Review: Memoir of a Milk Carton Kid

                                                         

Title: Memoir of a Milk Carton Kid
Author: Tanya Nicole Kach
Publisher: Tate Publishing
Price: $17.99
Release: 10/11/2011
Source: Library

Grade: C
Audience: Adults









Synopsis:
    'Tom,' I said, bracing myself for the threat that was sure to follow. 'I need to talk to you about something. About leaving here, I mean.'He didn't hit me. Didn't threaten. Instead, he looked at me with great sadness. 'Who saved your life?''You,' I replied, 'but...''Who takes care of you?''I know that,' I told him. 'I just can't live like this.''You can't live? What about me? You would destroy my life if you left. I am the only person to ever show you love, and you would leave me? Don't be stupid.' Told from the perspective of Tanya Nicole Kach, Memoir of a Milk Carton Kid is the haunting story of a girl, lost in the cracks of the system, forced to spend more than ten years as the prisoner of her school's security guard. From her troubled childhood, through her captivity at the hands of a manipulative captor, and ultimately on her road to recovery, Tanya's story is one of pain but ultimately triumph. Her story is told by her advocate and confidant, Lawrence Fisher. For more than five years his impassioned advocacy has helped Tanya as she has reintegrated into society. He successfully blends Tanya's story with his own insight into the legal issues surrounding the controversial case that followed Tanya's release. This multipronged approach gives the reader insight into Tanya's emotional state and the state of a criminal justice system that allowed her ordeal to happen.

My thoughts:
    I hate to judge nonfiction. This is somebodies life we are talking about but I had to here. I felt that the story was poorly written. For the most part I felt like I was reading an outline for a fiction story. Yes, what this woman experienced was hell. I do not want to sound cold or heartless at all. I just think maybe she was not ready to give us an honest portrayal of what happened.

    I have to be honest and say that I did have to skim some pages. There were times when I felt myself bored with this writing that I wanted to give up on reading the book. I made myself power through though.

    I recommend this to hardcore nonfiction/memoir fans.