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Storkbites: A Memoir
Praise for A Memoir by Marie Etienne "Marie Etienne's story of growing up rich in Louisiana, one of 9 children who are each in some way scarred by the experience, leads readers on a harrowing tale of abuse of nearly every physical, verbal, alcoholic, drugs, sexual excess - and above all a family legacy of secret insanity. Push/pull, give/take, love/hate, guilt/forgiveness, monetary generosity/emotional stinginess - these kids were jerked this way and that, and none emerged unscathed. Of the nine children, 2 died of either suicide or murder and the others continue, as adults, to struggle in their own ways with their violent heritage. Etienne describes her own descent into alcoholism and promiscuity as a teenager and young adult, and she is horrified to find herself following her mother's physical abuse tactics with her own two young sons. We travel with Etienne on the path of healing as she sheds her addictions and discovers ways to forge a new future with her children, a future based on love and trust. Imminently readable and inspirational." ~ Peggy Vincent - author of Baby Catcher "A compelling memoir...Etienne's writing is fresh; her epiphany is clear, her ending powerful and satisfying." --San Francisco Chronicle Book Review, August 10, 2003 Storkbites is a complicated portrait of a family...The writing is vivid and honest." --Adair Lara, Hold Me Close, Let Me Go, August 15, 2003 In her memoir entitled Storkbites, Marie Etienne paints a powerful picture of her wealthy Louisiana family - a mother who bounces from sobriety to drunkenness, kindness to vicious cruelty, and an eccentric father who takes bizarre steps to protect his nine children from danger. Storkbites weaves two timelines -- one showing a childhood filled with abuse, insanity, and material excess, and the other, the adult trying to make her way in California as a new mom. Murder, suicide, promiscuity, and alcoholism overshadow Mardi Gras balls, Christmas celebrations, and a daughter's bittersweet coming-of-age. Vivid scenes depict Daddy, nightly, tucking his children into bed, and hours later, Momma waking them for a beating. After years of heavy drinking, Momma lies dying in ICU and pull-the-plug battles emerge among the seven surviving daughters. In the midst of a divorce, Marie sees her handprint on her son's back and vows stop the cycle of abuse-both as victim and perpetrator. Filled with hope, Storkbites shows the fierce love between siblings and the determination of one young mother desperate to escape her abusive past. Marie Etienne's writing has appeared in numerous publications including the San Francisco Chronicle, Contra Costa Times, and Diablo Magazine. She is a competitive springboard diver, an accountant, a high school dive coach, and an avid reader. Her second memoir, Confessions of a Bi-Polar Mardi Gras Queen, was published in February 2009. She makes jewelry and steel wire baskets adorned with beads and yarn. Born in Louisiana, Marie now lives in Northern California with her two teenage sons.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2003
596 people are currently reading
341 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
June 16, 2019
What an entirely calloused group of people. Not a single person lifted a finger to protect all of the defenseless animals that were brought into this sick family. The son shooting BBs at the family dog? The mother stomping and kicking a dog to the point of brain damage? Dogs that drowned in the family swimming pool? Making a dog jump off a pool table again and again even though it was yelping in pain? A cat yanked by its leg from under a bed? A fish slammed against the side of a boat? Dogs put to sleep for convenience? Sickening.
December 3, 2020
Growing up in a wealthy family, Marie Etienne and her eight siblings endured harsh abuse no child should ever have to deal with. Marie learns the hard way that abuse births abuse unless you break the cycle. When Marie starts seeing herself acting like her mother, she vows to change her life and her behavior. This is the story of one family’s dark secrets and a brave woman’s healing journey to break free from her abusive past.
Storkbites is a gut-wrenching beautifully written memoir. I connected with Marie right away. I know this was hard to write for Marie Etienne because each passage is so honest, so painful, so naked. The sheer pain splayed across the pages caused many tears to fall as I read Storkbites. Serious topics like abuse, family dynamics, suicide and murder are openly discussed, so please be aware if those are triggers for you. I applaud Marie Etienne for having the courage to write this book. I couldn’t put it down. If you’re a fan of Rebecca Wells, you will enjoy Storkbites. Highly recommend!
Disclaimer: I read this on Kindle Unlimited CA.
My Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by: Mrs. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...
Storkbites is a gut-wrenching beautifully written memoir. I connected with Marie right away. I know this was hard to write for Marie Etienne because each passage is so honest, so painful, so naked. The sheer pain splayed across the pages caused many tears to fall as I read Storkbites. Serious topics like abuse, family dynamics, suicide and murder are openly discussed, so please be aware if those are triggers for you. I applaud Marie Etienne for having the courage to write this book. I couldn’t put it down. If you’re a fan of Rebecca Wells, you will enjoy Storkbites. Highly recommend!
