What do you think?
Rate this book
What the Waves Know
In the graceful narrative tradition of Sue Monk Kidd and Beth Hoffman comes an exquisite debut novel about a young woman's quest to reclaim herself—and the voice she left behind — on the gritty New England island where she lost both.
Nineteen miles off the rocky Rhode Island coast lies the tiny isle of Tillings and the memory of Izabella Rae Haywood's sixth birthday– when her universe reeled sharply off course. Tucked deep in her pocket, Iz carries a small amber seastone and the secret of the evening her father disappeared– taking her words with him.
Eight years later in the autumn of 1974, Iz’s mother is through with social workers, psychiatrists, and her daughter's silence. In one last attempt to return Iz's voice, the pair board the ferry back to Tillings in hopes that confronting the past will help Izabella heal herself and begin to piece together the splintered memories of the day her words ran dry.
But heartbreak is a difficult puzzle to solve– and truth is elusive where magic and madness collide. When the residents of Tillings greet them with a standoffish welcome it becomes clear that they know something about Izabella's dreamer of a father that she does not.
Now, as the island's annual Yemayá festival prepares to celebrate the ties that bind mothers to children, lovers to each other, and humankind to the sea, Izabella must unravel the tangled threads of her own story and reclaim a voice gone silent… or risk losing herself—and any chance she may have for a future—to the past.
Nineteen miles off the rocky Rhode Island coast lies the tiny isle of Tillings and the memory of Izabella Rae Haywood's sixth birthday– when her universe reeled sharply off course. Tucked deep in her pocket, Iz carries a small amber seastone and the secret of the evening her father disappeared– taking her words with him.
Eight years later in the autumn of 1974, Iz’s mother is through with social workers, psychiatrists, and her daughter's silence. In one last attempt to return Iz's voice, the pair board the ferry back to Tillings in hopes that confronting the past will help Izabella heal herself and begin to piece together the splintered memories of the day her words ran dry.
But heartbreak is a difficult puzzle to solve– and truth is elusive where magic and madness collide. When the residents of Tillings greet them with a standoffish welcome it becomes clear that they know something about Izabella's dreamer of a father that she does not.
Now, as the island's annual Yemayá festival prepares to celebrate the ties that bind mothers to children, lovers to each other, and humankind to the sea, Izabella must unravel the tangled threads of her own story and reclaim a voice gone silent… or risk losing herself—and any chance she may have for a future—to the past.
352 pages, Paperback
First published February 9, 2016
31 people are currently reading
1242 people want to read
About the author
Tamara Valentine
1 book38 followersTAMARA VALENTINE was born in rural upstate New York where she spent much of her time deep in the northern wood astride a horse in search of hidden worlds; in college, she found them instead in the bitten up wood of a pencil and an old journal. With a deep awe of the power of stories, their transformative and healing nature, she obtained a B.A. in English with a concentration in Communications in 1991 and an M.A. with distinction from Middlebury College Bread Loaf School of English in 2000 where she made her first attempt at crafting a novel.
For the past fourteen years, Tamara has held the position of Professor of English at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island where she teaches an array of advanced writing, literature, and communication courses. During her years of writing, she has contributed to Parent’s Paper Magazine, Stillwater, The Maze, Teacher as Writer, and publications for the New England Association of Teacher’s of English, as well as select biographies and articles for the former Goosewing Press. Presently, Tamara lives in Kingston, Rhode Island with her husband and three children where they spend their free time as accomplished beach bums — not far from where she began as a child — still seeking hidden worlds.
For the past fourteen years, Tamara has held the position of Professor of English at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island where she teaches an array of advanced writing, literature, and communication courses. During her years of writing, she has contributed to Parent’s Paper Magazine, Stillwater, The Maze, Teacher as Writer, and publications for the New England Association of Teacher’s of English, as well as select biographies and articles for the former Goosewing Press. Presently, Tamara lives in Kingston, Rhode Island with her husband and three children where they spend their free time as accomplished beach bums — not far from where she began as a child — still seeking hidden worlds.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
December 28, 2015
There's something that draws me to child narrators. Maybe it's the wisdom that comes from their precocious view of life or maybe the truths that often come from their naïveté, truths that adults just wouldn't speak of or even know. This year I have met and fallen in love with Boo of Boo, Elsa of My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry, Caitlin from Aquarium , to name a few and of course there's Reuben from an all time favorite, Peace Like a River which I read several years ago . Izabella or Iz, as her mother calls her or Bella or just Be as her father calls her is now on my list of favorite child narrators.
On her sixth birthday, her father leaves and so does her voice. After eight years of doctors and therapy , she still doesn't speak . It's only in her fleeting memories that we glimpse what might have happened , what Izabella is shutting out , what is gone along with her ability to speak . Eight years later back to the island called Tillings , off of Rhode Island, where they were when her father left, we learn there's something that Izabella doesn't remember from that day on her 6th birthday . She blames herself for her father's "departure ".
She's lonely , homeschooled, has no friends and an uneasy relationship with her mother . This could easily be called a coming of age story but it was more than that . It was about a little girl becoming a young girl and having to come to terms with some difficult truths about her father .
There's a myth, the Festival of Yemaya, maybe a witch or maybe a goddess but don't let that keep you away from this story because that's not really what it's about . There are some wonderful characters who I couldn't help but love - Remy , Mr. O'Malley and Grandma Jo . It's about a young girl, dealing with trauma and loss . It's ultimately about family , about understanding and acceptance, about forgiveness of others as well as oneself. I found it to be well written , a touching story yet I'm giving it almost 4 stars because the ending was a bit predictable. However, I wouldn't have wanted it to end another way .
Thanks to William Morrow/HarperCollins and Edelweiss for an advanced copy .
On her sixth birthday, her father leaves and so does her voice. After eight years of doctors and therapy , she still doesn't speak . It's only in her fleeting memories that we glimpse what might have happened , what Izabella is shutting out , what is gone along with her ability to speak . Eight years later back to the island called Tillings , off of Rhode Island, where they were when her father left, we learn there's something that Izabella doesn't remember from that day on her 6th birthday . She blames herself for her father's "departure ".
She's lonely , homeschooled, has no friends and an uneasy relationship with her mother . This could easily be called a coming of age story but it was more than that . It was about a little girl becoming a young girl and having to come to terms with some difficult truths about her father .
