What an excellent memoir. I've gotten away from memoirs in the last few months in favor of fiction. This book was an excellent one to take the journey back with.

Starting Jeannette's journey with her in the present, in a short moment like so many that make up our lives, and then immediately being plopped at a crucial moment of the beginning of her life was a great start. One wouldn't imagine the woman she describes herself as on the first two pages coming out of the little girl described on the next pages. How could she?

As much as I wanted to draw clear lines in the sand about her parents, I just couldn't. I don't know if I've ever read more accurate descriptions of people. Sure, I don't know her parents, but I certainly know enough people to know they're nearly impossible to describe. Oh, how I wanted to hate her dad so many times, and then I would find myself saying, "Well, he certainly loves his kids," only to find myself hating him again.

Definitely an excellent read. It's a "you can beat the odds" story without all the cheese that usually accompanies such a message, and it's an interesting study in independence, role reversal, and the ever-changing family.