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kspencerinskeep's review against another edition
I listened to about 60% of this book before dumping it. I didn't dislike the book I just didn't find it interesting enough to continue. The book, as a family memoir, concentrates mostly on Mary's young life and the life of her alcoholic father, Freddie. There was definitely lots of disfunction in the family.
jenniferbbookdragon's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Growing up in the Trump family was incredibly painful for Mary Trump, and she shares her experience in this memoir of generational trauma. The legacy of Fred Trump Sr. is still impacting his descendents today. No one escaped unscathed.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Classism
Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, Medical content, and Abandonment
evangela61's review
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
3.5
Meandering, relatively disjointed memoir about casual cruelty and the banality of evil. Crushing.
mdesoer's review against another edition
4.0
Mary’s memoir of her dysfunctional childhood as the granddaughter of Fred Trump, the evil character who molded Donald, is raw and disturbing. From the Trump family’s cruelty to her father and his children to her mother’s utter detachment from her responsibilities as a mother, the tale is heart wrenching. It’s a wonder that Mary survived and has become the brilliant and vibrant person she is.
The memoir spares no words not only about the adults, but also Mary’s response to the cruelty and neglect. If anything, the author is too hard on herself and beats herself up for the coping techniques she developed.
Donald is a relatively minor character in the story although the cruelty and abject lack of empathy he shows to Mary, and everyone else, frankly, mirrors his father’s. None of this excuses who Donald has become. But this memoir shows that the one thoughtful child of Fred Trump, didn’t stand a chance in that environment.
The memoir spares no words not only about the adults, but also Mary’s response to the cruelty and neglect. If anything, the author is too hard on herself and beats herself up for the coping techniques she developed.
Donald is a relatively minor character in the story although the cruelty and abject lack of empathy he shows to Mary, and everyone else, frankly, mirrors his father’s. None of this excuses who Donald has become. But this memoir shows that the one thoughtful child of Fred Trump, didn’t stand a chance in that environment.
megreadsitall's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Domestic abuse and Sexual assault
rosy_flamingo's review against another edition
While it's clear she has had difficulties in her life at the hand of the Trump family, there were just so many irrelevant details and the book felt painfully slow and disorganized. Halfway through the book, she is still only 6 or 7 years old. It felt self-indulgent in the sense that this book was to prove to herself that she experienced trauma. Sometimes I couldn't help but roll my eyes at some of her comments, like when she was judging the layout of her grandfather's house?? This book would have so much potential if she would cut to the point and reorganize her storytelling.
Minor: Alcoholism