Tolog Reviews: The Glass Castle

The Glass Castle
by Jeanette Walls

reviewed by Camilla Homans, class of 2017

With a selfish mother who refuses to take on the responsibility of a family and a drunk father who can't seem to put any of his plans to "strike it rich" into motion, young Jeannette Walls is trapped in a world where she has to fend for herself and figure out how to make her way in life without her parent’s vices dragging her down. Through out the memoir, a reader is able to see Jeannette transform from a naïve child into a strong independent woman due to her situation in life. The loss of innocence, the betrayal she felt, the rude awakening of reality, and the frustration Jeannette withstood all make this true story utterly unbelievable and amazing. To see the journey this strong woman endured to finally make it out of the lifestyle she was born into opens a reader’s eyes to a world that is unknown to them.
I really liked this book because of the amazing story that described one girl’s experience with an unordinary family who doesn’t take care of her like they should. While reading, I felt all of the emotions that the author described in the book. Even though I was extremely frustrated and mad at times because of crucial and devastating events that took place, it all just made the progress of reading the book that much more captivating. It was truly an amazing and enjoyable process I went through reading this memoir. I believe this book introduced me to some of the troubles real people have to deal with and it made me much more aware of the world around me. It gave me a new perspective on the world and why people make the decisions they do.

You will instantly get hooked on this powerful story of beating the odds.

If you liked To Kill a Mockingbird, you'll love this book.