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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
3 1/2 stars
An engrossing memoir about a young girl overcoming a very difficult upbringing in a polygamist community in Mexico. (Read it in a day)
An engrossing memoir about a young girl overcoming a very difficult upbringing in a polygamist community in Mexico. (Read it in a day)
Very interesting and sometimes unbearably sad read. Read for a book group, was a good choice!
3.5 stars. Read this a few years ago and am now getting around to the review, so my memory is a little hazy. I remember being shocked at how life was for the author growing up in a polygamist cult family - her family/ies lived in truly harsh conditions and it was heartbreaking and also disturbing. Interesting to get a look into that world, but overall a sad read.
This is a coming of age memoir from the perspective of Ruthie, a child growing up in a polygamous Mormon sect in LeBaron, Mexico as well as various places in the U.S. She was her mother’s fourth and her father’s 39th child, and when she was four or five, he was killed by his more fanatic brother. Her mother, a firm believer her main purpose in life was to bear as many children as possible, married Lane as his third wife. From then on life seemed to have many more downs than ups. This is a story of love, mainly motherly and between siblings, yes, but her stories of poverty, deprivation, lack of education, abuse, fear and hard work certainly stand out. It is a story of what happens when blind faith trumps rationale. Unfortunately, the worst needed to happen for Ruthie and her siblings to have a chance at education, free will and relationships based on equality. This memoirs is heartbreaking, but the easy conversational style makes for a quick read.
**4/5**
A very difficult memoir to read, but one that will stay with me for a long time.
A very difficult memoir to read, but one that will stay with me for a long time.
I couldn't put this book down. Ruthie narrates beautifully, addressing harsh realities of growing up in a poverty stricken polygamist colony and also finding beauty. The sign of a good book is when your heart aches for those you read about.
Beautifully written, incredible flow, hard to put down. One of the most heart-wrenching books, I found it more intense than Educated which was the book I was told it was most similar to. I agree, it is similar. My heart hurts for her and her family. I was hoping for a longer epilogue with more details.
As a big fan of memoirs, this is by far my favorite I’ve read. I found myself weeping throughout, truly caught up in Ruth’s world. For anyone that’s a fan of the Glass Castle, this is a top recommendation for sure
OH MY GOSH. This. Book. It easily just became one of favorite books I’ve ever read. And for so many reasons! First off, Ruth is an INCREDIBLE writer. She’s able to speak about her childhood from the innocent perspective of a child, and place us vividly into her life. Second, her story is incredible. Throughout the entire book I was in awe of the things she’s experienced and the strength and resilience she possesses even from an early age. I also loved how none of her writing sensationalized her experiences with polygamy; rather she humanizes this practice that we tend to be quick to judge. There are so many other things I can say about this book and how much I loved it. But ultimately, Ruth’s story is inspiring and heartbreaking, and she did an incredible job taking us with her along her journey.