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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
At times frightening, dark and hard to read, this memoir becomes a redemptive tale of a life fully lived. Stephanie Thornton Plymale doesn’t shy away from hard truths about her upbringing and life after. Highly recommended for fans of The Glass Castle and Educated.
3.5 stars. A very candid memoir about a mother daughter relationship with a "mentally ill mother who was in and out of jails and psych wards throughout Stephanie's formative years". Her mother was not capable of caring for herself or her children so all of the children were forced to deal with a childhood filled with truancy, homelessness, foster families what were not all safe and positive environments and most importantly, lacking a mother figure in their lives. It's a story of hardship and abuse but ultimately, it's also a story of resilience, forgiveness and love. The author's path is not an easily paved one but one that has led to all the success and accomplishments in her life so far. If you enjoyed Educated, The Glass Castle or Hillbilly Elegy, you may really enjoy this memoir as well.
In full disclosure, this book was selected for me as part of my local library’s Book Bundle program - I answered a few questions about my preferences, and they selected five titles for me.
While I had no background on Stephanie or her life prior to picking this up, I was quickly captivated by her heartbreaking story of a mother suffering from untreated mental illness and Stephanie’s own desperation to resolve their relationship before her mother’s death after a terminal illness. Stephanie explores topics of addiction, abuse, trauma, and familial strain in trying to understand her own childhood in the context of her mother’s life.
If you enjoy memoirs, this one is interesting while complicated by darkness.
[I will note that there are several notable editing gaffes, including a duplicate paragraph within the same chapter. I tend to find those errors distracting as a reader.]
While I had no background on Stephanie or her life prior to picking this up, I was quickly captivated by her heartbreaking story of a mother suffering from untreated mental illness and Stephanie’s own desperation to resolve their relationship before her mother’s death after a terminal illness. Stephanie explores topics of addiction, abuse, trauma, and familial strain in trying to understand her own childhood in the context of her mother’s life.
If you enjoy memoirs, this one is interesting while complicated by darkness.
[I will note that there are several notable editing gaffes, including a duplicate paragraph within the same chapter. I tend to find those errors distracting as a reader.]
I really wanted to love this memoir, and while I understand the author’s life is heartbreaking and compelling and tragic, the writing and style were not for me. There is a great life story here and it could have been told in a more linear fashion, with more focus on her childhood. The fights and drama with her husband, the detailed descriptions of design, adoption, and an almost-affair were not integrated into the main thrust of the story with fluidity or intention. They slowed the narrative down and could have been left out. The outbursts towards her mom (as an adult) were written in a way that made me cringe - feeling empathy for her mom and making the author appear childish and selfish. I don’t think this is the author’s intention, however, and these scenes could have been improved in revisions and edits. The foreshadowing at the end of the chapters was unnecessary and ineffective and is best left to fiction, which this book is not. The best part of the book was the epilogue, where the author showed introspection and maturity when reflecting on her life and family. It’s unfortunate this writing style at the end didn’t start at the beginning.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy. All opinions are my own.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy. All opinions are my own.
I enjoyed this book. It is written with lots of emotion and love. I enjoyed how this book pulled me in right from the beginning. It is an engaging story about a family and the life struggles they went through. I was taken on an emotional roller coaster ride. This is a new author for me and I look forward to see what is next for her. This is truely a great story which I highly recommend.
Thanks to BiblioLifestyle and HarperOne for a gifted copy.
I had the opportunity to read American Daughter, which is a powerful memoir of childhood trauma and an adulthood of forgiveness and making a life. This is a memoir that will appeal to readers of books like The Glass Castle and Educated, and the resiliency Stephanie shows is inspiring.
I had the opportunity to read American Daughter, which is a powerful memoir of childhood trauma and an adulthood of forgiveness and making a life. This is a memoir that will appeal to readers of books like The Glass Castle and Educated, and the resiliency Stephanie shows is inspiring.
challenging
dark
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
dark
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault
This is a completely heartwrenching memoir of a girl raised by her mentally ill, addict, hippie mother. My heart went out to Stephanie. The pain she went through was immense and I think the outlook she had after all she faced was simply amazing. There is so much to unpack in this one. You will just have to read it yourself. Just don't expect a light read.
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced