The Cloud Grows Thin: A memoir

by Michael LaFleur

“An authentic, relatable, and profoundly stirring memoir about discovering grace amidst hopelessness, despair, and rejection.”
— Chick Lit Book Café

In this touching memoir, Michael LaFleur details how he overcame a lifetime of shocking events to find the true meaning of grace… The utterly sad story is compelling and generally well-written… Readers will be heartened for the author who endured so much and was finally able to find his way home.

— BlueInk Review

About the book:

A memoir of grit and grace, where abandonment gives way to belonging.

Set against America’s unforgiving interior—mountain isolation, Midwestern reckonings—The Cloud Grows Thin traces one man’s journey from parental neglect and institutional failure to military service, spiritual awakening, and the family he never thought possible.

Written with the haunted beauty of the Southern Gothic tradition transplanted to the American heartland, this is a story of resilience and redemption: not clawed from harsh landscapes, but found when grace breaks through the wreckage.

For readers of The Glass Castle and Hillbilly Elegy, with echoes of Cormac McCarthy’s landscapes, The Cloud Grows Thin is both a survival story and a testament to faith’s redemptive power.

334 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 14, 2025

About the author

MICHAEL LAFLEUR writes from America's unforgiving interior, where grace emerges not through moral complexity but in spite of it. His work carries the weathered honesty of a man who has received redemption as gift rather than achievement, reckoning with abandonment, institutional failure, and the harsh landscapes that shaped him while discovering sanctuary in unmerited favor. He lives with his wife Christina in the home they built together.

I occasionally have giveaways for book groups over on Instagram. Visit https://www.instagram.com/lafleurauthor/ to see if one is running now.

Reviews

[Reader Views · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael LaFleur didn’t exactly live a Nick-at-Night kind of life. His military father was frequently absent, and that was a sort of mixed blessing. When his father was home, his mother was nicer, but dear old dad was fierce, with an unusually harsh sense of humor and a deeply brooding nature. When his Navy father was at sea, or simply away at port for long stretches, LaFleur’s mother became a walking study in psychopathy. Harsh, cruel, unrelenting, and seemingly without a moral compass, she dealt one harsh blow after another on a child she simply couldn’t love. The abuse was physical, verbal, and emotional.

Strangely, “Mommy Dearest” didn’t seem to treat his older sister in the same manner. Perhaps it was a matter of the sister standing up for herself and fighting back. But it seems to have been much more than that. What this author endured as a child should never happen to any child. Anywhere. Ever. Yet, to our shame as a society, we know that the system often fails these children, and they fall through the gaps right back into the hands of the very parents who abuse them.

By his own account in The Cloud Grows Thin, Michael LaFleur was an unusual child, learning to be nearly invisible when things would blow up in the household. He learned early to recognize the signs and triggers that led to disaster. In the case of fight, flight, or freeze, his method was the latter. As he got older, he realized that participating in extra-curricular activities like sports allowed him to be away from home even longer. So, he participated in everything he could as a lifeline to protect him from his home life.

For all the retchedness of his early years, LaFleur is actually quite brilliant and a gifted linguist. Upon graduating from high school, he immediately enlisted in the Army. He wasn’t a good fit there, so when his enlistment was up, he tried the Air Force, where they were grateful for his linguistic talents. However, he still wasn’t finding what he needed.

Then along came the woman of his dreams, a young lady named Christina who would truly turn out to be his soul mate. She had one caveat for dating him—he needed to attend church with her. He would have followed her anywhere. Christina and her faith were ultimately the pathway that he was looking for. While life did not become a happy-go-lucky event for them, it was always filled with faith, hope, and love.

It would be this change in LaFleur’s life, this opening up and accepting the gift of salvation offered through Jesus Christ, that became his strength. Throughout their marriage, the births of their two extraordinary sons, changing careers, and homes, it was always their faith they leaned on. This faith, this strength, would be their foundation as tragedy fell.