There's a myth, the Festival of Yemaya, maybe a witch or maybe a goddess but don't let that keep you away from this story because that's not really what it's about . There are some wonderful characters who I couldn't help but love - Remy , Mr. O'Malley and Grandma Jo . It's about a young girl, dealing with trauma and loss . It's ultimately about family , about understanding and acceptance, about forgiveness of others as well as oneself. I found it to be well written , a touching story yet I'm giving it almost 4 stars because the ending was a bit predictable. However, I wouldn't have wanted it to end another way .
Thanks to William Morrow/HarperCollins and Edelweiss for an advanced copy .
October 29, 2015
“Departing is when all the tiny pieces that make you whole spring away from you like a big fat touch-me-not and get lost in the grass beyond any hope of coming back together. It is the very moment when all your stories tumble from you, and you are reduced again to the weakest for of “to be” in the universe, leaving nothing to do but begin again.” p. 18
I worry that there is a school of writing that says that having a child protagonist makes the story easier to tell and helps the readers be sympathetic to the account. There are times that this works extremely well. Many of us love Scout (To Kill a Mockingbird or have met and enjoyed Flavia de Luce (The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie) or Bee in Where’d You Go Bernadette.
However, I am not sure that a young narrator is always helpful to moving a story forward. There are things that a child or young adult cannot know because they don’t have the life experience. I was worried that What the Waves Know was going to be a struggle because Izabella would not be able to carry the weight of her story. I have read other novels with young characters that have not worked very well.
I should not have worried. Izabella is unable to speak, but she made her life and its changes very clear to this reader. Not only is she clear, but she tells her story in such a way that I was engaged and wanted to know how it all worked out.
This is a first novel. Valentine does an excellent job and I look forward to her next story. I suspect she will grow into an author that many people will want to read.
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for introducing me to both Tamara Valentine and her interesting characters.
I worry that there is a school of writing that says that having a child protagonist makes the story easier to tell and helps the readers be sympathetic to the account. There are times that this works extremely well. Many of us love Scout (To Kill a Mockingbird or have met and enjoyed Flavia de Luce (The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie) or Bee in Where’d You Go Bernadette.
However, I am not sure that a young narrator is always helpful to moving a story forward. There are things that a child or young adult cannot know because they don’t have the life experience. I was worried that What the Waves Know was going to be a struggle because Izabella would not be able to carry the weight of her story. I have read other novels with young characters that have not worked very well.
I should not have worried. Izabella is unable to speak, but she made her life and its changes very clear to this reader. Not only is she clear, but she tells her story in such a way that I was engaged and wanted to know how it all worked out.
This is a first novel. Valentine does an excellent job and I look forward to her next story. I suspect she will grow into an author that many people will want to read.
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for introducing me to both Tamara Valentine and her interesting characters.
January 25, 2016
I received an advanced review copy from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Wow, this was a great book. Izabella Haywood loses her father at their family's home on Tillings Island, and eight years later, she still cannot speak. Her mom finally accepts that the only way for Izabella to move forward is to go back. Back to the island. They move back into the family home in mid-summer with hopes for a full recovery.
As time goes by, Izabella makes friends with the neighbors and townspeople even without a voice. Each new discovery on the island takes her one step back to remembering everything that happened that night.
The writing was amazing, the characters are lovable and I was sad when I reached the ending. I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author.
Wow, this was a great book. Izabella Haywood loses her father at their family's home on Tillings Island, and eight years later, she still cannot speak. Her mom finally accepts that the only way for Izabella to move forward is to go back. Back to the island. They move back into the family home in mid-summer with hopes for a full recovery.
As time goes by, Izabella makes friends with the neighbors and townspeople even without a voice. Each new discovery on the island takes her one step back to remembering everything that happened that night.
The writing was amazing, the characters are lovable and I was sad when I reached the ending. I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author.
February 10, 2016
I received a copy of this book from the publisher William Morrow Paperbacks in exchange for an honest review. It was just released yesterday.
This is a story for those who like to see a coming of age/overcoming a trauma. It follows Izabella as she struggles with her past and her fathers disappearance. It highlights her guilt.
While not a fast moving story, it was touching with all of the characters coming together. All unique and a little odd in their own way, it showed Izabella that she was not alone.
If you can handle a story that moves at a slow pace, this may be of interest.
This is a story for those who like to see a coming of age/overcoming a trauma. It follows Izabella as she struggles with her past and her fathers disappearance. It highlights her guilt.
While not a fast moving story, it was touching with all of the characters coming together. All unique and a little odd in their own way, it showed Izabella that she was not alone.
If you can handle a story that moves at a slow pace, this may be of interest.
November 12, 2020
Izabella Rae Haywood adores her father who she says is "one-eighth Narragansett Indian and seven-eights mystery". He takes her to Tillings Island, where he has roots. They fish together and share a deep bond. But her parents argue more and more. On her sixth birthday after the fighting mounts her childish frustration she screams at him "I hate you! I wish you would just go away!" Believing she has somehow invoked her birthday wish, she blames herself when he does leave. She can no longer speak.
The trauma caused by the loss of her beloved father has rendered her silent.
She is weakened by her muteness, ostracized by her peers, misunderstood and fearful. Eight years pass and despite the intervention of therapists, counselors, social workers and psychiatrists Izabella's silence continues.
In 1974, on the occasion of Isabel's fourteenth birthday, her mother presents her with a Shar Pei puppy (which she names Luke) and resorts to desperate measures to restore her voice. In an attempt to get to the causes of Izabella's muteness, they return to Tillings Island where her father disappeared. They encounter island folk who seem to know more than they are saying. Like her father, the island is shrouded in mystery and magic. But it is here, where her father was last seen, that she hopes to gain an understanding of why she is mute and also to understand her relationships with those she loves the most. What will this tiny island reveal?
Once ensconced on the island, Izabella makes friends and enemies that turn into friends. She comes to understand that words have power and meaning, and that the tone in which they are delivered is a communication all its own.
She meets Remy, a woman who knows her mother and remembers her father. Though an adult, Remy is a kindred spirit to Izabella and helps her to come to terms with her guilt and teenage angst. As Remy enlists their help to prepare for the October Festival of Yemaya, events conspire to bring forth Izabella's recollection of that fateful night when her father left.
