Did not enjoy the writing at all. ( )

Calling it an enthralling read but only giving it 4 stars may seem strange but all will be revealed! This was a fabulous text to read, written with the child writer in mind I felt. Looking at situations how they were presented to her, rather than trying to address from the adult she now is.

I do not know how a single adult outside her life did not push for further investigations - one day she turned up at school with her face a mess at having been beaten up. There is more to it than simply how I state it but I don't want to spoil the plot for someone.

Getting to know Constance through the situations she faced was quite harrowing - particularly the incident where she had to go to hospital. Her parents called her by another name and again, it was revealing when she found out what her real name was, although I felt more may have been revealed to the reader at this point.

She had clearly detached herself from her family, but who wouldn't - however this came across in the book as making her seem very cold. I wouldn't have wanted to know why the mother abused her daughter - as this is a different book entirely, but I am surprised in this book why she didn't question her father's responsibilities.

And so to why I put 4 stars. I felt one more chapter was needed. Not to necessarily 'put the world to rights' but to just delve into her adulthood slightly. Although the book did come to a natural end and I felt this was fine, I just would have liked to know a touch more. A 'complete' book, talking about her childhood, that I am pleased I read. ( )

An autobiography, about her horrible childhood. I found it hard to believe some of the things, and it wasn't very well written... I didn't really enjoy it. ( )

Brilliant bio. of a childhood savaged by a despicable mother. Shows the despair and hopelessness of the author and the tentative growth of acceptance of self and later triumph. ( )