A review by andiapfel
Counting the Cost by Jill Duggar

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.75

Growing up, I had heard of the Duggar family in passing but never knew much more than the fact that they were a Christian family who had a tv show. My first real exposure to the family was a YouTube video of two Christian women interviewing Jinger around the time Shiny Happy People came out, but I think they focused more on Gothardism and the Deconstruction movement than the show.  So earlier this week when I happened upon a podcast of Jill and her husband discussing the show and what her life was like, it was all new to me. I’ve never been one for autobiographies, but I decided to give it a try and it had me hooked right from the beginning. The way she talked about her childhood, how the show slowly took over their lives, and many of the heavier  events that occurred was honest while still being respectful of the people involved. I especially appreciated the way she handled her faith journey, emphasized her prayer life, and highlighted her struggle to reconcile with family. I also thought the Author’s Note about “what this book is not” was a nice touch, with the analogy about roses and thorns being able to coexist, and the highs not invalidating the lows (and vice versa). Overall, it was both an informative and engaging read. 
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