A heartbreaking look at what happens to families who are holding onto big secrets.
Tallulah James' childhood is not stable - her parent's relationship is volatile, their behavior is erratic, and their approach to raising their children is very hands-off. Her constants in her life are her older brother and her grandmother. After a life-changing event occurs in their family, Tallulah heads out to California and recreates herself. Seven years later she returns home when her younger brother is accused of murder, and also faces the tragedy that broke the family apart.
This book was heartbreaking in so many ways. It was hard to read about Tallulah and her siblings' childhood and the experiences they went through. I was amazed at how quick Tallulah's grandmother was to explain away her son's (Tallulah's father) behavior which to me was obviously Bipolar Disorder. Her mother's behavior was incredibly frustrating - I just wanted to knock some sense into her.
As someone who understands the impact of trauma on a child - it was interesting to see how Crandall wrote each child as dealing with their childhoods in such a drastically different way. They did what they had to protect themselves.
This book was beautifully written, going into lovely details of the South in the late 50s and early 60s. It was an engaging and emotional journey of a family holding onto a variety of secrets. Pick this one up if you love stories about the South and dysfunctional families.
This book was heartbreaking in so many ways. It was hard to read about Tallulah and her siblings' childhood and the experiences they went through. I was amazed at how quick Tallulah's grandmother was to explain away her son's (Tallulah's father) behavior which to me was obviously Bipolar Disorder. Her mother's behavior was incredibly frustrating - I just wanted to knock some sense into her.
As someone who understands the impact of trauma on a child - it was interesting to see how Crandall wrote each child as dealing with their childhoods in such a drastically different way. They did what they had to protect themselves.
This book was beautifully written, going into lovely details of the South in the late 50s and early 60s. It was an engaging and emotional journey of a family holding onto a variety of secrets. Pick this one up if you love stories about the South and dysfunctional families.