Disclaimer: I read this on Kindle Unlimited CA.
My Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by: Mrs. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...
May 24, 2014
I can see how this memoir could heal the author. I myself had a difficult childhood and was left with the residue of depression and anxiety as well as a life long struggle with self esteem. This family made mine look like Ozzie and Harriett.
July 20, 2020
1. Kicking and beating a dog half to death is a felony in my state. It is abuse/a cursor to abusing
humans. I was physically sick reading about it. And that no one acted as if it were a horrific thing
baffled me and made me so sad and in pain for those poor animals and children who witnessed it
and committed the crime themselves believing it was ok to do so.
2. Never ever would I let my mother hold my child after beating animals and children Id stay far far
away from the toxic environment i came up in. Sometimes you just have to love people from afar.
3. The first time the author felt the urge to hit her child should have been a big awakening. The first
time. Get help now...fast.....Let husband take children till you understand or can control your
anger.
4. I felt the authors pain when she did not want a physical touch from her husband/it was painful to
read.
5. I hope she stays far far away from all the alcoholic's and crazy people in he family even now to
this day
6. when do people ever learn that materialistic things are not what matters when someone dies?
You will never be the same after death even if you got the table.
7. I saw no hope or happy ending and since the author wrote this in 2007 that things have
changed for her. I hope her children have grown up happy away from the toxicity of her family.
humans. I was physically sick reading about it. And that no one acted as if it were a horrific thing
baffled me and made me so sad and in pain for those poor animals and children who witnessed it
and committed the crime themselves believing it was ok to do so.
2. Never ever would I let my mother hold my child after beating animals and children Id stay far far
away from the toxic environment i came up in. Sometimes you just have to love people from afar.
3. The first time the author felt the urge to hit her child should have been a big awakening. The first
time. Get help now...fast.....Let husband take children till you understand or can control your
anger.
4. I felt the authors pain when she did not want a physical touch from her husband/it was painful to
read.
5. I hope she stays far far away from all the alcoholic's and crazy people in he family even now to
this day
6. when do people ever learn that materialistic things are not what matters when someone dies?
You will never be the same after death even if you got the table.
7. I saw no hope or happy ending and since the author wrote this in 2007 that things have
changed for her. I hope her children have grown up happy away from the toxicity of her family.
May 15, 2015
I have read many memoirs about disturbing childhoods. Never have I read one where every family member is more disturbed than the next. This whole family is awful, including the author. She writes about the families abuse of animals and each other without regret or remorse. She does not come off as a victim but kind of like an abuser herself. The children also went out of their way to purposely and with intent abuse and humiliate each other well into adulthood. The father was nothing but a drunk who sat back and allowed his deranged wife to beat and destroy their children. Instead of putting a stop to it, which he could have, he just threw money and gifts at them. The children then become spoiled with an ugly sense of entitlement and greed that carries on into adulthood. The only person I felt sorry for in this family was the son, Nickey. As if this author wasn't unlikeable enough, she goes on to write about how she rages at her own children and how she wants to abuse and beat them too.
There is no redemption and lessons learned by the mistakes of this author. It doesn't seem like she even tries to break the cycle. She doesn't rise above her childhood a better or stronger person. I will say the book was well written and that's about the only redeeming quality here.
There is no redemption and lessons learned by the mistakes of this author. It doesn't seem like she even tries to break the cycle. She doesn't rise above her childhood a better or stronger person. I will say the book was well written and that's about the only redeeming quality here.
August 15, 2020
Hear me out.
This book for race reviews! And I hate just giving it two stars, just because I didn't like the back and forth of years. It's just my opinion. It's a great story of horrific accounts of abuse.
This book for race reviews! And I hate just giving it two stars, just because I didn't like the back and forth of years. It's just my opinion. It's a great story of horrific accounts of abuse.
January 10, 2020
Money doesn't buy happiness
It was shocking to read of the dysfunction in this family. The money bought misery and deceit the alcohol and drugs and rage and complete lack of humanity is deplorable. The poor animals in this house that NO ONE took up for is sickening much less what was done to the children. It's amazing any of them survived. The so called family friends that never intervened. You don't want to put the book down.
It was shocking to read of the dysfunction in this family. The money bought misery and deceit the alcohol and drugs and rage and complete lack of humanity is deplorable. The poor animals in this house that NO ONE took up for is sickening much less what was done to the children. It's amazing any of them survived. The so called family friends that never intervened. You don't want to put the book down.
