by Sarah Sawyer-Lovett
Set in Tazewell, Virginia, a town whose wholesome storefronts and country charm hide an undercurrent of poverty and lawlessness, Everybody Else's Girl tells the story of growing up poor amid unspeakable violence. Broken-down trailer parks and gritty classrooms provide the background for this story of a girl searching for her voice.
Review
It's always a pleasure for me to review any book, but I take a special thrill from reviewing books/works/zines from independent authors/publishers. The work is more raw and I feel the emotions on a whole other level.
My experience reading Everybody Else's Girl was just like that. Sawyer-Lovett describes living among others in a life full of abuse, addiction and overall feeling lost. Although most of what is talked about is painful, there are silver linings of happy nostalgia sprinkled throughout the book. The book is a brilliant memoir full of painful, but hopeful moments.
As someone who works in the mental health field, I appreciated this book on another level besides "entertainment". Sawyers-Lovett provides a trigger warning in her book which I wish other authors would provide as well. I've heard so many horrible stories from people's backgrounds and not everyone can have the insight to provide themselves with the space needed to express their feelings. Sawyer-Lovett's memoir provides an inside look, but also a hopeful note that life can change and people can move forward.
Verdict
Highly recommend, but please keep in mind the trigger warning. This book deals with some heavy stuff - graphic details of abuse. Please take this into consideration.
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