Amazing the abilities of God's human soul to overcome trauma and abuse, to rise above and pursue goals with all odds against you. This is Tara Westover. Set in the backdrop of Bucks Peak, near Clifton, Idaho; Tara was the youngest of seven children born to Mormon fundamentalist parents. From her 30 year old self comes a memoir of depth and horror, tempered with as much objectivity and love for her parents as is possible. I loved that she bravely recounts her story without rancor or hate; just an unusual amount of understanding of the reality of who her family was.
This book drew so many questions from my soul. How does a mother not stand up and protect her children? How does a wife continually capitulate to a slightly crazed, bi-polar, dominant husband? How does this brilliant wife strive and succeed in creating a multi-million dollar business, when she appears mentally unstable during much of her life? What makes a sister appear to take a stand against the evil occurring around her...then recant and become the docile daughter? How many times does a wife agree to continue living with a violent man just because he asks forgiveness? So much insecurity, fear, and confusion instilled in children as they grew up....that is the heartbreak.
Tara's triumph is in her quest to overcome the voices from her past by educating herself, and taking very slow steps to healing by protecting herself from this family that she misses and loves. So wonderful the people, both friends and professors, along the way who stepped in and believed in her. A wonderful story of redemption, somewhat similar to Hillbilly Elegy; except more harrowing.
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