This book left me in an absolute puddle of tears. Beautiful and heartbreaking. I’ve never felt so enraged reading a book, rage on behalf of everything that Ruth went through, rage at her mother’s actions, rage at her monster of a stepfather, and rage at the community and beliefs that allowed everything to occur the way it did. 

I can’t say that I understand the grace she must have to be able to forgive her mother, but I still sobbed at her feelings of loss in the end. I hope she is now living the life of her dreams.