Jessica’s Reviews > What Happened to Paula: An Unsolved Death and the Danger of American Girlhood > Status Update

“Not long after my college graduation, my mother said offhandedly that it was such a relief for her family to be able to relax; I have made it through high school and College without getting pregnant. I thought it was a weird thing to say. I just completed a degree program.”
Sameeeeeee!

“ our bodies employ vitamin C to produce collagen which binds our wounds... So that in advanced cases of scurvy – vitamin C deficiency – wounds will literally reopen, flesh coming apart..Once wounded, we were always wounded. Destined to carry around every past hurt for the rest of our lives. Our bodies literal maps of our pain.”

The story is picking up. For a while, it was bland, but we are getting into the different theories around Paula’s death. There hasn’t been much on the reader and her own life surrounding this case, which is what I would prefer. Will continue to read.

I’m stopping here for now because I don’t know what to think about this memoir like approach to the death of Paula and the investigation behind it. I don’t know how I feel about using this story as a springboard to talk about your life and try to interpret a lesson for the readers to think about.

As of now, it’s a strangely set up book that begins to revolve around a cold case, while interweaving a personal narrative from the author. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book like this and I’m left thinking if this book is truly about Paula or it uses Paula’s life as a reflective after thought?