Extraordinary. This book peeled me like a fruit. ( )

Just seemed too depressing

great depiction of fucked up families, the South and much more, will rattle one's own memories of childhood ( )

Devastating. There is no happy ending here, despite the hard won knowledge that comes from trauma. The juxtaposed characterization of Aunt Raylene with Mama points towards some hope, or at least wisdom. Mama thinks she can "fix" Daddy Glen through her love. This is false hope, as the cycles of violence and abuse are not stopped by her care for him. Raylene lives alone, a life of her choosing, but takes in the "strays" of the Boatwright family. She loves herself enough to be able to love others. Self-hatred leads only to codependency. There are so many finely wrought details here of what a life of poverty in the South looks like. ( )

Very very good but hard to read because it was so intense and bad things happen ( )