Unlike real life, fiction is one place where it is simple to 'listen' to the mute. We have the advantage of hearing Izabella's thoughts. We yearn for her to speak - and to understand the trauma that led to her years of silence. We come to understand that trauma when she does, through her memories.
A well-rendered debut novel with vivid imagery and characters that will be hard to forget. A slower paced yet thought provoking story that speaks to the elusiveness of memory and the destructive force of memory to both heal and torment. It is a story of the mentally ill and how their illness has the ability to ripple out to others in their lives. Especially the children of the mentally ill.
A novel of loss, memory, mothers and daughters, loneliness, and about how we judge others, often without a full understanding to base our judgement upon.
Thanks to William Morrow/HarperCollinsPublishers via Edelweiss for providing me with an uncorrected digital ARC of this novel in exchange for my unbiased review.
The trauma caused by the loss of her beloved father has rendered her silent.
She is weakened by her muteness, ostracized by her peers, misunderstood and fearful. Eight years pass and despite the intervention of therapists, counselors, social workers and psychiatrists Izabella's silence continues.
In 1974, on the occasion of Isabel's fourteenth birthday, her mother presents her with a Shar Pei puppy (which she names Luke) and resorts to desperate measures to restore her voice. In an attempt to get to the causes of Izabella's muteness, they return to Tillings Island where her father disappeared. They encounter island folk who seem to know more than they are saying. Like her father, the island is shrouded in mystery and magic. But it is here, where her father was last seen, that she hopes to gain an understanding of why she is mute and also to understand her relationships with those she loves the most. What will this tiny island reveal?
Once ensconced on the island, Izabella makes friends and enemies that turn into friends. She comes to understand that words have power and meaning, and that the tone in which they are delivered is a communication all its own.
She meets Remy, a woman who knows her mother and remembers her father. Though an adult, Remy is a kindred spirit to Izabella and helps her to come to terms with her guilt and teenage angst. As Remy enlists their help to prepare for the October Festival of Yemaya, events conspire to bring forth Izabella's recollection of that fateful night when her father left.
Unlike real life, fiction is one place where it is simple to 'listen' to the mute. We have the advantage of hearing Izabella's thoughts. We yearn for her to speak - and to understand the trauma that led to her years of silence. We come to understand that trauma when she does, through her memories.
A well-rendered debut novel with vivid imagery and characters that will be hard to forget. A slower paced yet thought provoking story that speaks to the elusiveness of memory and the destructive force of memory to both heal and torment. It is a story of the mentally ill and how their illness has the ability to ripple out to others in their lives. Especially the children of the mentally ill.
A novel of loss, memory, mothers and daughters, loneliness, and about how we judge others, often without a full understanding to base our judgement upon.
Thanks to William Morrow/HarperCollinsPublishers via Edelweiss for providing me with an uncorrected digital ARC of this novel in exchange for my unbiased review.
September 26, 2015
The writing here is absolutely gorgeous, almost poetic. I was fortunate enough to read an advance galley of this with my book club and now cannot wait for another release from this author --- and this one isn't even on shelves, yet. Fabulous characters, setting, and story. The novel pivots around growing up loving a Schizophrenic parent and trying to unravel truth from fiction while finding your own voice. It is one of those books that you will remember for many, many years. Truly lovely.
February 8, 2016
I really like this book. A young girl, Iz, struggles to remember and make sense of the night her father (who is mentally ill) disappeared and come to terms with the fact that it was her words that sent him into the night. She hasn't spoken since, and her relationship with her mother is strained. Together, they go back to the home on Tillings Island where it all happened to try to stitch together a path forward. Heart-breaking and healing.
March 22, 2016
Told through the eyes and the voice of a child WHAT THE WAVES KNOW is a brilliant, touching and heartbreaking story that is not only original, but also captivating. It was beautifully written, thought provoking and a read that will stick with me for a long time. This is one of those books that would be perfect for book clubs because there is so much to discuss and so many emotions to process.
It really is a MUST READ. 5 stars
It really is a MUST READ. 5 stars
September 26, 2015
Thanks Edelweiss for the opportunity to read this character driven novel, of family heartbreak and restoration. This is a very well written book. It strikes a neat balance between tragedy and redemption without straying into cliche. Recommend- and look forward to more from Valentine.
December 7, 2022
This was an easy read, but a bit anticlimactic and predictable.
March 7, 2016
The timing of me reading this book was kind of strange because the book deals with loss and coping with it, mental illness, the effects of a mental illness on the greater family, but especially children. Normally books which are narrated by a child because it could really go either way, but this one was done wonderfully. The bottom story line comes down to a girl having to deal with the realities of her father, the reason for him leaving, Once he leaves, she stops speaking (literally) and her mother, years later, decides that the only way for Iz to go back to normal and hopefully move forward with her life.
I will tell you that the ending was easy to figure out if you're an avid reader, but the journey to the ending was so good. The book highlights how a child's memories can be so different from the actual reality, and having to come to terms with that can be both painful and freeing. How coming to grips with the truths of the past can be what ultimately puts everything into perspective.
I absolutely loved the voice of this book, I loved the narration by the child because it made you feel so much more sympathy for her and her childhood. The mother, while making questionable choices, I kind of liked her. She did the best she knew how and I have to respect as a mother myself. Overall? I think this was a great book. I think if you are in a book club, this would be an ideal book choice because there are so many discussion angles.
I will tell you that the ending was easy to figure out if you're an avid reader, but the journey to the ending was so good. The book highlights how a child's memories can be so different from the actual reality, and having to come to terms with that can be both painful and freeing. How coming to grips with the truths of the past can be what ultimately puts everything into perspective.
I absolutely loved the voice of this book, I loved the narration by the child because it made you feel so much more sympathy for her and her childhood. The mother, while making questionable choices, I kind of liked her. She did the best she knew how and I have to respect as a mother myself. Overall? I think this was a great book. I think if you are in a book club, this would be an ideal book choice because there are so many discussion angles.
