writing isn't as beautiful or lyrical as I typically would want, but the story had its moments. There was plenty I could relate to, parts of the childhood and the reactions.. I wish there was a bit more "awakening" or change in the narrator by the end, but there was some -- her returning back to fonder memories and moments with her mother. I'm glad she knew how to escape, and did.
**note: this was the First Reads book of August.
**note: this was the First Reads book of August.
xxpumpkincatxx's review against another edition
5.0
August.
Out of the 5 choices for August this memoir was the only one that was up my alley...and I rarely read biographies/memoirs/things about people's lives. It reminds me of forced reading from school...however, Tanya Marquardt wrote this memoir as if they were writing fiction. This is what made me really get into this novel.
My heart ached for Tanya and her siblings so much. I connected with a lot of the things that she went through growing up and I think because of that I understood a lot of the emotions and actions that she went through.
Out of the 5 choices for August this memoir was the only one that was up my alley...and I rarely read biographies/memoirs/things about people's lives. It reminds me of forced reading from school...however, Tanya Marquardt wrote this memoir as if they were writing fiction. This is what made me really get into this novel.
My heart ached for Tanya and her siblings so much. I connected with a lot of the things that she went through growing up and I think because of that I understood a lot of the emotions and actions that she went through.
ryanalawson's review against another edition
3.0
easy to read, somewhat relatable, adolescent memoir. I didn't have many expectations going into this book but I was pleasantly surprised -- I didn't find it remarkable yet I still enjoyed reading it.
dori_mondon's review against another edition
3.0
My wife actually grew up on the island around the same time, and I grew up during the same era. The author and I shared a similar sort of neglected upbringing and a love for the same music and scene. This book made me cringe, though, honestly, because it brought back so many feelings from that time in my own life (some will find these to be "triggers" - I've enough distance and therapy between it now, thankfully, but if you don't, and you've lived with parental abuse or neglectful parenting or self-harm and you're still working through it, you've been warned. (spoiler!) The author comes out on the beautiful side though, and hopefully, so will you.
On the other hand, this author was hardly a "runaway", so the title was fairly misleading, although I guess when I think about it, it's kind of hard to come up with what we were back then. We were tormented, for sure, and fairly cut loose and let go into the world without a lot of guidance, forced to figure most of it out on our own.
The author does write beautifully, but there are some confusing time jumps here and there (I would maybe place this blame on the editor for overlooking that). There are some good truths in here, and there are many young women who could benefit from the things the author has learned (although on that note, I'm also glad that the author didn't go too far into her "how i healed myself with yoga and meditation" aspects of things - it's enough, really, to say that survival, health, happiness, self-worth and true love are possible, that the grit, scars and stains of life don't make us any less beautiful).
Thanks so much for awarding me my first Goodreads Giveaway book - it showed up all of a sudden on my Kindle (and my wife's) and it took me a second to realize I'd finally won something! It was an honor.
On the other hand, this author was hardly a "runaway", so the title was fairly misleading, although I guess when I think about it, it's kind of hard to come up with what we were back then. We were tormented, for sure, and fairly cut loose and let go into the world without a lot of guidance, forced to figure most of it out on our own.
The author does write beautifully, but there are some confusing time jumps here and there (I would maybe place this blame on the editor for overlooking that). There are some good truths in here, and there are many young women who could benefit from the things the author has learned (although on that note, I'm also glad that the author didn't go too far into her "how i healed myself with yoga and meditation" aspects of things - it's enough, really, to say that survival, health, happiness, self-worth and true love are possible, that the grit, scars and stains of life don't make us any less beautiful).
Thanks so much for awarding me my first Goodreads Giveaway book - it showed up all of a sudden on my Kindle (and my wife's) and it took me a second to realize I'd finally won something! It was an honor.
katkatreads's review against another edition
3.0
Works better as a collection of essays or moments. Tough to follow the timeline as it jumps around frequently.
norma_cenva's review against another edition
5.0
I still think it is a good book and it was nice to come back to it and re-read it in a different circumstance.