How We Fell Apart

by Julia Manzano

Julia Manzano started life with what seemed like a typical, mostly happy middle class American family. At 3 years old, she was the apple of her family's eye, spoiled with affection, attention and adoration. By the time she was 15, her life was made up of long days confined to a chair and beaten for both real and imagined mistakes.

With love and painstakingly crafted detail, How We Fell Apart documents, through a series of memories, the events transforming her from treasured toddler to horrifically abused teen, and then revisits her in adulthood as she tries to pick up the pieces and find and create for herself a life of healthier, happier love.

302 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 4, 2012

Reviews

[Dawn McCarthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a beautifully written memoir. The author tells her story in snippets, floating around from good memories to her very bad. You would think that telling her story in this way would be ineffective, when in fact it is very effective. With style, grace, and dignity, she shows us exactly how her family fell apart with remarkable insight . In her telling of her mother's relationship with her own mother, we can almost see the pattern and in turn, so does the author eventually in her attempts to break the cycle, which proves difficult. After reading this book, I felt I knew the family while at the same time I felt the author held much of how bad it was for her. This was one of the better memoirs I have read for that reason. If you like this genre, this is
a must read.

[Gwyn Calhoun · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for anyone who has suffered domestic abuse

very well written..once you start reading it's hard to stop...really enjoyed this book! Enjoyed this book very much! Julia is a courageous woman!

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking to know its nonfiction

This book was easy to read and hard to put down. Alto I would love to know more about the adult writing thia book my heart goes out to the child she writes about and her ability to draw me in put me right there in the room.
Fantastic writing of a very painful life

[Jes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strength!

Almost a year in a chair day in and day out oh I admire her strength and her coping ability.

[Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is intense. I can sort of identify with the account of what was happening. That's probably why I can identify with it. But I was nowhere close to being treated as Julie was. The writing is superb. I felt so close to everything as it was happening. I wanted to talk to Julie along the way.... This book's epilogue is perfect as well. I loved the insights that were given about her.