March 10, 2016
this book had 2 flaws.... 1. there is a paragraph that ends without punctuation (but i dont use caps or apostrophes, so who am i to judge) and 2. it ended. that is it... those are the only two flaws i found in this amazing story about a girl who finds security in her insignificance and insecurity in her significance.
this story brought out a realization in me that we all have that "inner voice" and most often, this voice is our most honest voice. it is this private voice that is the hardest to let out into the world. we over-talk all the time, but small talk. too often the conversation that really matters never takes place; out of fear; fear of loneliness, fear of pain, fear of consequence.
one of the things i really enjoyed about this book is while i was fully absorbed into the town and the people, the visuals were left up to me. I could make each person my own, each store my own, each field, home, room, porch, cliff-side; my own. the author does an incredible job of giving us these things without making them too exact. i lived in that town on the island for a few days, and it was heaven. i felt the stone of the Yemaya and it was smooth, soft and warm... but the author never told me any of that. i saw the ocean below the cliff crash and break apart... because it was my ocean.
this story held me... it is a shame it had to end.
this story brought out a realization in me that we all have that "inner voice" and most often, this voice is our most honest voice. it is this private voice that is the hardest to let out into the world. we over-talk all the time, but small talk. too often the conversation that really matters never takes place; out of fear; fear of loneliness, fear of pain, fear of consequence.
one of the things i really enjoyed about this book is while i was fully absorbed into the town and the people, the visuals were left up to me. I could make each person my own, each store my own, each field, home, room, porch, cliff-side; my own. the author does an incredible job of giving us these things without making them too exact. i lived in that town on the island for a few days, and it was heaven. i felt the stone of the Yemaya and it was smooth, soft and warm... but the author never told me any of that. i saw the ocean below the cliff crash and break apart... because it was my ocean.
this story held me... it is a shame it had to end.
February 25, 2016
What the Waves Know is a beautifully written coming of age story that deals with how our memories shape our lives. I ended up devouring this book! I read it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. Izabella is fourteen when her mother brings her back to Tillings Island to try to help her find her voice. When she was six, her father disappeared from her life and took her voice with him. She has no memory of what happened the night she told him to go away. But, as she spends time on the island, the memories begin to break free.
This story really makes you think about memories and how they often differ from reality. Also how the loss of bad memories can also make us forget the good ones as well. That is what Iz finds on the island. Not only what happened to her father, but she also begins to realize that she had lost good memories of her mother as well.
I don't want to give away too much of the story. I know this book will be making my top 10 at the end of the year. I hope you will be rooting for not only fourteen year old Iz but her six year old self just like I was while reading it. I just think you should go read it... like now. It's a great debut and I look forward to more from this author!
This story really makes you think about memories and how they often differ from reality. Also how the loss of bad memories can also make us forget the good ones as well. That is what Iz finds on the island. Not only what happened to her father, but she also begins to realize that she had lost good memories of her mother as well.
I don't want to give away too much of the story. I know this book will be making my top 10 at the end of the year. I hope you will be rooting for not only fourteen year old Iz but her six year old self just like I was while reading it. I just think you should go read it... like now. It's a great debut and I look forward to more from this author!
April 10, 2016
What the Waves Know by Tamara Valentine is a William Morrow publication.
I found myself totally engrossed in this story, as the suspense builds, and the moment of truth becomes more imminent. Family, culture, mythology, friendship, caring, and love all roll up together as one, to bring healing, hope, and at long last, peace.
I loved this original spin on the coming of age novel, the setting, and era, Iz’s voice, the way the author weaves the larger issues into the tale without hitting us over the head with heavy terms or long diatribes, but allows us to see things as Izabella experiences them, but with our own eyes, in our own way, as we follow along. These are all really special characters and I am thankful for the chance to meet them and take a glimpse inside their world as they help one another heal, through patience and kindness, which is the way it should be.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys literary fiction, YA, and coming of age stories.
This review is the copyrighted property of Night Owl Reviews. To read the review in full, click on this link: https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Re...
I found myself totally engrossed in this story, as the suspense builds, and the moment of truth becomes more imminent. Family, culture, mythology, friendship, caring, and love all roll up together as one, to bring healing, hope, and at long last, peace.
I loved this original spin on the coming of age novel, the setting, and era, Iz’s voice, the way the author weaves the larger issues into the tale without hitting us over the head with heavy terms or long diatribes, but allows us to see things as Izabella experiences them, but with our own eyes, in our own way, as we follow along. These are all really special characters and I am thankful for the chance to meet them and take a glimpse inside their world as they help one another heal, through patience and kindness, which is the way it should be.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys literary fiction, YA, and coming of age stories.
This review is the copyrighted property of Night Owl Reviews. To read the review in full, click on this link: https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Re...
July 24, 2016
Izabelle is a young girl who has not spoken a word since the day her father disappeared from her life. Her Mom is hanging on by a thin thread and her grandmother is hanging on to real life by a thin thread as she continues to live a carefree life which includes dancing around her house in the nude. (Sounds strange, but her character is sometimes more grounded than meets the eye - she is just enjoying life.) All three females return to the island from where something "happened" and you don't uncover until the end. It was a sort of coming of age story for Miss Izabelle as she discovers the meaning of friendship, mental illness and her own strength. The story is filled with other small town, island inhabitants with their own quirks and it made me want to dawn a bathing suit, grab a book and relax by the shore as the waves rush over me. Just as the ebb and flow of the waves take and return bits of yesterday's sands, you realize the waters hold secrets too. Izabelle's journey through summer was one of adventure, understanding and releasing yesterday's secrets of the sand.
September 26, 2015
This book is awesome... definitely a must read. The characters are quirky and unique, the voice is insanely well done, and the writing is amazing. Love, love, love!
August 2, 2017
I thought I was getting something lighter than the heavy-duty books on trauma I was reading, but wow, this book was pretty profound as well! Beautifully written; poignant and poetic; this novel (which I believe is a debut novel by Ms Valentine) is well worth the time. Lovely history of Yemaya, a sea "witch," woven throughout. I'd say it's YA, but it's one of those that appeals to an older and wiser audience as well. The author is a gifted storyteller. I loved it!
February 10, 2016
4.5 stars overall.
