The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

In The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls tells the story of her difficult, nomadic childhood through this riveting memoir. The Walls family were always on the move, whether living in a desert, a small mining town, or a large bustling city. Rex Walls, Jeannette's father, was an alcoholic, but when sober was intelligent and vibrant, teaching his children to be unafraid of life. Rose Mary Walls, Jeannette's mother, was an artistic and free-spirited woman, but refused to be responsible for taking care of the family. This unique combination of personalities made the Walls children realize that they had to take care of themselves. As Jeannette grew older, she and her siblings discovered despite their family's dysfunctional nature, what really mattered was their undying love and loyalty for each other. The Glass Castle never failed to entertain me; although this memoir may have been targeted to older readers, The Glass Castle was easy to understand. Nevertheless, it used profound, poignant language and was paced very well. The types of events that occurred throughout Jeannette's life were unbelievable, and sometimes even induced sadness and pity. But still, Jeannette always presented herself with perseverance and optimism despite her very humble background. Overall, adolescents of all ages will find that The Glass Castle is a remarkable and exceptional memoir, and they will savor every word until the very last page.
-Casey