For a writer to capture the voice of a child and write a compelling page turning story is quite difficult. Meg Tilly writes in the voice of Anna, a young girl growing up in a dysfunctional, abusive family. The innocence of children is portrayed through the games created by Anna and her siblings in an effort to escape their harsh reality of poverty and disenaged parents. The haunting scenes of abuse told through a child's eyes make this book more than a tale of family, but a tale of the resilience of children as they attempt to live their lives in the absence of parental guidance. Meg Tilly eases the tension with humor through the interactions of the siblings. It turns into a coming of age at the end of the novel as Anna enters pre-teen age and starts experimenting with the pressures face by a teenager. Although it is told is a child's voice, I recommend this novel for mature audiences only.

...and the really sad thing is that it's a story that's repeated too often in real life (a fact that should be recognized by the number of fictional works dealing with this subject). All of the books written around the subject of sexual abuse (and I'm not giving away anything by mentioning that -- it's obvious from the inside cover flap) are not as well-written as this, however.

Tilly has captured the essence of any book that sets out to tell a story from the perspective of a child -- she has found an authentic voice for her young narrator, without coming across as patronizing or forced. Young Anna's thoughts and memories ring very true, allowing the reader to plunge into her frightening world and experience it along with her. In the course of the story, she frequently experiences stomach cramps -- no doubt from anxiety -- and I actually felt myself feeling them in several places in the narrative.

One of the most heart-wrenching things about Anna's story is that, more than any other book I can remember that deals with this subject, she is subjected to abuse by so many perpetrators -- not just her stepfather (again, this is mentioned on the cover flap), but several other adults and even children more or less her own age. The strength and determination that she shows (and that actual survivors must draw upon if they are not to remain victims for the rest of their lives) is amazing. It hurts to read about a child being subjected to such horrors as Anna is forced to endure -- but it's an eye-opening experience for the reader. It's also important to remember that these horrors actually happen to more children 'in real life' than most people would dare to imagine -- I think it's the great shame of our so-called 'civilization' that it happens at all.

Meg Tilly has shown with this novel that she's not only a talented actress -- she's a talented writer as well. I hope, with this novel 'out of her system', she chooses to give us more tastes of this side of her abilities.

As a former social worker I found this book to be disturbingly accurate in its' portrayal of an abusive family. Children are so much more resilient than we give them credit for. Parents such as these who are self-absorbed and narcissistic are all too common. Fortunately, most such as Anna are forgiving. The unknown is far too frightening. Anna is a survivor and will prove to either be just like her mother or the opposite. Meg has struck a cord in this former social workers heart. I only wish she would write more!