Review Excerpts:
What a beautiful book, with a fourteen-year-old narrator that you can't help wanting to hug. Izabella (Iz to her mom) is wounded from the night of her sixth birthday, when her father went away. Iz thinks her strong and angry words were what made him go so she hasn't spoken since. Her mother Zorrie, among the walking wounded herself, can't seem to reach her and brings Iz back to Tillings Island in Rhode Island in hopes of reaching her; getting her to remember what happened and begin to heal and speak again. Although secrets are alluded to in the description, there is not really a big mystery or huge twists in the story. It becomes clear fairly quickly to the reader what happened and we watch as Iz begins to unblock it from her mind. The beauty of the story is in the relationships--especially between the four women--Iz, her mother Zorrie, Grandma Josephine and neighbor Remy. It is the things that tie them together, the love they have for one another, and especially how the three older women work to protect Iz and help her work through her trauma that are the heart of the book. Grandma Jo was my favorite character, the loving crunchy-granola grandmother that everyone would love to have--with her humor, acceptance, and tofu macaroni and cheese--overlooking her penchant for nudity of course. She adds her wisdom and is a bright spot that both Iz and Zoe, and even Remy, desperately need in their lives. Remy is the outspoken older friend that Iz needs, blunt but caring, covering her own issues with sarcasm and bravado. Although distant at first (her own protection from the world), Zorrie grew on me too. I could happily hang out with these strong and well-drawn characters.
Sometimes books tagged as magical realism can be a little 'woo-woo' for me but the magic in What the Waves Know, is wound primarily around the mysticism of Tillings Island and Yemayá--a goddess and the patron saint of women and the ocean according to Santeria and Yoruba beliefs. In the story, the community of Tillings Island is celebrating Yemayá, the Great Mother, through an annual festival with people coming from all over to leave offerings in hopes she will help them find what is missing. Yemayá, a strong and fierce protector, fits with the characters and the island setting and is skillfully woven into the story.
Tamara Valentine knows how to tell a great story, poignant, hopeful, and ultimately full of love. I wanted the best for these characters, caught up in their lives and the island community. The 350+ pages were over before I knew it (or wanted). What the Waves Know is an immensely pleasurable read and a great book to curl up with.
You can see my full review and a recipe inspired by the book on my blog post at Kahakai Kitchen: http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...
Note: A review copy of "What the Waves Know" was provided to me by the publisher and TLC Book Tours in return for a fair and honest review. I was not compensated for this review and as always my thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review Excerpts:
What a beautiful book, with a fourteen-year-old narrator that you can't help wanting to hug. Izabella (Iz to her mom) is wounded from the night of her sixth birthday, when her father went away. Iz thinks her strong and angry words were what made him go so she hasn't spoken since. Her mother Zorrie, among the walking wounded herself, can't seem to reach her and brings Iz back to Tillings Island in Rhode Island in hopes of reaching her; getting her to remember what happened and begin to heal and speak again. Although secrets are alluded to in the description, there is not really a big mystery or huge twists in the story. It becomes clear fairly quickly to the reader what happened and we watch as Iz begins to unblock it from her mind. The beauty of the story is in the relationships--especially between the four women--Iz, her mother Zorrie, Grandma Josephine and neighbor Remy. It is the things that tie them together, the love they have for one another, and especially how the three older women work to protect Iz and help her work through her trauma that are the heart of the book. Grandma Jo was my favorite character, the loving crunchy-granola grandmother that everyone would love to have--with her humor, acceptance, and tofu macaroni and cheese--overlooking her penchant for nudity of course. She adds her wisdom and is a bright spot that both Iz and Zoe, and even Remy, desperately need in their lives. Remy is the outspoken older friend that Iz needs, blunt but caring, covering her own issues with sarcasm and bravado. Although distant at first (her own protection from the world), Zorrie grew on me too. I could happily hang out with these strong and well-drawn characters.
Sometimes books tagged as magical realism can be a little 'woo-woo' for me but the magic in What the Waves Know, is wound primarily around the mysticism of Tillings Island and Yemayá--a goddess and the patron saint of women and the ocean according to Santeria and Yoruba beliefs. In the story, the community of Tillings Island is celebrating Yemayá, the Great Mother, through an annual festival with people coming from all over to leave offerings in hopes she will help them find what is missing. Yemayá, a strong and fierce protector, fits with the characters and the island setting and is skillfully woven into the story.
Tamara Valentine knows how to tell a great story, poignant, hopeful, and ultimately full of love. I wanted the best for these characters, caught up in their lives and the island community. The 350+ pages were over before I knew it (or wanted). What the Waves Know is an immensely pleasurable read and a great book to curl up with.
You can see my full review and a recipe inspired by the book on my blog post at Kahakai Kitchen: http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...
Note: A review copy of "What the Waves Know" was provided to me by the publisher and TLC Book Tours in return for a fair and honest review. I was not compensated for this review and as always my thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 10, 2016
There’s a line near the end of this novel, She will gather her children back together beside the sea, that has been pinging at my brain since I finished reading this in the wee hours of Sunday morning. I don’t have children of my own, but I understand that sentiment as if it was bred into me – the bond between mothers and daughters, and the bond some of us have with the sea = they go hand in hand.
Tamara Valentine clearly has an intrinsic understanding of both those concepts, as well, because her novel What the Waves Know is imbued with it.
Izzabella Rae Haywood, the narrator of this story, jumps off the page and crackles with life and electricity. Reading her POV is like sitting in a room with an old friend, hearing her tell a story you know you were meant to be part of, but somehow weren’t. Her voice is a storyteller’s voice. It catches you and sucks you in, which is all the more ironic when you learn that the character herself doesn’t speak, hasn’t for years, since the night her father disappeared.
But this book isn’t really about childhood trauma. It’s about the way our brains protect us from knowing too much, or feeling too much, and it’s about the way mothers and daughters, whether they’re blood family or the chosen kind, also protect us. It’s about the power of the sea as as secret keeper as well as a force of nature, and its about the way we perceive and later create, our own versions of Truth.
What I loved about this novel was that Valentine kept everything grounded in a tiny Rhode Island town (okay, Rhode Island isn’t exactly huge anyway, but tiny, run down towns have a special kind of magic, and Valentine used it well).
I also especially loved Grandma Jo, and the way she would spout pieces of utterly profound wisdom in an almost casual manner. I’ve known so many people like that.
This book affected me so much that, as you can read, my thoughts are barely coherent.
So here’s what you need to know: It’s the story of mothers and daughters, and the way generations of women forge strong bonds. It’s about family secrets and family love. It’s short enough to be read, well, devoured, in a single day, but so deep that you’ll want to take breaks.
It’s full of messy truths and rough affection and the whole thing feels wind-tossed and salt-licked.
