A review by lizshine74
Everything Is Flammable by Gabrielle Bell

5.0

This book snuck up on me. So honest and vulnerable! The story of this part of Bell’s life for me touches on the heredity of personality and how shared traits can sometimes make connection between people more difficult, not because the connection is not desired, but because of the personalities. This is a paradox that rings true for me. The violence in her childhood emerged strange and sudden and I was left pondering that violence and feeling sorry for Bell, but also reflective of how violence touches so many of us and the cumulative impact of that violence can be profound. In her case, she was a witness to violence more than a victim and most of that violence was perpetrated by animals. Yet, she was a victim, to see what she saw at such a young age. This, of course, made me think about the fragility and vulnerability of children, which is something I think we value less and less in the information age. I was touched by the generosity and kindness of her characters, none of whom were characters who had much to give. These characters were likable and familiar to me. Most of the most generous people I have ever come across are just barely scraping by themselves.