Musical Chairs
Jen Knox
Indie Memoir/YA
[rating: 5/5]
Available in…
• Mobi/Kindle
… from…
• Amazon
• MobiPocket
Also in paperback
Some time ago, Jen Knox and I swapped memoirs. She sent me a copy of Musical Chairs, which explores her family’s history of mental health diagnoses, her years of strip-dancing, alcoholism, and estrangement, and her struggle for reconciliation. (That’s from the cover.)
I also sent her a copy of Love through the Eyes of an Idiot. In full disclosure, just as I had started reading her book, Jen sent me an email about mine:
I finally posted my review of your delightful book. Oh how it made me remember how lucky I am to have found Chris after all the relationships (if you can call them that) that came before him. He thanks you. I thank you, for writing a great read.
Truthfully, I’m gratified that Jen enjoyed my book. And I did really want to like hers as well— I always want to like a book from a fellow author, and it upsets me when I don’t. But I will tell you exactly what problems I had with Musical Chairs:
-
I ran across numerous line-editing issues, including misspelled words, bad punctuation (like ending a sentence with a comma, in at least two places), and sentences that made no sense in context. The best typo I found on page 152, where Jen wrote about working at the bookstore: “As I cleared dust from a self in the psychology section…” So, was that an ego or an id? (Ba dum bum.)
-
Some details were missing from spots in the story where I would naturally expect them, popping up as surprises elsewhere. For example, all the time Jen was staying with Miss Sarah and her daughter (in the chapter entitled “Miss Sarah”), I thought Sarah was a white, single mother. It was only much later in the book that I was told that Sarah (or at least her daughter) had darker skin, that she was married to a Latino who had treated Jen rudely, and that she had some pretty bizarre racial ideas.
-
Jen begins with a panic attack, and she concludes as the panic attacks disappear… I think. I have nothing against waxing eloquent, as she did in the epilogue; I’m just not sure how she concluded the story. (But otherwise the epilogue did leave me feeling uplifted and satisfied.)
All of my complaints were counterbalanced, however, by the fact that I literally couldn’t put the damn book down! That’s why I’ve been absent this week. I blew through the entire thing in a little over a day, immersing myself in her story every moment I could. Really, no joke, no exaggeration: I read until I got tired; then I napped, woke up, and continued where I left off; lather, rinse, repeat.
Truthfully, before I started the book, I half expected a melodramatic pity party for a life beset by personal tragedy and self-destruction. On the contrary, Jen drew me into her story, the story of a girl I could hardly believe existed.
At one point, I reclined in a hot bath with Jen’s book in one hand and a cup of Earl Grey in the other. I looked at the cup, a commemorative mug, dated November 20, 1994, for the centennial anniversary of the facility at which my Beloved interned. I suddenly realized that at that very time, Jen had run away from home, 15 years old, and was living with her 19-year-old boyfriend. My Beloved was about to launch her career, and during the same autumn, Jen was about to launch herself into boyfriends and sex and statutory rape and the real thing, erotic dances for money, fights and alcohol and the battle for control and delusions and psychosis and abandonment— But through it all, Jen seemed so… normal to me. I genuinely sympathized with her, felt for her in her quest, desired to reach out to her and provide what I saw she was missing in her life. And I smiled when she finally began to find it.
This is the reason I read independent memoirs, to meet people I might never otherwise know, through them to live experiences I could never otherwise fathom, and to win victories I would never otherwise have even pursued. And Musical Chairs generously filled that need.
-TimK
|
Musical Chairs |
Available in… |
страница https://tripscans90.cc
в этом разделе https://tripscans90.cc/
https://swtop.online/# apotek vätskeersättning
коррекционный детский сад нейроангел в москве Коррекционный детский сад «Нейроангел» в Москве — выбор родителей, которые ищут лучшее для своих детей. Мы работаем ради улыбок малышей и их достижений каждый день.
посетить веб-сайт https://tripscans90.cc/
Wer nach einem zuverlässigen Online-Casino sucht, findet bei Irwin Casino irwin casino bewertung eine große Auswahl an Spielen und attraktiven Promotionen. Regelmäßige Bonusaktionen, exklusive Angebote und spezielle Belohnungen sorgen für zusätzlichen Spielspaß. Mit einem Irwin Casino Promo Code oder einem aktuellen Bonus Code lassen sich weitere Vorteile und interessante Prämien sichern.
Interesting post, thanks for the update.
Reference: http://11bet.ing/
нажмите здесь https://tripscans90.cc/
farmacias online usa: mexican pharmacies online drugs – pharmacy delivery
https://pharmrate.monster/# mexico medication
Palm Jumeirah Homes for Sale Bay Squarewohnung dubai kaufenstudio in bur dubai
интернет https://tripscans90.cc/
Hello, I think your blog might be having browser compatibility
issues. When I look at your blog in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in Internet
Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a
quick heads up! Other then that, excellent blog!
I am really inspired along with your writing skills and also with
the format in your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you modify it your self?
Either way stay up the excellent high quality writing, it
is uncommon to see a nice blog like this one today..
В статье по вопросам здоровья мы рассматриваем актуальные проблемы, с которыми сталкивается общество. Обсуждаются заболевания, факторы риска и важные аспекты профилактики. Читатели получат полезные советы о том, как сохранить здоровье и улучшить качество жизни.
Наши рекомендации — тут – похмельная капельница
нажмите, чтобы подробнее https://tripscans90.cc
It’s really a nice and helpful piece of information. I am satisfied
that you simply shared this useful information with us.
Please stay us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
Also visit my page: คอนซีลเลอร์
нажмите здесь https://tripscans90.cc
этот контент https://tripscans90.cc/
В этой публикации мы обсуждаем современные методы лечения различных заболеваний. Читатели узнают о новых медикаментах, терапиях и исследованиях, которые активно применяются для лечения. Мы нацелены на то, чтобы предоставить практические знания, которые могут помочь в борьбе с недугами.
Откройте для себя больше – clinica plus
В этом обзоре представлены различные методы избавления от зависимости, включая терапевтические и психологические подходы. Мы сравниваем их эффективность и предоставляем рекомендации для тех, кто хочет вернуться к трезвой жизни. Читатели смогут найти информацию о реабилитационных центрах и поддерживающих группах.
Прочесть заключение эксперта – старс медикал нижний новгород
continuously i used to read smaller posts which also clear
their motive, and that is also happening with this article which I am reading here.
Скрины с радикала не грузятся. Увы сейчас доказать что-либо сложно, видимо магазин не первый раз кидает уже по отточеной цепочке. купить кокаин
financial website security