There is a theme trending in my reading lately. I seem to be reading books about strong woman, coming through difficult times, then blossoming into strength and vulnerability. They are coming-of-age books; I would give them all 5 stars.
Where the Crawdads Sing, set in the North CArolina swamps, tells the story of Kya who has lived alone in the swamps for years. The description of the marshlands os rich; Kya's life is described with compassion; and then there is the mystery. Request this book soon, there is a long waiting list.
In The Great Alone, by Kristin Hannah, Ernt Albright, a Vietnam vet suffering with a volitile PTSD personality, moves his family to Alaska to get as far from people as possible. Leni, 13, is trapped in his delusions, far from any support, with a mother who is a victim of the abususe and isolation. An amazing story of courage and growth.
While both of the above stories are fiction, Educated is not. Tara Westover, the author, was raised by Mormon survivalists in Idaho, She was subjedtec to her father's delusions and paranoia. He believed the government would take his children if they went to school, or a hospital or left their small world. She changes her life, educating herself and entering Harvard. A remarkable story.