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.