A review by lilacsandliterature
Betty by Tiffany McDaniel

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Betty Carpenter is one of eight children born to Landon and Alka, a Cherokee man and white woman in the 1950s. Betty is a force to be reckoned with as she grows in Appalachia Ohio, tormented by her classmates as her skin is darker than her siblings and even they tell her she’ll never be beautiful. Betty loves her father and doesn’t understand her mother as she comes of age in this heart wrenching novel, trying to save her siblings from horrors beyond anyone’s comprehension. ⁣
⁣
I was enthralled with this novel from the very first pages and could not believe the lyrical words my eyes flew over. This story is incredibly difficult to read but immensely powerful as you run alongside Betty, helping her father pick herbs for medicine, trying to understand her mother’s depression, and keeping secrets she doesn’t want to for her sisters. This is an amazingly written book that you do not want to sleep on! I seriously can’t recommend this book enough. A family saga like no other, with the feel of books I’ve read and loved before in the background. For lovers of The Glass Castle, Educated, The Immortalists...do not miss out on this one!⁣
Expand filter menu Content Warnings