Childhood Lost (Blackbird - Jennifer Lauck)

Member Name: louise1971

Product:	Blackbird - Jennifer Lauck
Date:	18/04/02 (322 review reads)
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I bought “Blackbird – A Childhood Lost” as at the time I was in major memoir mode, having read “Angela’s Ashes” and “’Tis” by Frank McCourt, then “A Boy Called It” by Dave Pelzer.

Before reading all of the above, I was a little cynical about stories such as these – why relive the pain of a tragic childhood, marred by grief and brutality. Why not let it go? I now think that writing these memories down must be a way for the author’s to rid themselves of the ghosts of their pasts, and also, to a certain extent, stick two fingers up to their tormentors. After all, there are now, in the most part, extremely successful adults.

Jennifer Lauck is one of these success stories. After giving up a lucrative career in news journalism, and perhaps feeling there was a ‘gap’ in her life, she decided to tell her own tale, and maybe rid herself of some of her own demons in the process.

I most definitely do not want to give the plot away for those who have yet to read this book, so I will be brief.

The story begins with a pre-school Jennifer living with her father, very sick mother, and older brother, B.J., in Nevada.
To Jennifer, her father is a genius, her brother a pest (as older brothers often can be), and her mother a beautiful, exotic, fragile creature, and the house in Nevada is the best ever.
Life for Jennifer is taken up by caring for her mother whist her father is at work, and brother at school. An obviously confusing and distressing thing for a child to be doing.
Despite having to nurse her mother, however, Jennifer’s childish, sparkling personality shines through. She loves her cats, dressing up and learning rude words!

As I said, I do not want to spoil the story for others, so suffice it to say that Jennifer’s life is beset by a chain of tragedies and cruelties, with very little laughter in it.


J
ennifer writes her memoirs as a child. I like this style, since everything is seen through the eyes of a child – listening on the stairs to adults whispering, and desperately trying to understand what they are talking about. Some though, may not find this style challenging enough.

So, why do I like this book?
As mentioned, I became a bit of a sucker for heart-rending stories, and it certainly is an escape from my reality.

This story made me feel sad and angry that anyone can put a child through what she went through, and also awe-struck that someone can come out the other side of this, and live life as a normal, successful, happy person. There is optimism and hope in here too.

Read this book – there are no fancy plot twists, no ‘whodunnit’ element, and no ‘other realms’. You can be guaranteed though, to believe that truth is most definitely stranger and more tragic than fiction.

After you have read this, you can move onto the sequel, “Still Waters”, which I, unfortunately haven’t read yet, but will buy this weekend.

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