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A review by rootedreader
The Forgotten Girls: A Memoir of Friendship and Lost Promise in Rural America by Monica Potts
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy to read.
Monica Potts sets out to investigate the causes of poverty, specifically the poverty of women from rural areas of America. Overall I enjoyed this book, one of my top genres to read is investigative journalism. Though listed as memoir, my experience reading this was somewhere in the middle. Connecting several systemic issues, she describes a situation that leaves many opportunities for someone to "fall into" and stay in poverty. The memoir side of the book was a bit difficult for me. Comparing her and her best friend's life choices it came across as judgmental-towards her friend as well as the town. The last chapter or two threw me for a loop as well as (*SPOILER*) she moved back to that same town she spent the whole book criticizing.
Monica Potts sets out to investigate the causes of poverty, specifically the poverty of women from rural areas of America. Overall I enjoyed this book, one of my top genres to read is investigative journalism. Though listed as memoir, my experience reading this was somewhere in the middle. Connecting several systemic issues, she describes a situation that leaves many opportunities for someone to "fall into" and stay in poverty. The memoir side of the book was a bit difficult for me. Comparing her and her best friend's life choices it came across as judgmental-towards her friend as well as the town. The last chapter or two threw me for a loop as well as (*SPOILER*) she moved back to that same town she spent the whole book criticizing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Mental illness