Backbone

by S. Lynn

This is a story of growing up in a dysfunctional and abusive household and still managing to survive and even thrive
Unfortunately, I am not alone in having an abusive childhood and far too many people find themselves caught in a similar situation. They all have a story to tell; this is MY story.

I grew up in a small Southern town in the 1970s and 1980s. My father was an abusive alcoholic and my mother was co-dependent. The writing of this book was not easy for me. I had to revisit deeply painful moments from my past as did my siblings and mother who shared with me, their own recollections.

My wish is that my story will provide hope and encouragement for those who find themselves caught in dysfunctional families and relationships.

For those who are lucky enough to have had a more functional childhood yet now find themselves in a relationship with someone who didn’t; I hope this book provides a better understanding of the affects childhood trauma can have on the adults we become.

The time is now for me to share the story of how I learned that in spite of any circumstance, we have the power to change, rise above, face down our own demons and have a Backbone.

85 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 2, 2022

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review
This is a short book about growing up in an abusive and dysfunctional family. The timeline jumps around quite a bit so at times it was hard to follow.
Being a self published book, this wasn't too bad.

[Beth Odgers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Backbone was an insightful look into the lives of families who live through abuse, the book was well written, and I couldn’t put it down. I would strongly urge everyone to read this book whether you have or know someone who has experienced an abusive partner, however as someone who has never experienced anything like the trauma that the author and her family went through, I felt a solid connection to her and her family. As a mother of three in my twenties it really struck home the important lesson of being able to rely on oneself and the dangers of being codependent the author tells us that she teaches her daughter to be self-reliant and to look for an equal balance in relationships. This is such an important lesson that everyone should learn, the idea of being stuck without an escape from abuse gives readers a cause to look inwards and consider what they might do if they ever were in a similar situation. The author provides a chapter for both her mother and her two siblings and we get to see how her father's alcoholism and abuse affected every aspect of their lives. Even though they all live through immense hardship, some of it is difficult to comprehend as a parent, it is a pleasure to read on and learn that despite all they went through her mother and her siblings triumphed over the traumatic events and went on to live happy lives full of love and support from each other and the families they made themselves. It is also refreshing to read that the effects of the trauma did not just disappear overnight but gradually and with help from therapists and the support of loved ones. Seeing this gives hope that even though there is no sudden magic cure, you can defeat the pattern of abuse through time and getting the right help. I would urge everyone to read this story of hope and defeating the odds, not only is it educational but it was engaging to see a slice of the author’s life and all the people she met along the way. To conclude the author's story starts with the tragedy of living under an abusive alcoholic father throughout it all the author stays strong and true to herself coming out the other side as a successful professional strong woman with a loving family it was an honor to get to read of her life and I feel that every person should whether having experienced abuse or not can read this book and take away an important lesson.

[Denice Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short nonfiction of life in an abusive household, both as it was lived and afterwards. S Lynn tells of how her father's actions would affect her mother, sisters and herself as they struggle to understand how he could treat them like this and still profess to love them. The story itself is traumatic to read but Lynn doesn't shy away from her truth.