November 21, 2020
While I found the family interesting and the mother particularly horrible, I couldn't connect or empathize with anyone in the book except for the poor dogs. The whole family just seemed pretty shitty, author included. I appreciated her honesty but sometimes I just wanted to be able to say "get tf over your sister penny", "stop worrying about everyone's weight", or "bless your husband's heart." Just didn't do it for me.
April 10, 2024
3.5 if I’m honest
I do love a good memoir and this certainly was. I’m not sure I enjoyed the authors style of writing for it though; it read like a book report. The feeling of “being there” or drawing me in was missing. All in all a decent kindle unlimited pick.
I do love a good memoir and this certainly was. I’m not sure I enjoyed the authors style of writing for it though; it read like a book report. The feeling of “being there” or drawing me in was missing. All in all a decent kindle unlimited pick.
April 25, 2020
Couldn't stop reading
I loved this book. I could really relate to Marie, and she painted such a vivid picture of her parents and brothers and sisters. They were all likeable despite their faults. Except Penny, I thought she was a self absorbed you know what. I just got Marie's second book and while it seems good enough I was hoping to learn more about her family. The second book, so far, is like a series of short stories but not the juicy like the first book. Storkbites really caught my heart and I will definitely read any future books by Marie Etienne.
I loved this book. I could really relate to Marie, and she painted such a vivid picture of her parents and brothers and sisters. They were all likeable despite their faults. Except Penny, I thought she was a self absorbed you know what. I just got Marie's second book and while it seems good enough I was hoping to learn more about her family. The second book, so far, is like a series of short stories but not the juicy like the first book. Storkbites really caught my heart and I will definitely read any future books by Marie Etienne.
May 29, 2020
Heart wrenching tale
This was a very heart wrenching story of a child growing up with alcoholism and abuse. I had to put down the book in the beginning because the abuse Marie and her siblings encountered was extremely upsetting. I read Marie’s story when she was an adult and came back to finish this story. Marie is an incredibly brave woman sharing her inner most thoughts and fears. It goes to show how damaging alcoholism and child abuse is on a person. I admire Marie for sharing her experience, she is a hero and a survivor!
This was a very heart wrenching story of a child growing up with alcoholism and abuse. I had to put down the book in the beginning because the abuse Marie and her siblings encountered was extremely upsetting. I read Marie’s story when she was an adult and came back to finish this story. Marie is an incredibly brave woman sharing her inner most thoughts and fears. It goes to show how damaging alcoholism and child abuse is on a person. I admire Marie for sharing her experience, she is a hero and a survivor!
November 15, 2019
If you had a dysfunctional childhood, this is worth every second.
This is a captivating account of a girl’s childhood experiences as part of a large, wealthy family in Louisiana during the 60s and 70s. Marie’s autobiographical account of her dysfunctional upbringing and her parents’ marriage sets the tone for the experiences she candidly shares regarding her adulthood, with particular emphasis on her parenting and marriage.
This is a captivating account of a girl’s childhood experiences as part of a large, wealthy family in Louisiana during the 60s and 70s. Marie’s autobiographical account of her dysfunctional upbringing and her parents’ marriage sets the tone for the experiences she candidly shares regarding her adulthood, with particular emphasis on her parenting and marriage.
May 7, 2020
Wealthy Dysfunction
I have this memoir 3 stars because it wasn't that great if a book, but it did keep my interest. This is a family that had a lot of advantages in spite of being extremely damaged as a family unit and individually. Surprisingly, I felt more sympathy for the animals than any person in the book. Animals should not be kept as pets to be abused.I enjoy reading memoirs and have read quite a few, but this is one of my least favorites.
I have this memoir 3 stars because it wasn't that great if a book, but it did keep my interest. This is a family that had a lot of advantages in spite of being extremely damaged as a family unit and individually. Surprisingly, I felt more sympathy for the animals than any person in the book. Animals should not be kept as pets to be abused.I enjoy reading memoirs and have read quite a few, but this is one of my least favorites.
December 28, 2019
Non-Stop Reading
Once I began this book, I didn't lay it down. My heart breaks at reading such an abusive child hood. Being a single mom of 3 (now grown) I can relate with the author ... Some days life was overwhelming. Marie has shown how strong & determined she was not to follow her childhood path, but to make her children's path filled with all she missed out on.
