Reviews with content warning for Pedophilia - Somebody's Daughter: A Memoir

This was my book club pick! It had been awhile since a memoir had been chosen and this sounded moving. I had also heard Ford talk on unladylikemedia podcast and found her very captivating. I always love a memoir by someone who’s life experience is so different than my own.

The synopsis of this memoir fixates on Ashley’s relationship with her incarcerated father but this is just a small piece of this coming of age memoir. We learn about Ashley growing up poor within a fractured and abusive family, yet loving (if that makes any sense.) We are on a journey with her through puberty, self acceptance and growth.

I really enjoyed Ford’s writing and look forward to her future work (I can’t believe this is a debut!) I will say that because this book is so short, it felt a little unfinished to me. I wanted more exploration on various points and relationships in her life (like her Father, her ex, and her husband.) Due to the brevity of the memoir, it made some of the transitions a little clunky IMO. But overall I’m glad I read this memoir and it was eye opening and thought provoking.

⚠️Trigger Warning: Child Abuse, Rape, Pedophilia, Racist Micro-aggressions

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dark emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

3.0

I picked up Somebody's Daughter knowing absolutely nothing about Ashley C. Ford, who she was or what she had achieved. I picked up the book based on the marketing/blurb which described a memoir based on Ashley's childhood, upbringing and her relationship with her father.

Firstly, this is only my opinion of my engagement with the book as a piece to be consumed and does not diminish or cast judgement on Ashley's own lived experience.

For me this book was great to a point, but left far too much unanswered. Of course this is Ashley's memoir so it it ultimately her right what to include or exclude but I feel the marketing of this book left the reader expecting elements that weren't discussed.

Ashely bravely discusses her rocky relationship with her mother, her traumatic rape and her general life once she leaves home and this is where the book shines.

Overall I found it to be deeply interesting but I finished it with so many questions and felt Ashley maybe had more to say.

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