The Glass Castle: A Memoir (book)

I saw 20 minutes of the movie on TV one afternoon that was based upon this book and was intrigued by the subject matter. I knew I had to read the memoir, which sounded both unbelievable and profound.

I read the book in one sitting; I didn't want to break my concentration. So many of the experiences of the family seemed both familiar yet foreign. While my upbringing was wildly different from that of the author, the core emotions felt at once relatable and unsettling. This book made me look at my own turbulent childhood with a new sensitivity and compassion.

I highly recommend this book to all; those who have a similar lived experience that want to understand how others have come to terms with it, as well as those who are looking from the outside, in.

Plot/Storyline: 5 Stars

Jeannette Walls' story of childhood abuse is an original one in that, while disturbing, it was not as horrific as some I have read. For this reason, it was a more enjoyable read than I expected, although still very interesting.

Ms. Walls manages to tell of her childhood in a way that is casual about the neglect, much as she seemed to have felt when she was a child. Amazingly, there were very few moments of self-pity. Unlike a lot of memoirs depicting bad childhoods, this one did not appear to be trying to constantly shock the reader. Instead, it just told the story honestly and completely.

The reader is left with many questions regarding her parents' motives. This is not a bad aspect of the book, as it is a reality that she probably cannot fathom their reasoning for most things. My biggest wonder was how her mother was able to obtain a teaching degree, yet seemed to be unable or unwilling to hold a job for more than a few months at a time. Her father was not such an enigma as he was merely an alcoholic.

This was a memoir well worth reading. I had trouble putting it down as I wanted to find out how Ms. Walls managed to rise above such a quagmire of a childhood.

Character Development: 5 Stars

As I stated above, there were very few instances of Ms. Walls delving into self-pity. She did manage, however, to convey her thoughts and feelings on her upbringing. Moreover, she told the story in a progressive manner that made the reader feel similar to how she must have felt at different ages. For instance, as a very young girl, the times of hunger, almost starvation, did not seem to bother her as much as when she was older. The antics of her parents were a source of humor rather than embarrassment, until she was old enough to notice the differences between her family and others.

Her brother, the sibling she was closest to, was the most well developed, but her older sister was well done, also. Her parents were as much of an enigma to the reader as they were to her. Her younger sister did not seem to play much of a role in her life, and, therefore, was only peripherally in the book.

Writing Style: 5 Stars

In a word: Excellent. The story flowed very evenly. The viewpoint matured as little Jeannette matured in the book. The dialogue, while I cannot vouch for it being verbatim, very well could have been, as I could hear her family talking as I read.

Her descriptions were those of an adult, but this was not offputting in the earlier chapters. It merely made for a better read.

Formatting/Editing: 5 Stars

Both were of professional quality.

Rating: PG-13 for hints of Child Molestation, Light Language, Alcoholism

"The Glass Castle: A Memoir" by Jeannette Walls is an unforgettable journey through a life marked by hardship, resilience, and the enduring bonds of family, for better or for worse. This poignant memoir offers readers a captivating glimpse into the tumultuous world of a family struggling with poverty, neglect, and unconventional parenting. I wasn't sure when I first picked up the book, but after only a few pages in, I could not put it down. At its core, this is a coming-of-age story that revolves around Jeannette's unconventional upbringing by her free-spirited, often neglectful, parents. The Walls family lives a nomadic life, constantly on the run from debt, the law, and assumed societal conventions. Jeannette's vivid and candid writing style draws readers deep into her world, painting a vivid picture of their struggles and her complex feelings toward her parents. What sets this memoir apart is its ability to evoke a wide range of emotions. I found myself rooting for her (naturally), then rooting for her mom, and then oscillating wildly to a deep resentment for her parents neglect and frustration at their failures. The author's storytelling is both heart-wrenching and uplifting, leaving you with a profound sense of empathy for her and her siblings. If you've dealt with absentee or neglectful parents, you'll appreciate Jeanette's portrayal of the complicated love she holds for her own parents. Her ability to convey the inner conflict and the enduring bond she shares with her family is a testament to her writing prowess. It's a good book, though be prepared to feel incredibly frustrated at times, and incredibly melancholic at others. Honestly, I'd say this is a must-read for anyone that can relate to the complexities of having absentee or neglectful parents.

Hannah Bauman Dr Vogel English 340 May 7th 2014 The Glass Castle In the memoir, “The Glass Castle”, written by Jeannette Walls. She writes about her childhood, growing up with unorthodox and irresponsible, yet intelligent and talented parents. Moving from one city to another, living in a variety of environments, from a mobile home, to a motel at one point, to an abandon train depot, and then to a rundown miner’s house until her and her siblings moved to New York on their own finally. Their father, a man, who in some aspects could be mistaken for brilliant, is a belligerent drunk, can’t keep a job, and steals his children’s hard earned money, that they are saving to finance a new life in New York City and then spends it on booze. Then a mother who is an artist with a college degree, but refuses to act like an adult and get a job in order to take care of her children. Jeannette and her siblings have no choice, but to fend for themselves and find a way to get themselves out of this terrible dysfunctional environment. For the children of this story growing up was full of unexpected adventures and struggles with consistent poor living conditions. The children would routinely go for days without eating anything, or when they did eat the meals consisted of very poor nutritional value. At one point Jeannette and her brother have to dig through the school garbage container for leftover food. This often led to the kids being bullied and/or ridiculed by their peers because of their social status and unkempt appearance. However, even with these misfortunes the children managed to excel in school. Despite their unfavorable situation, they were extremely resilient and somehow managed to find humor in their unfortunate predicament. An example of the children’s resiliency is…one day, Jeannette being the resourceful girl she was, after a visit from a Child Protective Services, she went to the library and researched their options to get themselves out of this predicament. After many hours of research Jeannette came up with a solution. She ended up giving her mother an ultimatum; to leave her father or she needed to find a job and improve their living conditions. Jeannette stressed to her mother that they cannot keep on living like the way they had been. Although hesitantly, their mother decided to get a job as a teacher. However, it was short lived due to the mother being a terrible teacher and having childlike tendencies. The children often had to assist their mother with her duties as a teacher, grading school work and organizing papers. Additionally, to make matters worse, she even at times refused to get out of bed to go to work. This eventually led to the kids having to drag her out of bed in order to get her to work. Jeannette and Lori, the older sister, finally got fed up with their mother’s behavior. They eventually made plans to go to New York, Lori planned to go first, following high school graduation, then, Jeannette would follow next when she finished High School. From this point on they both saved their hard earned money and put it into their piggy bank. Shortly before Lori graduated High School as they count the days until they could move out on their own and fend for themselves, Jeannette came home to find the piggy bank torn apart and all the money gone. They immediately confronted their father and of course he denied it. They were both devastated, but they stayed positive, put their heads together, and found another way to get to New York. I enjoyed reading this book and it reminded me to be appreciative and be thankful for my upbringing and supportive family. I found it to be a page turner, very inspiring, couldn’t put it down. The children’s difficult childhood story is a true testament to resiliency. I would recommend this book to anyone in search of inspiration. This book included drama, adventure, humor, and redemption and kept me interested and attentive throughout. In the end…the children triumph over the struggles they encounter due to their irresponsible parents. However, in the end, their upbringing made them, but it didn’t break them. Their shared hardships only made their bonds stronger and together, they prospered with each other’s support.