Once I began this book, I didn't lay it down. My heart breaks at reading such an abusive child hood. Being a single mom of 3 (now grown) I can relate with the author ... Some days life was overwhelming. Marie has shown how strong & determined she was not to follow her childhood path, but to make her children's path filled with all she missed out on.
July 9, 2020
The descriptions of her mother's abuse haunted me during my daily tasks
Marie Etienne's memoir of growing up with an abusive mother and emotionally distracted father in an affluent household with her many siblings was well written and engaging. She fleshed out the characters so well that I could almost see them doing the things she described.
Marie Etienne's memoir of growing up with an abusive mother and emotionally distracted father in an affluent household with her many siblings was well written and engaging. She fleshed out the characters so well that I could almost see them doing the things she described.
March 9, 2025
A bit too heavy handed for me but I’m sure someone will relate to it. I found the West coast people thought it was powerfully written. But being from the South West it’s a little too late whining. So many times it’s reminded she’s an alcoholic and get over it moments. I didn’t like her tone overall it’s better than a lot of books in its tell all big family crap but it was too draining to enjoy.
March 9, 2020
Great memoir!
I almost didn’t read this book due to the reviews but I’m glad I did. I found it very interesting and entertaining and sad at the same time. I only read memoirs and this is one of the best!
I almost didn’t read this book due to the reviews but I’m glad I did. I found it very interesting and entertaining and sad at the same time. I only read memoirs and this is one of the best!
April 25, 2020
Interesting memoir about a wealthy Southern family of 9 children and their alcohol parents. Insightful regarding alcoholism and mental illness in a highly dysfunctional family. Great book by Marie Etienne.
May 13, 2020
A dysfunctional family with money
The book ghost into the dysfunction and abuse that goes on in the harm of several children and animals. Seems to me that with money you can hide dysfunction. I wonder how things have gone if they didn't have money. Somewhat of a long book
The book ghost into the dysfunction and abuse that goes on in the harm of several children and animals. Seems to me that with money you can hide dysfunction. I wonder how things have gone if they didn't have money. Somewhat of a long book
September 2, 2020
Yesterday's child Tomorrows success
If life were a chalk board and erasing the past changed the present I am sure Marie would do it the same all over. Stronger than she thinks and lived her youth for the moment. Good read
If life were a chalk board and erasing the past changed the present I am sure Marie would do it the same all over. Stronger than she thinks and lived her youth for the moment. Good read
September 30, 2020
Did not keep my interest
Too many unessary details. Too much like every other story of its kind being published today. I'm glad the author found it cathartic to write her story but I found it tedious.
Too many unessary details. Too much like every other story of its kind being published today. I'm glad the author found it cathartic to write her story but I found it tedious.
June 3, 2021
Interesting!
This book is about a family with nine chldren, parents who gave them everything, and the results of the parents' frivolous actions. It was an engrossing read, and was difficult to put down.
This book is about a family with nine chldren, parents who gave them everything, and the results of the parents' frivolous actions. It was an engrossing read, and was difficult to put down.
January 17, 2019
Good
I love first hand written memoirs and this is a good one. The author describes her life in detail where you feel like your right there.
I love first hand written memoirs and this is a good one. The author describes her life in detail where you feel like your right there.
September 8, 2019
Great book!
Marie writes with such raw truth. Suffering PTSD related to childhood trauma is a heartbreaking experience. I wish Marie the best.
Marie writes with such raw truth. Suffering PTSD related to childhood trauma is a heartbreaking experience. I wish Marie the best.
October 5, 2019
Unforgettable
One of the best books I've ever read. Utterly honest and open. I could relate to this story even though my parents were not alcoholics. Couldn't put it down.
One of the best books I've ever read. Utterly honest and open. I could relate to this story even though my parents were not alcoholics. Couldn't put it down.
November 5, 2019
Boring
Sorry but I could not finish book. I got bored after reading 30 chapters. Of course only my opinion. Thanks
Sorry but I could not finish book. I got bored after reading 30 chapters. Of course only my opinion. Thanks
May 11, 2020
To the world they were the perfect family, but on the inside these children dealt with unimaginable abuse, alcoholic parents, and little or no love. So sad!
June 22, 2020
.
Not sure how to review this book. Family seems so similar to mine. It is so heart wrenching that people do some of the things they do.
Not sure how to review this book. Family seems so similar to mine. It is so heart wrenching that people do some of the things they do.
August 28, 2021
Very interesting story
I really enjoyed this book. Such a large family is so intriguing and their story is fascinating and sad at the same time.
I really enjoyed this book. Such a large family is so intriguing and their story is fascinating and sad at the same time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews