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Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Classism
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Classism
I won't say I liked it, though.
The last third or so was the best out of the book- tbh I would have rated the first half 2 stars. This might be because the beginning events take place before she could possibly remember them.
I know it's a memoir, and it's her perspective on her own life, but something I can't quite put into words to felt off about it. It reads very casually, in parts that are clearly not lighthearted. Some people described it as straightforward writing style but it felt more detached to me. I obviously dont know the facts of her life but I felt the distinct impression of someone exaggerating, not necessarily to gain sympathy or praise, but more because they actually see themselves as the main character of the world. The whole family is clearly very intelligent (even though both parents are extremely closed minded, selfish, and arguably psychotic) and the kids took a lot of initiative despite never being taught or shown any responsibility.
I think the biggest thing that made it difficult for me to relate and/or take something from this book is that the people in it don't feel real. Walls describes everyone in her life as very clear good vs bad characters- there are the evil ones and the victims, and no in between. And despite this, she shows almost no resentment and describes no clear forgiveness. Everything that was done to the children is swept away and they sort of just act like nothing happened once they are on their own. There's no boundaries set but there's also no reconciliation.
I listened to the audiobook, which the author reads herself. I would have preferred a different reader but I would say I'm glad I listened rather than reading it in physical copy.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Classism
Minor: Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Sexism, Blood, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Alcohol
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Stalking, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Infidelity, Medical content, Death of parent
As other reviewers have said, Walls does look at her past with rose-tinted glasses and does not tear down her parents. She tells us what they did, said, didn’t do that they should have done and let’s us the reader feel the anger for her. Which I thought was very tasteful of her, given what all her parents have put her family through.
Definitely one of the most powerful memoirs I’ve ever read. How they were able to save up money, budget at such a young age and be more of a responsible adult then both their parents to make it in New York. The strength of her and her siblings is truly incredible.
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment
Minor: War