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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
I am so sad right now. This one hit the feels really hard. The amount of loss this poor girl suffered, the amount of pain and abuse and the things she did and felt for her siblings crushed my soul. I feel utterly shattered for for Aubrey and Meri, my sister is also developmentally delayed and my heart just breaks for the outcomes. I know Aubrey is safe and care for now but what she was made to go through while Lane was around. And Micha, I can't. Strength is what it took to get this family through this mess, an immense amount of strength. And I am so glad that Lane died alone... that bastard.
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Harrowing, but not hard to get through (as the reader). Was really disappointed that one of the brothers still partakes in the polygamist life after all of that. To me, the author is too understanding of her mother. I get that she was a victim, too, but she royally fucked up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death
Moderate: Sexual assault, Death of parent, Abandonment
If you want a book to give you warm fuzzies, rainbows, sunshine and happy childhoods, this is NOT the book for you.
If you want a strong dose of despair, feelings of hopelessness and fury, horror and tragedy after tragedy, I would highly recommend this book.
CW galore. Childhood sexual, emotional, and physical abuse, domestic violence, death, neglect, abandonment, abuse of children with disability. I could go on, but you get the picture.
This book is so horrifyingly tragic, I absolutely sobbed through multiple sections in it.
I’m so grateful that I got a tiny sliver of insight into the author’s happiness at the end of the book. What a SURVIVOR. What a hero!
I think this woman’s, this family’s, story will stick with me forever. And I will forever “count my blessings” I haven’t had to live that life.
If you want a strong dose of despair, feelings of hopelessness and fury, horror and tragedy after tragedy, I would highly recommend this book.
CW galore. Childhood sexual, emotional, and physical abuse, domestic violence, death, neglect, abandonment, abuse of children with disability. I could go on, but you get the picture.
This book is so horrifyingly tragic, I absolutely sobbed through multiple sections in it.
I’m so grateful that I got a tiny sliver of insight into the author’s happiness at the end of the book. What a SURVIVOR. What a hero!
I think this woman’s, this family’s, story will stick with me forever. And I will forever “count my blessings” I haven’t had to live that life.
emotional
sad
fast-paced
This is one of my favorite memoirs so far. I found it very relatable and her story so moving. I can't help but feel empathy for this woman and her mother and the systems they get caught up in. The ending is really heartbreaking so be prepared for that. It was such a sad and moving story.
Too much human misery and just couldn’t stand it anymore. Childish writing style. DNF
Wow. What a life Ruth lived. This book is a really amazing read and gives insight to the brokenness of abusive families and the interesting perspective of polygamist. She demonstrates an inner strength throughout her life that captivates and makes you root for her to escape the grasps of her stepfather.
My only quibble is sometimes the jumps in time were not immediately clear from chapter-to-chapter.
My only quibble is sometimes the jumps in time were not immediately clear from chapter-to-chapter.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
tense
fast-paced
So many things about this book stood out to me. I am LDS and have struggled with a lot of the same questions as the author. I was sad and angry and nauseated by what Ruthie had to endure. She was never allowed to be a child, and she was deprived of the love and protection she should have had. I kept thinking that this was a history, that it was set during the forties or fifties because of the conditions in which she lived, but it wasn't. She's just a few years older than I am, and when I compare my life to hers, I want to hug her and hurt everyone who failed her.