Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls – 288 pages
Book Blurb:
The Glass Castle is a remarkable memoir of resilience and redemption, and a revelatory look into a family at once deeply dysfunctional and uniquely vibrant. When sober, Jeannette’s brilliant and charismatic father captured his children’s imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive. Her mother was a free spirit who abhorred the idea of domesticity and didn’t want the responsibility of raising a family. The Walls children learned to take care of themselves. They fed, clothed, and protected one another, and eventually found their way to New York. Their parents followed them, choosing to be homeless even as their children prospered.
My Review: 4.5 stars
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The Glass Castle is a fascinating memoir as the author captures the horrors of abuse and neglect in dare I say, a delicately beautiful way? All through the book, the strength of the author is revealed and learning how she and her siblings turned out is a testament to this. It was comforting to see that not all children of abuse follow in those footsteps and that many children are resilient enough to come through. This a wonderful book for high school kids to read.
I loved this book! I would give it 5 stars. It’s one of my favourites. Walls drew me into her world effortlessly. After reading this, I really questioned what makes a good parent, what makes a good childhood.
Deb, I agree. It was amazing and written so lyrically. I have learned to give my 5 stars very sparingly, but I often recommend this book to others. Did you read her follow up to this about her grandmother, Half Broke Horses? I haven’t, but it’s on my list to do so. Thanks a ton for reaching out! Happy reading.