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A review by sarahweyand
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
2.25
This book is rated super highly, but I saw before reading it that my mom gave it two stars, so I didn't really know what to expect. I don't know if we dislike the book for the same reasons, but I agree with her rating. The disappointing part is that the story of Jeannette's life is tragic and worth sharing. The way it was executed, however, makes this such an unsatisfying read.
I don't doubt that Jeannette is a good journalist because that's exactly how this memoir comes across - cold, objective, and distant. That's not what was needed; I wanted reflection, feelings, insights, not a retelling of her childhood framed as some fairytale novel. It felt like half the story was missing without Jeannette including her emotions at the time or how the events of her childhood made her feel. I was fuming the whole time and she did a good job of retelling her life to elicit those emotions, but I felt like I was more upset than she was writing it.
Speaking of, I think Walls did too good a job of retelling her life to the point where I started to consider her an unreliable narrator. There was too much anecdotal detail; no one remembers stories from when they were three or four, let alone with the descriptions she provides. I don't want to start doubting an author for telling her clearly traumatic life story.
This is a long review but I'm almost done. The nail in the coffin for this whole memoir is the ending. There is zero catharsis. It feels like Walls refuses to fully acknowledge the harm her parents did to her. Hell, the synopsis of this book ends with the phrase " the intense love of a peculiar but loyal family". I'm sorry. Have you seen the trigger warnings I'm adding to this book??? There is no love. This family is not "peculiar", it was abusive. I'm left feeling empty and frustrated with the author, who should not be the target of those kind of emotions after reading a story like this one.
Read Educated instead.
I don't doubt that Jeannette is a good journalist because that's exactly how this memoir comes across - cold, objective, and distant. That's not what was needed; I wanted reflection, feelings, insights, not a retelling of her childhood framed as some fairytale novel. It felt like half the story was missing without Jeannette including her emotions at the time or how the events of her childhood made her feel. I was fuming the whole time and she did a good job of retelling her life to elicit those emotions, but I felt like I was more upset than she was writing it.
Speaking of, I think Walls did too good a job of retelling her life to the point where I started to consider her an unreliable narrator. There was too much anecdotal detail; no one remembers stories from when they were three or four, let alone with the descriptions she provides. I don't want to start doubting an author for telling her clearly traumatic life story.
This is a long review but I'm almost done. The nail in the coffin for this whole memoir is the ending. There is zero catharsis. It feels like Walls refuses to fully acknowledge the harm her parents did to her. Hell, the synopsis of this book ends with the phrase " the intense love of a peculiar but loyal family". I'm sorry. Have you seen the trigger warnings I'm adding to this book??? There is no love. This family is not "peculiar", it was abusive. I'm left feeling empty and frustrated with the author, who should not be the target of those kind of emotions after reading a story like this one.
Read Educated instead.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, and Child abuse
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, and Racial slurs