Mikel Jollett’s early life was not a happy one. In fact, there were a number of times while reading this memoir that I wished it were fiction, because the idea of it being someone’s reality was too much. Fortunately, both for readers and Mikel, his life did improve. The resulting memoir is a powerful and well-written coming of age story.
I recommend it for those who enjoyed Tara Westover’s Educated, though I also would include a caution that there are some particularly violent and graphic scenes. One of the most distinctive features of the memoir is the change in the narrator’s voice as Mikel ages. At the beginning of the book, the language and understanding of the world reflects a precocious young child (his mother falls into periods of deep-russian, rather than depression). Gradually, as Mikel matures, so does the language and understanding of the world. My personal enjoyment of this book was probably a 3.5, including the week-long break that I had to take from the more depressing part of the story. I’ve rounded up to a four-star rating based on my opinion of the quality of the writing and storytelling.
I recommend it for those who enjoyed Tara Westover’s Educated, though I also would include a caution that there are some particularly violent and graphic scenes. One of the most distinctive features of the memoir is the change in the narrator’s voice as Mikel ages. At the beginning of the book, the language and understanding of the world reflects a precocious young child (his mother falls into periods of deep-russian, rather than depression). Gradually, as Mikel matures, so does the language and understanding of the world. My personal enjoyment of this book was probably a 3.5, including the week-long break that I had to take from the more depressing part of the story. I’ve rounded up to a four-star rating based on my opinion of the quality of the writing and storytelling.