“Frozen with fear, I watched the yellow-white flames make a ragged brown line up the pink fabric of my skirt and climb my stomach.” This riveting flashback scorches the opening pages of this memoir filled with unfortunate events, courage, and hope.

Jeannette Walls captures readers' hearts as she tells her true story of attempting to transcend her difficult upbringing. Readers will find themselves entangled in the many misfortunes of the narrator as she relives the events of her life.

Walls is the second of four children. Her parents, Rex and Rose, are unique characters. With an outgoing, inspired, artistic mom who does not take motherhood seriously and an intense father whose weakness is drinking, the Walls children constantly must fend for themselves.

Young Jeannette faces many struggles as she realizes that the grand life her father depicts is really a mask disguising reality. The quote “life is a bowl of cherries, with a few nuts thrown in” really describes her situation. Difficulties are inevitable, but handling them with aplomb shows true strength. From living in run-down homes with leaks and cracks, to being burned both physically and mentally, the trials Walls faces will keep readers wondering what will happen next.

The Glass Castle is a captivating book that grabs readers and takes them on a journey of pain, suffering, and triumph. By the end, readers will gain a new perspective on life.