American Daughter by Stephanie Thornton Plymale

This was a very powerful moving Memoir that shows how resiliency at its finest. Stephanie finds a way to survive and thrive from living in hell to living a better life. Stephanie struggles with how to handle her mother through out the book is where I thought the turmoil and struggle was front and center. Stephanie struggle in how to handle her mother as she got sicker from cancer. They say people who are terrible human beings end up suffering horribly before death. Is this what karma is all about. Stephanie mother was mentally ill on many levels from her own trauma and painted it on her children to continue the cycle of abuse. Stephanie found a way to break that cycle and not do this to her own children. It is interesting to see the pressure a trauma survivor puts on themselves to not be like there parents in the way they handled trauma.

I know Stephanie mother failed her in every way but I see her a victim in all of this as well but the difference I think is her mother came from a decent upbringing which literally she was spoiled being waited on hand and foot. Even though she was traumatized from the gang rape she was also a selfish women who really did not give a shit about her kids. So I can emphasize and recognize her trauma but also see the bad behavior that she chose to put forth on all of her kids not just Stephanie.

This book is still sitting with me and reflecting on my own trauma which I thought is bad enough but on some levels Stephanie had it worse then me. It was a gut wrenching story at times I cringed at the disgusting behavior by the foster parents. I am sad that this happened our society is broken when we allow this kind of behavior to fall upon the most vulnerable is sicken. We have a sickness in society and Stephanie story lays out some of the sickness. Our systems of protection are broken and vulnerable children are the victims of this under current of sickness.

This best part of this story is Stephanie finding out about her historical family roots and finding a bit of family in learning this information. Stephanie you are a shining star that when the world gives you shit you polish it off and shine no matter what. Keep fighting for what is right for you the strength you have to overcome is amazing.

Thank you to Netgalley and Greenleaf Book group for a free copy of this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Horribly sad and tragic look at how trauma impacts multiple generations of a family. It was fascinating how when Stephanie finally learned of her mother's past, it changed her entire perspective of her mother. Ultimately, though, her mother's trauma doesn't excuse the absolute neglect and indifference she inflicted on her own children (also, why didn't her family step in to help either her or her kids? Unbelievable.). And, after all of that, I have to wonder: is Stephanie getting any help for herself now?

The part that really grated on me, though, was Stephanie's relationship with her husband Jim. He was selfish, pushy, absent and manipulative; she was selfish, melodramatic and uncompromising. While they seem to have "worked out" whatever, neither one really seemed to actually have an awakening/understanding of their unhealthy behaviors and dynamic and I can't help but think they're going to wind up right back where they were.

Very touching and horrific story of the pathos and suffering of this woman's life. Each chapter was horrific. More people should read this noel and understand how these things can happen to people in our country. The story is similar to a carwreck. You cannot turn your eyes away! Readers of the Glass Castle will definitely want to read this story.,

American Daughter is the story of Stephanie Thornton Plymale. The fact that she survived to adulthood is miraculous; that she has become a very successful businesswoman and author speaks to her strength.

Stephanie was raised by a sometimes single, mentally ill mother. Stephanie's mother was a flowerchild, estranged from her family. She told her children that they were "white trash" and came from nothing; however, she was well-spoken and sometimes screamed that she was descended from General Washington.

Stephanie and her siblings were frequently homeless, hungry, dirty, and functionally illiterate. They were frequently separated during their mother's stints in jail and in mental hospitals, where they were sent to state run institutions or abusive foster homes. Stephanie also endured years of sexual abuse in various foster homes.

As an adult, during her mother's final illness, Stephanie gathers enough snippets of information to piece together her family history. She finds ties to some of the wealthiest and most powerful families in Baltimore, as well as some of the oldest families in the country.

I read American Daughter in one sitting. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loved Educated and Glass Castles, and particularly those who found Educated tedious.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a free digital copy of this title to review from Net Galley.

#AmericanDaughter#NetGalley

American Daughter
A Memoir of Intergenerational Trauma, a Mother’s Dark Secrets, and a Daughter’s Quest for Redemption
by Stephanie Thornton Plymale with Elissa Wald





Greenleaf Book Group
River Grove Books
Biographies & Memoirs | Parenting & Families
Pub Date 11 Feb 2020





I am reviewing a copy of American Daughter through Greenleaf Book Group/River Grove Books and Netgalley:






Stephanie Thornton Plymale survived a head on collision in a mail truck stolen by her Mother’s boyfriend. At the age of five she was in the back of a van that was going seventy miles an hour. She would survive a drunken crash where the vehicle rolled over and though she was twice unscathed physically, the trauma of it all would leave her mute for years at a time. Later she would experience life threatening burns due to neglect, and she became blind in one eye. She went from being homeless to feeling isolated in the dependent unit of the State of California , she would be placed in different foster homes one of those foster homes she endured unimaginable abuse. By the time she was ten the life Stephanie knew was one of criminal neglect chronic hunger, truancy, homelessness, and ongoing sexual violation. She would later learn that The terror and fear that she experienced as a child she later uncovers are the insidious ripple effects from an appalling crime that occurred in the summer of 1953 in Baltimore, Maryland, a crime that came to be known nation wide.








