Whew…..
I finally knocked off one of those books. You know that book… the book that sits on your to be read list for ages. Every time your eye flicks across it you feel a little guilty for not getting to it yet. With this book, my story starts like a cautionary tale. I went to the library….
Do you guys remember when I made that mistake with "The Good Girl"?
Good news! This one doesn’t end with an ‘ugh, why did I do that’.
So what’s my overall take? I don’t want to go into depth about this book. It’s a memoir. I can’t complain that the story had plot problems, the characters weren't developed or that the overall premise is overdone - all items, by the way, that aren’t true. This is a person's real-life story. I would hope that, as Walls developed this story, she used the knowledge she had of the characters to assume the best possible version. I know that not all of it is word for word fact. Who remembers what was exactly said when they were five?
And this is why I won’t be reviewing many memoirs. I also don’t read a lot of them. The only time is when they make it onto my philosopher kings list. But, somehow, this one ended up on my list and into my line of sight.
I do wonder why. Was I meant to find this one? Was it supposed to give me a lift in mood and spirit that has been a little down the last week? When I read the synopsis, it made me think it would be a real life retelling of my all time favorite movie Captain Fantastic. Was it? Nope. This was far different. A darker tale of pain, abuse, heartache, and one child’s ability to overcome it all and tackle the world.
Do you want to see a different view of this world? Do you really want to see how the American dream works? Then I say give this a try. I have my choice words about this America that we live in, but the point of America that is dear to my heart is the ability for a person, no matter where they are from, to work hard and become what they want in life. This is the story to prove that point.
Some moments can seem dry. There are no flowery descriptions or dramatic prose. Even Walls states facts about her decisions like they are just that, decisions, made and then followed through. Not at all surprising since Walls’ main career is reporting and journalism.
There are times I wonder if people forget that determination, persistence and hard work can pay off. We can ultimately change our story. Sitting still in our current situation will not make the change. So, if you need a boost of inspiration, and don’t mind a read on the drier side, I say pick this one up. I’m very motivated after mine.
And I promise that after my next book review, I’ll go back to some fun books. I can already tell that my current read is going to bring the tears and lead to another philosophical post.
Love Kait