Scan barcode
alyssatuininga's review against another edition
2.0
The whole basis of the book as "The Polygamist's Daughter" and a look into this branch of polygamy is just silly. She barely knows her dad and they don't even really bother talking about religion to the kids. She lives a fairly "normal" poor American experience imo as a child. She goes to public school for the most part, talks about books and TV she experiences, sneaks out, has boyfriends and friends, and wears regular clothes. She is neglected by her parents, is expected to work long hours, doesn't get enough to eat, and one point is left with family in Mexico for a year. it is a sad story but seems to have little to do with polygamy.
The last bit of the book was the hardest for me. Essentially as she becomes an adult she moves from one cult to another. I couldn't take the hypocrisy of her condemning her parents for their kooky beliefs as she talks about her own. She uses to God to justify stupid things (ie God must have made me sick so I had to stay home and avoid tragedy, while other people in her family suffer because I guess God didn't care about them). She talks about years of therapy which she likely needed and then goes into this wacky rant about how she doesn't care about that her human father neglected and abandoned her because he is not her father God is her father. Clearly through the end of the book she does care and is still angry. Using religion to fix all her problems created by religion. just seems goofy to me and I just wanted the book to be over.
Graphic: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Death, and Abandonment
caitking98's review
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Misogyny
Moderate: Suicide, Religious bigotry, Gun violence, Murder, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Child death
moorecandycane's review
3.5
Moderate: Abandonment and Murder
Minor: Sexual violence
jenlikesbigbooks's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Abandonment, Death of parent, Violence, Child abuse, Misogyny, and Murder
tanyafrey's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Confinement, Death of parent, Grief, and Suicide
mfrabbiele's review
3.5
In short, Anna grew up in poverty, constantly on the move, and rarely seeing her parents despite living with other family and friends. Her childhood is full of emotional abuse and neglect before she decides to take life into her own hands, seeking change.
The story itself is succinct and comes full circle as she is able to share her life today, as an adult and a mother.
Anna is brave and resilient.
Trigger warnings include: murder and adult-minor relationships.
Moderate: Abandonment, Death, Adult/minor relationship, and Child abuse
forrestalexander's review
3.75
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Religious bigotry, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Misogyny, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Incest
Minor: Suicide and Child death