Stephanie’s Mother suffered from schizophrenia and Dissociative Identity Disorder and was in and out of jail and psych wards throughout her life. The psych wards were ghastly often doing more harm than good. Against all odds though Stephanie’s lifelong desire for a sense of home led to her passion for interior design and burgeoning career in the industry. But time seemed to stop. But when Stephanie received a call from her mother after a period of estrangement that was enforced by a court order time seemingly stopped. The call came from her Mother, and told of her terminal illness, leaving Stephanie her sole guardian.




Stephanie that it was critical that she address her longing to seek the truth about her devastating childhood and lost heritage. She needed answers, and only had a limited amount of time so She began a series of “interviews” with her mother in an attempt to find answers and to get her mother to take personal responsibility for the past. It was in one of these interviews that her Mother was the victim of a horrific rape that happened in 1953 when she was only eleven years old, a rape that haunted her throughout her life. Learning of this leads to an unlikely redemption and reconciliation between Mother and daughter. Despite growing up thinking she was “white trash. “ she learns that was far from the truth, that in fact she came from an aristocrat family.




I give American Daughter five out of five stars!



Happy Reading!

Portrays the resilience and perseverance of a strong woman. Very good book.
I would recommend this book.
Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

There are not enough words to describe how this book hit me. Such an unflinching book, it almost had me in tears at many points. I won't forget for a long time.

Wow, wow, wow. We know these stories exist, of horrors and abuses most of us can't even fathom, and reading about them can be so, so hard. Stephanie does a wonderful job of telling her story of survival in a way that captivates and grabs your attention from the beginning. Knowing she has risen above, the story becomes one of hope and success made from nothing but heart and determination. I loved the way this memoir was written. Stephanie has a powerful voice and provides a stark reality of America's broken systems that failed her and her family time and again.

I love a good memoir and this book is definitely in that category. An amazing, heart wrenching and honest look at the author's life living with a mentally ill mother. In the same vein as "The Glass Castle", this is sure to be a bestseller. My only complaint and reason for not giving 5 stars is that I wanted more! The author focuses a lot on her adult life, (which is also very interesting, as she continues to grapple with her relationship with her mother), but I wish we had gotten more details from her childhood. Also, I think she would have been better served to write in a more linear fashion, rather than jumping back and forth. Overall, though, a very worthwhile read! Definitely recommend!

(Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review. This is no way affected my rating, and all opinions are my own)

Stephanie Plymale speaks from the heart and shares a touching and moving chronicle of her survival from a horrendous childhood.

SUMMARY
American Daughter is Stephanie Thornton Plymale’s memoir. Her childhood was a series of nightmares, thanks to a mentally-ill mother who was in and out of jails and psych wards. Stephanie experienced neglect, hunger, poverty, homelessness, truancy, foster homes, abuse, and inadequate education.

Stephanie now in her fifties is successful and has risen above her horrendous childhood. Stephanie and her mom have been estranged during most of Stephanie’s adult life. But that all changed with a phone call from her mother telling her that that she was terminal ill. This call set Stephanie on a road of discovery about her mom, allowing for reconciliation and healing.

“But at the moment, I could only stand as if rooted in the middle of the room, overwhelmed by a desire so fierce it was like a revelation. This, I thought. I want this. And one day I’ll have it. “


REVIEW
AMERICAN DAUGHTER is a touching chronicle of Stephanie’s dreadful childhood. I appreciate her ability and her willingness to share some brutally honest revelations with us. She speaks from the heart and shares a moving story. Her writing is clear and concise.

One of the most amazing thing about this story is that Stephanie is okay. Despite everything she experienced as a child, she had the strength and fortitude to rise above her past and survived. She not only survived but flourished. She is a successful business women, an educator, and a happy wife and mother. How did she do that?

The story of her childhood is wrenching. This book is difficult to read in places but it’s real, and people need to know and understand what happens in situations where a parent is mentally-ill, and with children in the foster care. The “system” failed Stephanie and her family. They fell between the cracks. She was failed by the school system, the child protection system, the legal system, and the healthcare system We need to take action to prevent this from happening to others. If you liked books like Educated or Glass Castles you will find this book intriguing and thought provoking.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.


Publisher Greenleaf Book Group and River Grove Books
Published February 11, 2020
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

Plymale's page-turning memoir of abuse, power, abandonment, and the tragedy of mental illness reads like a true crime story! American Daughter was on my Too Be Read list since I first heard of its publication, and it did not disappoint.! Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's copy from NetGalley with the expectation I would provide an honest review.

I love so many things about this book. American Daughter examines all that is wrong with our systems in this country. From the Education system, to Child Protective Services, to the Health Care system. The author suffered every tragedy a person could experience, yet persevered. As an educator myself, I can’t imagine how this innocent child fell through the cracks.

I also appreciate the power of mental health being discussed in depth in this book. The author experienced all of the ACEs (Adverse Child Experiences) that we see in society now. The book really chronicles the power of neglect, abuse, and the importance of adults stepping in to protect our youth.

I am so thankful that she had people walk along side her in her adult years-her husband, daughter, therapists, former foster mom-to heal her heart and soul.

Beautiful & tragic story.

American Daughter is a dark and real story of a little girl that survives the trauma of a bad childhood. Definitely recommend!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The best nonfiction books are the ones that demonstrate that truth really is stranger than fiction. It's hard to imagine that Stephanie Thornton Plymale's story actually happened, except that we know it did because this memoir is proof. She had a heartwrenching childhood (homelessness, abuse, neglect) because of her mentally-ill mother, and only decides later in life to dig deeper into her mother's past for answers. The journey she takes to determine which of her mother's lies were true and how she can reconnect to other family members is intriguing and suspenseful. However, I felt the main drawback to the book was that Plymale's story was not told linearly - I hated all the jumping back and forth and would have felt much more invested in the story with a more chronological format. There was also a side tangent of Plymale's tempation to cheat on her husband that completely drew me away from her quest for answers about her family. I think the book would have had a stronger narrative if Plymale had stuck more with her childhood experiences and her research into her mother's life (rather than her sort of boring fights with her husband). Because her mother shaped so much of who she is, I would have loved to focus more on the thread of their relationship (and skimped more on her adult experiences as a wife and mom). Overall, though, I greatly admire Plymale's honesty and willingness to look at a family history drenched in pain and trauma.

“Find a way to be the love you didn’t get.” Time and again, Stephanie must confront the the failures of society that ultimately prevented her from receiving the love that she so desperately wanted. Instead of wallowing in the challenges and traumas, she used them as motivation to pursue the love of a mother who couldn’t be bothered and of a husband who seemingly lost interest. Throughout her story, Stephanie holds on to the idea that she will make something of herself, despite being an “American daughter” and a representation of all the ways in which her world failed her. This story is one of courage, tenacity, and the need for human connection.

I loved this book! The writing, the story, and Plymale herself. I love that she tells her whole story; not shying away from making it all known, even parts that may draw criticism or judgement from readers. It’s REAL! A beautiful memoir that I very much enjoyed reading.

Thank you @netgalley for the chance to read this wonderful book!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)
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Wow- what a roller coaster ride of emotions in this story. American Daughter is a memoir about a woman named Stephanie who was raised by a mother with mental illness. After being homeless, in and out of foster care, and having to deal with her mothers various partners- she found her way to a more peaceful and predictable life. Along the way, her mother comes back into her life and what she finds out, changes everything. .
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This story reminded me so much of the Glass Castle. If you enjoyed that book- you will love this one. It was a wild ride and without giving anything away- I really enjoyed Stephanie’s search to find answers about her heritage/lineage as well as her search to find how to forgive her mother.

The content of this book was definitely interesting but I never felt a connection to the author. I found the author to be semi-unlikable throughout the book through her treatment of others. Even though I understand the reason for her lashing out and her behavior, I still found it hard to connect to her in any way or give her empathy for her treatment of her husband, etc.

Very courageous book. A must read for those who have been through any kind of abuse or those who want to understand and help.

There is a feeling of complete honesty from the author is refreshing. Complete frankness, is endearing and builds up empathy and you really care.

.Ability to overcome such challenges and heartbreaking circumstances,. Not allowing them rule her later life. It puts your own problems into prospective.

Its a great story of true redemption and hope. Shocking and encouraging, in equal measure.
A book to share with all around you. Something to provoke discussion and even a call to action in some respects.