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iymain's review
2.0
I wholeheartedly admire what Mariel Hemingway is trying to do with this book. The list of resources and her first hand accounts of dealing with a family filled with alcohol abuse, substance abuse, suicidal tendencies and just plain dysfunction (violence at the hands of her sister) were scary, confusing things for a child to endure. Still, the book itself seemed condescending. The vocabulary is basic (how many times can you use the word sad on one page?). Her list of things to think about occasionally worked, but often seemed like Deep Thoughts for a first grader. I guess the biggest problem with this book is that it seemed to be for a target audience of a first or second grader.
It's a great idea and the illustrations gave a well needed break from some hard concepts, but I think a slightly more mature discussion of the material would have been nice. At no time does Hemingway seem angry or disappointed in the life she was given. She just endured and put a good face on things. Somehow, that didn't feel entirely honest and the journal-Iike format made me expect a more candid approach. This carefulness somehow discredited Hemingway's effort, implying that the openness she encourages in other kids going through hard times needs to be cleaned up before being shared.
It's a great idea and the illustrations gave a well needed break from some hard concepts, but I think a slightly more mature discussion of the material would have been nice. At no time does Hemingway seem angry or disappointed in the life she was given. She just endured and put a good face on things. Somehow, that didn't feel entirely honest and the journal-Iike format made me expect a more candid approach. This carefulness somehow discredited Hemingway's effort, implying that the openness she encourages in other kids going through hard times needs to be cleaned up before being shared.
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