The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Challenge
Spring Reading Thing
I'm sure there are worse childhoods and more dysfunctional families in this world, but this is still an amazing story. That Jeanette survived hunger, major burns, and falling out of a moving car and to tell about it in such a matter-of-fact way with no evidence of self-pity makes this book more moving and interesting than a more sentimental or sensational treatment would have. She also expressed very real emotions that any child would feel: love for her parents and siblings, sadness at leaving behind favorite possessions, embarrassment for not fitting in with other children and about her parents odd behavior, pride at her accomplishments. I had heard so much about the book and Walls' alcoholic father and self-absorbed mother, that I was surprised that they weren't the monsters I had pictured. Certainly flawed, nonconforming and eccentric, they did teach their children many things about survival, self-reliance and independence. There were also lessons about petty theft, running out when things got tense or possible trouble with the law loomed ahead, or even the evils of anyone in authority. Even so, all three children grew up and joined main-stream society and seem to have become successful adults. I enjoyed the book. Sometimes I laughed, others times I was appalled, but never bored.
Rating: 4
Posted by Framed at 7:14 PM

10 comments:
Trish said...
Seems like this might be a tough read. I've seen this one around but didn't know what it was about; thanks for the review.
4/29/2008 8:40 PM
Framed said...
Actually it wasn't that hard. Walls doesn't play on your emotions at all. I think when she was a child, she thought most things were great.
4/29/2008 10:12 PM
Les said...
It seems odd to say that I enjoyed this book, but I did. In spite of all the awful experiences those kids went through. I still grimace, thinking about eating butter -- or cooking hot dogs at the age of 3 (or 4?)! Very well-written and moving. I, too, laughed (and gasped).Have you read Jennifer Lauck's Blackbird? You might like it, too. I read it and the sequel (Still Water).
4/30/2008 8:36 PM
Em said...
What a great review! I loved this book. It was sad, the whole family situation, but it made me laugh sooo much. I've recommended it to tons of people since I read it.
5/01/2008 5:33 PM
Stephanie said...
I read this a couple of years ago. I have a lot of admiration for Ms. Walls. Personally, though, I was probably more appalled than you were by her parents. Still an excellent book!
5/01/2008 9:34 PM
Joy said...
Most definitely never bored. I found it to be absolutely fascinating and appalling at the same time.
5/03/2008 1:47 PM
Jennifer, Snapshot said...
Add me to the list of those who enjoyed this book. It was tragic--the level of poverty that her parents chose to keep them in--but I think that there was something hopeful about it--perhaps the fact that she survived in spite of it.
5/03/2008 6:41 PM
Carrie K said...
I thought it was a fabulous book and it was such a loving book. Her parents were just something else. She was at an auhor's talk in our town and she was just as genuine in person.
5/05/2008 4:24 PM
Susan said...
Her parents were something else, all right. I can't get over her mother eating a chocolate bar and not sharing any of it with her kids - they had to scrounge for food to live on! At that point I lost all sympathy for the mother. It is an incredible book, full of humour and pathos, unforgettable that they survived. Good review.
5/14/2008 5:04 PM
Heather B. Moore said...
I laughed and was appalled too. Then I gave the book to my mom to read. I still can't believe some of the things that happened.