This isn’t an easy story to read. But it is intrinsically inspirational. Michael LaFleur could have turned out to be a derelict individual who either wound up in jail or dead at an early age, and everyone who knew him would have said he never really stood a chance. But he wanted more. He wanted a future, a home, and something to fill the empty space in his soul. How he found all of this and what he chose to do with it is what makes this memoir so unique.

This is more than a memoir of a terrible childhood. This is the journey one man took to find his way in a world that had nothing good to offer him. His struggles with his parents, even as an adult, and his fear of becoming a parent himself, afraid he would turn out like his father, are discussed in a visceral detail that’s gritty and raw. His search for purpose is a tough road, but a beautiful journey. I highly recommend The Cloud Grows Thin by Michael LaFleur, not only to fans of biographies and memoirs, but to anyone who needs a reminder that we do not have to be defined by our past or to anyone struggling to overcome past trauma.

[Dalyn Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael LaFleur’s memoir, The Cloud Grows Thin, is a searingly personal testament shaped by hardship, endurance, and the quiet power of grace revealed too late and earned too slowly. Its emotional candor places it in thoughtful conversation with memoirs such as The Glass Castle, where personal devastation becomes narrative architecture, and the cultural introspection seen in American hardship memoir traditions.

LaFleur writes from within the terrain of lived adversity military service, trauma, grief, and long form reclamation invoking the force of grief narrative bound to the science of human adaptation like resilience theory. His journey arcs from parental abandonment into something rarer than survival: the careful rebuilding of a self capable of receiving care, faith, and family.

The memoir’s voice carries a lyrical shadow reminiscent of Southern Gothic, especially in its haunting portrayal of emotional storms and rural American isolation. Yet unlike fiction that dwells in desolation alone, LaFleur gives pain a destination, guiding readers toward the concept of grace not as abstraction, but as lived rupture and lived repair.

For those drawn to redemption driven memoirs and narratives of reinvention, The it intrudes, breaks through crisis, and demands to be acknowledged. This book is not merely a survival story, but an emotional exhale for the abandoned part of the self that remained young long after childhood ended.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cloud Grows Thin: A Memoir is Michael LaFleur’s authorial debut, and I have to say that I was quite impressed with several passages, for example:
″ Most days dawned clear with skies so blue and boundless they seemed like pools of liquid sapphire stretched tight above the earth. ″
Most of the book is beautifully written, which conveniently makes the difficult content easier to absorb. Much of the first part of this book outlines parental cruelty, neglect and abuse, presented in a rather matter of fact way. While these remain as a theme throughout, there is incredible personal growth despite the trials and tribulations of life, and the author was able to draw me in enough to evoke empathy.
The second half sadly felt a little more robotic, dialogue and interpersonal relationships were presented in the same matter of fact way as the author’s early life, which didn’t work for me. The monotony of multiple shifts in schooling and moves came across a little dry if compared to the beautiful descriptions earlier in the book, and there was just a touch too much religious content for my personal liking.
Many thanks to BookSirens and the author for the opportunity to join the ARC team, I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Michael Doane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael LaFleur’s “The Cloud Grows Thin” is an extraordinary memoir of pain, perseverance, and spiritual renewal. Written with haunting beauty and raw honesty, LaFleur’s story captures the full weight of human suffering and the quiet, miraculous grace that emerges from it.

From the first page, readers are drawn into a world marked by abandonment, neglect, and institutional failure, yet the author’s voice remains steady and deeply human. His prose evokes the stark, reflective tone of The Glass Castle and the lyrical grit of Hillbilly Elegy, while the spiritual depth of his journey makes the memoir uniquely transformative.

Set against the rugged landscapes of America’s interior, “The Cloud Grows Thin” is not just a story of survival but a testament to the enduring power of faith, belonging, and redemption. LaFleur’s reflections on military service, family, and spiritual awakening are profoundly moving, making the reader pause, reflect, and ultimately, feel hopeful.

