susanneb01 's review for:

The Sound of Gravel by Ruth Wariner

4.0

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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.