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alex_lk's review
5.0
Highly recommend. Well written and thoughtful, it made me examine the privileges of my own life while simultaneously being amazed that Perdita had the career she had despite the odds. Well worth the read!
smalltownbookmom's review
4.0
Great memoir by World Champion and Olympic hurdler Perdita Felicien. This is truly both hers and her mother’s life stories. Born on the island of St Lucia, her mother Catherine worked hard and had two small children before she was able to leave for Canada working as a nanny for a white family in Toronto. Her life in Canada was not easy, especially when she got pregnant with Perdita and the father was not involved. She was fortunate enough to keep a job allowing her to give birth in Canada. There were many ups and downs in Perdita’s young life - money was in short supply, they lived in a shelter for a while, her mom had rocky relationships and some other children, they had to go back to St. Lucia for a time before finally getting permanent residency years later. Despite all the hardships Perdita always remained close with her mother and was able to get an athletic scholarship in the States where her hurdling career really took off. She talks about the ups and downs of her professional sports career and how she managed to pivot when that time in her life came to an end. I enjoyed this book a lot - it’s great on audio read by Perdita herself and definitely one worth listening to. Two inspiring women full of grit and ambition that made their dreams happen.
Favourite quote:
“I came to believe that every single person is a hurdler, even if they don’t know it. While most aren’t sprinting over literal fences, everyone has something to overcome. Sometimes we fall in our attempts and that’s okay because there’s always a reason to pick yourself up and move forward.”
Favourite quote:
“I came to believe that every single person is a hurdler, even if they don’t know it. While most aren’t sprinting over literal fences, everyone has something to overcome. Sometimes we fall in our attempts and that’s okay because there’s always a reason to pick yourself up and move forward.”
cardcaptorkat's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
bibliotequeish's review
4.0
I remember watching Perdita Felicien in the 2004 Summer Olympics, I remember knowing she was the favorite to win Gold, I remember what happened, and that was all I knew about her.
I was quite surprised by how quickly I was taken by this book.
The struggles of her mother as a young girl, coming to Canada, trying to build a better life for her children.
I could not put it down.
From the first page to the last I was a part of this family.
I was quite surprised by how quickly I was taken by this book.
The struggles of her mother as a young girl, coming to Canada, trying to build a better life for her children.
I could not put it down.
From the first page to the last I was a part of this family.