A page turner (Ma, He Sold Me for a Few Cigarettes - Martha Long)

Member Name: lisharoberts

Product:	Ma, He Sold Me for a Few Cigarettes - Martha Long
Date:	07/10/09 (50 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brilliantly written

Disadvantages: nothing

This is a memoir of a young girl called Martha Long, living in Dublin in the 1950s. She is born a bastard into poverty of the slums. Her mother has several men to which she has children. This puts her in more peverty and little catholic girl Martha is forced to steel to survive. Her mother meets another man called Jackster. Jackster is a drunk and has a violent temper. He takes a disliking to Martha becasue she is not his own. He makes her go out and steel. Pushes her around and leaves her having the least of what they, or rather she, can get for them. He uses her to fend for the family but treats her the worst.

He does sell her to his friend for a packet of cigarettes and that is how low he can really go. He beats Marthas mum until she is nearly dead but she still has him back.

Throughout this memoir Martha manages to keep positive throughout and that is something that is so inspiring. I got so frustrated through reading this biography, not mainly because of Jackster but because of Marthas mother who does not deserve to have children. Martha tells this story in her own Irish accent which adds to the affect for the reader. She really sets the scene of the times and the way they lived which is good.

Martha always believes in herself that she is worth so much more and she really was. She is a true character and you wish for so much more for her. The ending is happy which i wont go into because for those of you that want to read it I would like you to find out for yourselves.

This true story was the best selling book for a while and on Amazon has no less than 5 stars for its reviews which i know why. So if you are looking for a good read and dont mind reading about a young girl who goes through some real tough times the ending is worth it so go out and buy it.

Summary: truely inspiring girl