And you’d be doing yourself a great disservice if you didn’t read it.
Tamara Valentine clearly has an intrinsic understanding of both those concepts, as well, because her novel What the Waves Know is imbued with it.
Izzabella Rae Haywood, the narrator of this story, jumps off the page and crackles with life and electricity. Reading her POV is like sitting in a room with an old friend, hearing her tell a story you know you were meant to be part of, but somehow weren’t. Her voice is a storyteller’s voice. It catches you and sucks you in, which is all the more ironic when you learn that the character herself doesn’t speak, hasn’t for years, since the night her father disappeared.
But this book isn’t really about childhood trauma. It’s about the way our brains protect us from knowing too much, or feeling too much, and it’s about the way mothers and daughters, whether they’re blood family or the chosen kind, also protect us. It’s about the power of the sea as as secret keeper as well as a force of nature, and its about the way we perceive and later create, our own versions of Truth.
What I loved about this novel was that Valentine kept everything grounded in a tiny Rhode Island town (okay, Rhode Island isn’t exactly huge anyway, but tiny, run down towns have a special kind of magic, and Valentine used it well).
I also especially loved Grandma Jo, and the way she would spout pieces of utterly profound wisdom in an almost casual manner. I’ve known so many people like that.
This book affected me so much that, as you can read, my thoughts are barely coherent.
So here’s what you need to know: It’s the story of mothers and daughters, and the way generations of women forge strong bonds. It’s about family secrets and family love. It’s short enough to be read, well, devoured, in a single day, but so deep that you’ll want to take breaks.
It’s full of messy truths and rough affection and the whole thing feels wind-tossed and salt-licked.
And you’d be doing yourself a great disservice if you didn’t read it.
March 3, 2016
Have you ever encountered a book that changed your world view? Have you ever read something that made you think of things in a whole new light? One that you got so engrossed in, you forgot to do anything else but keep reading so you could see how it ended? What the Waves Know by Tamara Valentine was that type of book for me. I was literally through 90% of this book in one day. I only stopped reading when I needed to eat, take care of my kiddos, and when my husband said it was time for us to go to bed. Then, I woke up the next morning, and finished it before the kiddos woke up for the day.
I absolutely loved this novel. I loved that it was completely in Iz’s perspective. The author did a fantastic job keeping it in the voice of a fourteen year old, even when she was recounting memories from her first six years of life. I also liked the fact that by keeping it completely in the perspective of Iz, I found out what happened that night at the same time that she did. It is the type of book you can get lost in!
This book will not only make you laugh and cry in the vicinity of a few pages, but it will also make you question how society thinks we should handle loss.
I absolutely loved this novel. I loved that it was completely in Iz’s perspective. The author did a fantastic job keeping it in the voice of a fourteen year old, even when she was recounting memories from her first six years of life. I also liked the fact that by keeping it completely in the perspective of Iz, I found out what happened that night at the same time that she did. It is the type of book you can get lost in!
This book will not only make you laugh and cry in the vicinity of a few pages, but it will also make you question how society thinks we should handle loss.
September 26, 2015
My wife and I just finished this one with our book group. She says it is a mother/daughter story. I think it is a father/daughter story. Either way, it was a really great story. Would work well for a high school lit. piece to spark discussions around family dynamics and mental health issues or the idea of stories building truths. It reminds me a little of The Glass Castle.
March 6, 2016
Loved it!!
October 27, 2024
I did not pretend to understand my mother. But I did speak silence, and there was something about the way she couldn't force the words out that sent a storm of butterflies bouncing around inside me. What if I what? I didn't know what words, exactly, she was laboring to give birth to. But even with them all locked up in her voice box, I knew what they meant. What if one day I tilted my head into the sun and got the urge to fly? What if I listened to the wind just right on a summer night and heard the Nikommo singing? What if those embers she didn't know what to do with inside my father finally puffed to life inside me and set what was left of our world on fire?
~~Izabelle loved her father more than anything. They were almost inseparable up until he disappeared from her life on her sixth birthday. He suffered from mental demons--possibly schizophrenia, and was fascinated with the idea of flight. Izabelle remembers her father taking her by the hands, and swinging her over the cliff at the edge of the ocean. She remembers the sensation of flight, but also dizzy fear. She's been drowning in a sea of confusion and guilt, voiceless, ever since he left. Her mother feels powerless to help her. Now fourteen years old, it has been 8 years since she last spoke. Dragged back to the island where her father disappeared, can she unwrap the memories of the past? In doing so will she finally be able to shed the heavy anchor of her guilt? And can she find her own path forward to a healthier future?
Vital Statistics: Author's home: Kingston, Rhode Island
Year written: 2016
Length: 323 pages
Setting: Tilling's Island (a fictional island, reached only by ferry, off the coast of New England). Set in the summer of 1974.
Genre: Coming of age story nestled in 1970's "historical" fiction (still can't believe 1974 is 50 years ago!), centered on a 14 year old girl's struggle to find her way.
Read if: You are someone, or love someone who has had to "journey to find her voice, both literally and figuratively." Also recommended to those who simply love beautifully written novels.
First two sentences: Normal kids are afraid of the dark. Skittish, I suppose, of the way it stuffs the hollow corners of their rooms with nothingness and wraps around the day like a muzzle until the clamor of the world runs quiet.
My two cents: This book broke my streak of so-so books in such a wonderful way. Sometimes, when a reading book, I'll wonder why the prose or dialogue isn't quite working. I'll become distracted or annoyed by the clunkiness, and focus on the writing instead of the story. Then there are books like this one, where I became immersed in the prose. Where the dialogue brought the characters to life. Some authors tell. Valentine *shows*. And I loved being taken into Izabelle's world and shown what a special girl she is. I loved coming along for the ride as she tries to find her way. Remy and Grandma Jo wormed their way into my heart as well. These are characters I won't soon forget. Given a rating of 5 stars or "Perfect." HIGHLY recommended.
Other favorite quotes (there are a LOT!): With my parents spending all their time quarreling over everything from money to the proper direction for toilet tissue to unroll, I was wasting all my time rendering up prayers to make them stop and receiving not a single morsel in the form of an answer, leading me to wonder about all those hours spent in Sunday school. My teacher had described hell with its fiery mountains as a place tucked deep in the bowels of the universe. During these last months, I came to know for a fact that she was wrong. Hell was right here--smack-dab in your living room, or backyard, or any other place where your parents chewed each other's face off three times a day right in front of you.
