Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I just wanted to give this book a review really fast, even though I finished it a little while ago...
I read Bastard because it's been sitting on my shelf for about 3 years.  My cousin Amelia was reading it for her AP High School english class, so I thought I'd tag along.  First of all, I can't believe they read this book in high school.  It was such a horrible story. Horrible.  Greg would ask me what was wrong when he caught me reading because my face was always contorted with worry or angst.  It was so well written though, and Allison really conveyed Bone's, (our narrator) fear and that awful feeling of being stuck due to circumstance.  My anger with her mother was palpable.  It reminded me of reading The Glass Castle, and how frustrating it was for these children, born to poor families, who did not really understand there were options beyond the life they were living.  Bone's strength was incredible.  Makes you think, doesn't it?  Makes me feel lucky, that's for sure.


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