The writing is graceful yet unflinching, deeply personal without ever losing its universal resonance. LaFleur doesn’t just tell his story; he invites readers into his heart, showing that even the darkest paths can lead toward light.

[Eleanor Pilcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cloud Grows Thin by Michael LaFleur is a deeply moving and beautifully written memoir that traces a lifetime of abandonment, resilience, and ultimately, grace. The emotional honesty on every page is striking, especially in the way the author recounts neglect, isolation, and institutional failure without bitterness, choosing instead to illuminate the quiet, powerful moments that slowly restore hope. The rugged interior landscapes mirror the emotional terrain of the story, making the journey feel both intimate and epic.

What makes this memoir truly unforgettable is how redemption arrives, not as a dramatic rescue, but as a gradual, faith-filled awakening. The military service, spiritual reckoning, and eventual discovery of family and belonging feel earned, not sentimental. This is not just a survival story; it is a testament to how broken lives can be rebuilt through perseverance, grace, and faith. Readers who value authentic, soul-stirring nonfiction will find this book profoundly resonant.

[Esther Park · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cloud Grows Thin is a deeply inspirational read that follows the author’s journey through early struggles, abandonment, and loss. It’s moving to see how he not only overcomes these hardships but also grows successful, builds a family of his own, and continually chooses resilience.

One of the most encouraging aspects of the book is how he learns from each setback without ever losing faith. The spiritual themes are woven in beautifully, and witnessing the growth of his faith throughout the story was one of my favorite parts.

My favorite line—“Peace in my life was not just possible — it was promised.”—perfectly captures the heart of the book. It’s a powerful reminder of hope, healing, and the strength found in trusting something greater.

Overall, this is an inspiring and heartfelt memoir that will resonate with readers who appreciate stories of perseverance, faith, and personal transformation. I’m grateful to have received an ARC.

[David Holl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though this book is very personal to me, I would offer what I would hope to be a thoughtful and considerate review. The book is well written with Michael using his skill in language to articulate painful memories and expressing his journey with family and faith. He paints events with seasons, storms, and color to deliver an articulate memoir.

“Mose days dawned clear with skies so blue and boundless they seemed like pools of liquid sapphire stretched tight above the earth.”
“On some days, dark clouds would mass like armies at the mountain’s edge, creeping steadily over the peaks with the patience of predators.”
“The God who had pursued me through every abandonment, who had transformed the unwanted boy into a beloved son…”

I would recommend this book to anyone who has struggled with a broken family and is looking for insights into how one navigates life’s storms.

[David Carriere · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cloud Grows Thin is a deeply affecting memoir that carries the quiet force of someone who has truly lived every page. It moves through abandonment, hardship, and spiritual reckoning with a clarity that feels both raw and reflective. What stands out most is the sense of grace threading through the darkness a gradual opening rather than a sudden revelation. The landscapes, both emotional and physical, feel lived-in and haunting, and the journey from isolation to belonging lingers long after the final chapter. A stirring and heartfelt account of resilience that feels honest, bruising, and ultimately hopeful.

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cloud Grows Thin by Michael LaFleur is a moving, deeply human memoir that captures the rawness of survival and the redemptive power of grace. With a haunting tone reminiscent of The Glass Castle and the spiritual depth of Hillbilly Elegy, LaFleur paints a vivid picture of struggle, endurance, and transformation. It’s both intimate and universal, a reflection on how faith, love, and perseverance can illuminate even the darkest corners of one’s past.

[Debby Hallgren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a stirring read to the end. I was wide eyed at the authors recognition of Grace in the middle of such aloneness and extreme family dysfunction and then later in straight up tragedy. All is reflected in beautiful descriptions of scenery, weather, and clouds—giving the reader time and space to process the story.

[Joanna Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I attended a book launching event for The Cloud Grows Thin. The three passages the author read were beautifully written and emotionally stirring. I am looking forward to reading the book; I know it will be an exceptional one!