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… |
htechwebservice – I appreciate the clean interface and helpful tutorials.
ifyss – The layout is clean and easy to navigate.
caneguida – The layout is clean and easy to navigate.
3366app – A valuable resource for staying informed.
fcalegacy – The layout is clean and the writing is top quality.
683tz084 – Great resource for those interested in niche subjects.
seoelitepro – This site offers a unique perspective on various topics.
buy amoxicillin AmoxDirect USA amoxicillin 500 tablet
cost of amoxicillin: AmoxDirect USA – AmoxDirect USA
how to win pokies nz, real online money top games casino list canada and online casino franchise uk, or online slots no
deposit bonus usa
best no deposit casinos in new zealand, winner
slots uk and online bingo usa, or $10 deposit usa casinos
Also visit my web-site :: smash ultimate gambling; Cecelia,
Clomid for sale: ClomiCare USA – buy clomid
https://everlastrx.com/# buy tadalafil 100mg
online pharmacy Prednisone fast delivery: how to get Prednisone legally online – Prednisone tablets online USA
prednisone 2 mg daily: canada buy prednisone online – Prednisone without prescription USA
newstoday – The site stays fresh, content seems consistent and reliable.
gabapentin and dreams glenmark gabapentin gluten free order gabapentin discreetly
cyrusmining – Just had a look, design seems simple but missing much content.
wraoys – Curious to see what they build here, domain has potential.
antsmarket – I checked its safety score, seems “average to good” per ScamAdviser today.
axin2 – I like the font choices here, very readable and neat.
FDA-approved Tadalafil generic: Tadalafil tablets – safe online pharmacy for ED pills
PredniWell Online PredniWell Online how to get Prednisone legally online
http://predniwellonline.com/# how to get Prednisone legally online
how to get Prednisone legally online: how to get Prednisone legally online – online pharmacy Prednisone fast delivery
dhpb-smile – Would like to see an “about us” or blog to understand more.
saltburn – It has potential if they fill it with quality content and visuals.
thefreemath – I appreciate the mix of content in English and Marathi, cool touch.
liveforextrading – Pages load smoothly, no lag when switching between currency pairs.
artvoyage – Their visual storytelling is compelling, it draws me back often.
live-sex-cam – Cool platform, responsive features make the whole experience feel real.
PredniWell Online: PredniWell Online – Prednisone tablets online USA
googlerankmaster – Curious about their niche, looks promising from what I saw.
crowltheselinks – Found a few broken links, hope they’ll fix them soon.
order gabapentin discreetly: gabapentin major side effects – affordable Neurontin medication USA
shineonx – Curious to see content inside, the teaser looks promising.
manchunyuan8 – Found a few interesting posts, might revisit when I have time.
neuropathic pain relief treatment online affordable Neurontin medication USA Neurontin online without prescription USA
FDA-approved Tadalafil generic: tadalafil online prescription – EverLastRx
FDA-approved gabapentin alternative order gabapentin discreetly FDA-approved gabapentin alternative
buy ivermectin: Mediverm Online – low-cost ivermectin for Americans
https://predniwellonline.com/# how to get Prednisone legally online
native united statesn gambling rights, roulette ai automatic and casino apps real money australia, or new Monte Carlo Casino Play Online no deposit bonus
2021 uk
gabapentin prices: affordable Neurontin medication USA – gabapentin capsules for nerve pain
wexfordliteraryartsfestival – This could really streamline the process of art authentication.
trusted Stromectol source online: ivermectin 12 mg tablet buy – low-cost ivermectin for Americans
free spins no deposit casinos nz, top online pokies and casinos canadian update and online gambling sites real money usa, or uk bingo
Also visit my blog post; Roulette pour Presser clover
generic prednisone pills Prednisone without prescription USA Prednisone tablets online USA
discreet delivery for ED medication: safe online pharmacy for ED pills – how to order Cialis online legally
NeuroCare Direct: FDA-approved gabapentin alternative – where buy fluoxetine