Duff's writing is intimate and reverent as she examines Gretchen's secret truths—and her own. "Perhaps by reading Gretchen’s journals and delving into the past, I would find what I longed for,” Duff proclaims, and, once she decides to embark on the emotionally taxing journey of reading Gretchen's left-behind words, that wish comes true. She reflects on unfathomable, violent trauma from her childhood and its connection to her relationship with her husband, adult children, and her parents, linking her need for self-discovery and healing to the past’s shrouded secrets, while pressing into her unwavering faith to finally make peace and settle into a place she can truly call home.
"Gretchen scared me because her honesty exposed my dishonesty," Duff writes, and the memoir brims with her realizations that moving forward often hinges on digging into the past. Her efforts, though painful, are rewarded, as she comes to terms with the darkness and emerges stronger on the other side. These powerful parallel stories are captivating—and at times emotionally devastating—as Duff sludges through understanding, acceptance, and letting go. “Asking questions—doubting if you will—is part of the mysterious process of bringing truth to light,” she observes—powerful parting words that will linger in readers’ minds.
Takeaway: Emotional memoir examining mental illness, faith, and repressed family secrets.
Comparable Titles: Amanda Stern's Little Panic, Meg Kissinger's While You Were Out.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-