I loved the idea of this book and really enjoy a memoir that explores identity and relationships around intense and dramatic family dynamics. That said, this story didn’t really carry its weight. While parts were interesting and the major events were definitely dramatic it still felt very protected. The sadness and personal journey of Rennie fell flat when she really dissected her experience and pain. Mostly because it felt dulled down and monotone compared to her depictions and dissections of her mother. Her personal story felt so overshadowed by her mother and while she resolves this nicely at the end it was such an evident shadow on the story. Despite my opinions about her storytelling, I did find this book enjoyable overall.