described it as a "gut-wrenching, cleareyed coming-of-age memoir" with clean writing that serves the heavy subject matter.
Engel recounts severe hardships, including physical and emotional neglect, being sexually abused at ages four and nine, and being raped at twelve. Raising Myself: A Memoir of Neglect, Shame, and...
The memoir details Engel’s experience growing up with a neglectful and narcissistic mother, effectively being on her own from the age of four. Key themes include: described it as a "gut-wrenching