~~Arguments began to crop up between them like weeds overtaking the path that connected their lives.
~~Other than Grandma Jo, my mother had frozen the world out so thoroughly there were times she didn't even open the door for the UPS man. A month earlier, I had found her sitting on the living room floor with a bottle of Kendal Jackson, crying in a sea of loose photographs like some sort of rogue planet trying to hold its universe in orbit. Or maybe it was a black hole and she was willing it to swallow her up--I can't be sure. But this is what I do know...sometimes the only place left to hide is in the shadows of your own mind.
~~They could say, "You're a big old pain in my ass," and know it really meant "You are the sparkle in my stars and the wind in my wings," because each knew no matter how dizzy the universe got, the other would never let them hit the ground when it went off kilter.
~~"Anyway," she cleared her throat. "I thought you should know that. He was impossible, and impetuous, and moody, and he drove me crazy. But, I loved him despite all that or maybe because of all that. I was alive when I was with him. He taught me how to live. He gave me you."
~~More than once, I'd wished for corn silk hair and sapphire eyes like Lindsey's, to be one of those girls who shuffle their way through boys' hearts as quickly as a deck of cards and leave them pining into grandfatherhood.
~~"I don't guess you want to tell me what bee buzzed your bonnet out there?" Remy asked, laying a sheet of paper and pen in front of me.
I looked at it but made no move to pick up the pen.
"Yeah, I didn't think so. Then I guess I'll tell you something instead." Leaning over the controls, she studied me with a cautious glance. "Nobody's legs are built to run forever, girl. One of these days they'll either drop right out from under you or run you right in a damn circle."
~~I looked at the man and then at Lindsey, who was fighting back tears. She hadn't moved an inch to stop her father from striking her, and what she'd said as she chucked rocks at the seagull that day came back to me: Damn bird's too stupid to fly away. But she was wrong. It wasn't stupid; it was wishing. It never worked, but we all did it anyway. Wishing the craziness to stop. Wishing the world as we dream it into existence.
~~This is what the Oxford Dictionary says about recollection. "Recollection: (1) the act or an instance of regaining memory; (2) a rejoining, or coming together of formally adhered units; (3) gathering that which has escaped or eluded us. To collect : (1) to bring together into one body or place."
This is what I say. Recollecting is picking up your empty basket and reclaiming the pieces that make you whole, and as Grandma Jo would say, "whether you want them or not." It is picking up your stories one at a time and lining them up until they make sense; letting them take up space in the universe with a strong steady voice of their own; and refusing to let so much of yourself fall away that you are reduced to the weakest form of "to be."
~~Izabelle loved her father more than anything. They were almost inseparable up until he disappeared from her life on her sixth birthday. He suffered from mental demons--possibly schizophrenia, and was fascinated with the idea of flight. Izabelle remembers her father taking her by the hands, and swinging her over the cliff at the edge of the ocean. She remembers the sensation of flight, but also dizzy fear. She's been drowning in a sea of confusion and guilt, voiceless, ever since he left. Her mother feels powerless to help her. Now fourteen years old, it has been 8 years since she last spoke. Dragged back to the island where her father disappeared, can she unwrap the memories of the past? In doing so will she finally be able to shed the heavy anchor of her guilt? And can she find her own path forward to a healthier future?
Vital Statistics: Author's home: Kingston, Rhode Island
Year written: 2016
Length: 323 pages
Setting: Tilling's Island (a fictional island, reached only by ferry, off the coast of New England). Set in the summer of 1974.
Genre: Coming of age story nestled in 1970's "historical" fiction (still can't believe 1974 is 50 years ago!), centered on a 14 year old girl's struggle to find her way.
Read if: You are someone, or love someone who has had to "journey to find her voice, both literally and figuratively." Also recommended to those who simply love beautifully written novels.
First two sentences: Normal kids are afraid of the dark. Skittish, I suppose, of the way it stuffs the hollow corners of their rooms with nothingness and wraps around the day like a muzzle until the clamor of the world runs quiet.
My two cents: This book broke my streak of so-so books in such a wonderful way. Sometimes, when a reading book, I'll wonder why the prose or dialogue isn't quite working. I'll become distracted or annoyed by the clunkiness, and focus on the writing instead of the story. Then there are books like this one, where I became immersed in the prose. Where the dialogue brought the characters to life. Some authors tell. Valentine *shows*. And I loved being taken into Izabelle's world and shown what a special girl she is. I loved coming along for the ride as she tries to find her way. Remy and Grandma Jo wormed their way into my heart as well. These are characters I won't soon forget. Given a rating of 5 stars or "Perfect." HIGHLY recommended.
Other favorite quotes (there are a LOT!): With my parents spending all their time quarreling over everything from money to the proper direction for toilet tissue to unroll, I was wasting all my time rendering up prayers to make them stop and receiving not a single morsel in the form of an answer, leading me to wonder about all those hours spent in Sunday school. My teacher had described hell with its fiery mountains as a place tucked deep in the bowels of the universe. During these last months, I came to know for a fact that she was wrong. Hell was right here--smack-dab in your living room, or backyard, or any other place where your parents chewed each other's face off three times a day right in front of you.
~~Arguments began to crop up between them like weeds overtaking the path that connected their lives.
~~Other than Grandma Jo, my mother had frozen the world out so thoroughly there were times she didn't even open the door for the UPS man. A month earlier, I had found her sitting on the living room floor with a bottle of Kendal Jackson, crying in a sea of loose photographs like some sort of rogue planet trying to hold its universe in orbit. Or maybe it was a black hole and she was willing it to swallow her up--I can't be sure. But this is what I do know...sometimes the only place left to hide is in the shadows of your own mind.
~~They could say, "You're a big old pain in my ass," and know it really meant "You are the sparkle in my stars and the wind in my wings," because each knew no matter how dizzy the universe got, the other would never let them hit the ground when it went off kilter.
~~"Anyway," she cleared her throat. "I thought you should know that. He was impossible, and impetuous, and moody, and he drove me crazy. But, I loved him despite all that or maybe because of all that. I was alive when I was with him. He taught me how to live. He gave me you."
