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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
A young girl whose family is part of an extreme religious group is abused, neglected, and terrorized by her own parents in the name of the religion. Clearly, as she grows older she suffers from this abusive environment and seeks ways to quiet her self-hatred and unworthiness. It is only when she goes away and lives in silence that she begins to recover and love herself.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
This book was written very unevenly. Sometimes it was very compelling and hard to put down. Other times it was very confusing, and things jump around so rapidly it's hard to keep track of what's going on. Or WHY. Now maybe the author never found out exactly why she was the target of her father's abuse. But it just felt so disjointed.
This was an Amazon First reads for March.
This was such an odd reading experience: on the one hand shocking descriptions of abuse leading to addiction and self-destructive behaviour, on the other all the characters (including the narrator) are so one-dimensional large parts of the book don't ring quite true.
I couldn't get a grip of her family, was she the only child being abused and if so, why? Why were the parents ok with the daughters going to parties but not with her wearing jeans? Has the author come to any kind of understanding of her family dynamics?
One specific episode that bothered me was after she gets arrested for having a party in the neighbours' house her punishment is confinement to the pool house. So a legitimate crime she was actually arrested for gets this soft treatment, while wearing jeans gets her beaten with a stick?? Not saying it didn't happen this way, but some kind of explanation would have been interesting.
And how did such a controlling family agree to send her away to college with no supervision?
I also didn't understand why she later chose to enter a different cult-like environment. Did she really overcome addiction by doing laundry in silence and being locked up in a cabin in the woods? After the outburst with the priest I expected some kind of revelation that she was just running from one oppressive religion to another, but instead this is what shows her the way forward?
And why did her father never contact her to bring her back into the fold before she went to live in the "Madonna House"? How did he even know he would find her there?
Ultimately a somewhat interesting read, but it left me with too many unanswered questions.
This was such an odd reading experience: on the one hand shocking descriptions of abuse leading to addiction and self-destructive behaviour, on the other all the characters (including the narrator) are so one-dimensional large parts of the book don't ring quite true.
I couldn't get a grip of her family, was she the only child being abused and if so, why? Why were the parents ok with the daughters going to parties but not with her wearing jeans? Has the author come to any kind of understanding of her family dynamics?
One specific episode that bothered me was after she gets arrested for having a party in the neighbours' house her punishment is confinement to the pool house. So a legitimate crime she was actually arrested for gets this soft treatment, while wearing jeans gets her beaten with a stick?? Not saying it didn't happen this way, but some kind of explanation would have been interesting.
And how did such a controlling family agree to send her away to college with no supervision?
I also didn't understand why she later chose to enter a different cult-like environment. Did she really overcome addiction by doing laundry in silence and being locked up in a cabin in the woods? After the outburst with the priest I expected some kind of revelation that she was just running from one oppressive religion to another, but instead this is what shows her the way forward?
And why did her father never contact her to bring her back into the fold before she went to live in the "Madonna House"? How did he even know he would find her there?
Ultimately a somewhat interesting read, but it left me with too many unanswered questions.
Brokenness and renewal
This book describes the scars of trauma and brokenness related to dysfunction in the family. Followed by the long journey to self awareness and self assurance.
This book describes the scars of trauma and brokenness related to dysfunction in the family. Followed by the long journey to self awareness and self assurance.
I’m not usually one to read memoirs but this one wrecked me from the very beginning. Thank you to the author for giving us such a raw but elegant look in to your story and your life.
Also triggers warnings of child abuse, sexual abuse, and childhood trauma.
Also triggers warnings of child abuse, sexual abuse, and childhood trauma.
I didn't know how deep it took me until I was there
This author is amazing for so many reasons, but the one that stands out for me is that she shared her broken damaged past and does not apologize for it. She shows us that we can do anything, no matter what others have tangled us up into. No matter the trash the world throws at us. And no matter how long it takes for us to find the be beauty in ourselves.
This author is amazing for so many reasons, but the one that stands out for me is that she shared her broken damaged past and does not apologize for it. She shows us that we can do anything, no matter what others have tangled us up into. No matter the trash the world throws at us. And no matter how long it takes for us to find the be beauty in ourselves.
Burgin's story is so painfully raw and shocking - there were several times I had to reread paragraphs to really grasp the story. I would have loved for her to continue the story after Madonna House and wee how her life grew from the pain and destruction she tells about in Wholly Unraveled.
Final rating: 4 stars
Did I finish it? Yes
Did I think it was good? Overall yes, but the final 15% or so seemed a little rushed and overly “neat”
Did I like it? Yes
Would I recommend it? Yes
Would I re-read it? No
Did I finish it? Yes
Did I think it was good? Overall yes, but the final 15% or so seemed a little rushed and overly “neat”
Did I like it? Yes
Would I recommend it? Yes
Would I re-read it? No
Obtained through Amazon First Reads, I chose it because I often love memoirs and have a small obsession for reading the stories of people who grew up in cults. It sounded fascinating.
Unfortunately this one fell really flat for me (and quickly), and I wound up skimming my way through a good most of it - the story and characters were presented with so little actual depth, which is sad given that this life story itself had so much potential and a lot of real, psychological issues could have been explored.
(Regardless, I'm glad the author made it out alive and has shared her story)
Unfortunately this one fell really flat for me (and quickly), and I wound up skimming my way through a good most of it - the story and characters were presented with so little actual depth, which is sad given that this life story itself had so much potential and a lot of real, psychological issues could have been explored.
(Regardless, I'm glad the author made it out alive and has shared her story)