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Member Reviews

This memoir was both beautiful and completely propulsive. The author writes about her past abuse from her father and husband thoughtfully and gently for the reader, without shying away from the hardest parts. But it's not a story that lingers on the shock and awe of the cruelty of men (or the complicity of bystanders). Instead, the story focuses strength that comes with motherhood, as the authors young baby inspires her to leave her abusive home to save both her baby and herself. The book also highlights the power of community, ranging from a survivors group in Ireland to an online alumni group. It's amazing to see how the author found that becoming more vulnerable and asking for help opened up more support and safety for her -- and gave her the opportunity to give back by creating The Knitting Factory as a retreat for other single parents. The importance of stories (both the stories we read and the stories we tell about ourselves) is also a central theme of the book. The author is a young adult author of fairytale retellings and deftly weaves in analogous myths and legends to fit the stories from her life. Finally, the lyrical language - especially describing the landscape of Ireland are so beautiful it made me want to book a trip there as soon as possible. This book felt like a friend and a teacher at the same time. I loved reading it and know so many other readers will as well. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for this honest review.

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