~~More than once, I'd wished for corn silk hair and sapphire eyes like Lindsey's, to be one of those girls who shuffle their way through boys' hearts as quickly as a deck of cards and leave them pining into grandfatherhood.
~~"I don't guess you want to tell me what bee buzzed your bonnet out there?" Remy asked, laying a sheet of paper and pen in front of me.
I looked at it but made no move to pick up the pen.
"Yeah, I didn't think so. Then I guess I'll tell you something instead." Leaning over the controls, she studied me with a cautious glance. "Nobody's legs are built to run forever, girl. One of these days they'll either drop right out from under you or run you right in a damn circle."
~~I looked at the man and then at Lindsey, who was fighting back tears. She hadn't moved an inch to stop her father from striking her, and what she'd said as she chucked rocks at the seagull that day came back to me: Damn bird's too stupid to fly away. But she was wrong. It wasn't stupid; it was wishing. It never worked, but we all did it anyway. Wishing the craziness to stop. Wishing the world as we dream it into existence.
~~This is what the Oxford Dictionary says about recollection. "Recollection: (1) the act or an instance of regaining memory; (2) a rejoining, or coming together of formally adhered units; (3) gathering that which has escaped or eluded us. To collect : (1) to bring together into one body or place."
This is what I say. Recollecting is picking up your empty basket and reclaiming the pieces that make you whole, and as Grandma Jo would say, "whether you want them or not." It is picking up your stories one at a time and lining them up until they make sense; letting them take up space in the universe with a strong steady voice of their own; and refusing to let so much of yourself fall away that you are reduced to the weakest form of "to be."
June 27, 2018
I won this book through GoodReads First Read program.
This is Valentine's first book but you can tell she is a gifted writer. The characters in this book are well developed including the minor players in the story. My favorite character in the book is Remy. I liked how she was feisty but had a good heart. Other characters that were enjoyable were Grandma Jo and the owner of the grocery store. I am sure there will be more books coming from Valentine.
This story is about a 14 year old girl who hasn't spoken since she was 6 years old when her father, who she loved, left the house for good. Izabella Rae Haywood was mad at her father for fighting with her mother all the time. As her dad was leaving with his bag she shouted that she hated him and that he shouldn't come back. This all took place on an island off Rhode Island.
In 1974 Izzy's mother decides to take her back to the home on the island to see if this will get her to deal with the memories of the day her dad had left. They had left the island soon after and hadn't returned.
When Izzy and her mom, Zora, come to the island they are about to celebrate the Yemaya Festival on the island. Izzy meets the other characters on the island including Remy, Mr. McLaughlin, kids her age, the grocery store owner, among others. Everyone seems to look at her differently and all have a different reaction to her not speaking.
This was an enjoyable read and I am looking forward to Valentine's next book.
This is Valentine's first book but you can tell she is a gifted writer. The characters in this book are well developed including the minor players in the story. My favorite character in the book is Remy. I liked how she was feisty but had a good heart. Other characters that were enjoyable were Grandma Jo and the owner of the grocery store. I am sure there will be more books coming from Valentine.
This story is about a 14 year old girl who hasn't spoken since she was 6 years old when her father, who she loved, left the house for good. Izabella Rae Haywood was mad at her father for fighting with her mother all the time. As her dad was leaving with his bag she shouted that she hated him and that he shouldn't come back. This all took place on an island off Rhode Island.
In 1974 Izzy's mother decides to take her back to the home on the island to see if this will get her to deal with the memories of the day her dad had left. They had left the island soon after and hadn't returned.
When Izzy and her mom, Zora, come to the island they are about to celebrate the Yemaya Festival on the island. Izzy meets the other characters on the island including Remy, Mr. McLaughlin, kids her age, the grocery store owner, among others. Everyone seems to look at her differently and all have a different reaction to her not speaking.
This was an enjoyable read and I am looking forward to Valentine's next book.
May 6, 2017
A 14 year old narrator that hasn't spoken since she was six. On her sixth birthday her parents fought, she told her dad she hated him an asked him why he didn't just leave. He left. She ran after the car, but couldn't catch him. Some might call this a coming of age, but it is so much more than that. Obviously the little girl is hurting, but she has also blocked her memory of events after her father left. Her mother is hurting as well, both for her husband leaving and her daughter not talking. The writing is wonderful. I'm just a reader, but the writing in this book draws you in and wraps you in the story. I didn't want to put it down and I didn't want it to end. Highly recommended.
September 29, 2024
what a load of crap! characters who stop to look at themselves in front of the mirror and appraise their features, their clothes outlined in detail, the absentminded twirling of a curl of hair. I've read it all in every Danielle Steel novel. I expected something better from an English professor. i'l bet the 'Valentine' surname is a pen name. a dumb pen name.
oh, and she tried to forrest gump it by throwing in the occasional comment from a character about Watergate, or patty hearst - so pathetic.
oh, and she tried to forrest gump it by throwing in the occasional comment from a character about Watergate, or patty hearst - so pathetic.
January 20, 2018
I picked this up because it was a "book of the month" at our local library. It seems a typical east coast novel just like so many others in that genre. The setting and characters seem stereotypical and the story contrived. At the same time, it's a readable book. There are images I appreciate. It did help me think about how we all have stories we may struggle to tell and about the reality that other people's choices impact our lives. It's an okay read.
December 16, 2019
A 6 year-old girl's father disappears one night. From then on she does not speak. Her mother takes her back to the place it happened to find out if that will help her free her tongue.
My mother-in-law gave me this book to read, a book first given to her from her sister. I just really could not get into this book. I read 90-ish pages and did not feel connected to any characters and decided to call it quits.
My mother-in-law gave me this book to read, a book first given to her from her sister. I just really could not get into this book. I read 90-ish pages and did not feel connected to any characters and decided to call it quits.
March 28, 2024
This was a story told in the first person about a 14 year old girl who did not talk. It's about childhood trauma, family, secrets, love and healing. Izabella's trauma happened when she was six and at that time she quit talking. Eight years later her family moved back to their island home and the story unfolds. There was sadness, love, forgiveness and humor, all things that catch me up in the story.
February 20, 2017
This book is beautifully written. I love the way the girl narrator lives inside of the words that won't come out of her. I love the evolution of each character, the mom who is living in the wake of trauma herself, the hippy grandma doing her grandma-best to help, the mean girl who has her own back-story. Loved it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews