“The mystery is how I managed to survive, and whether or not Maddie Twist remains alive and well and living like Brel in Paris, or beyond.”
Through the eyes of her alter ego Maddie Twist, Adele Bertei threads together the tapestry of an extraordinary, troubled childhood in the 60s and 70s. It begins with her beautiful mother, whose delusions of grandeur bring both wonders and horrors to the Bertei home. It is her undiagnosed schizophrenia that eventually leads to the removal of her children, and the beginning of young Maddie’s wild journey. By her middle school years, Maddie Twist has moved through several foster homes and reformatories. With each new posting, she discovers sanctuary amongst her peers—outcast girls—while gaining belief in her identity, and unwavering trust in her own voice. As she ages out of the system and finds herself navigating the world alone, Maddie’s only constant is a ribbon of music that weaves itself around her heart. She can sing, and she is certain it will be the beacon that guides her towards another life. In frank prose without an ounce of self-pity, Twist is an episodic survival of the fittest, navigating the crooked rivers of poverty, race, sexuality, and gender. It is a world of little girl gangsters, drag queen solidarity, wild roller-skating, and magical thinking. With Twist , Bertei gives us a story of violence and madness, of heartbreak and perseverance, and, ultimately, redemption.
Wydawnictwo: inne
Data wydania: 2023-03-14
Kategoria: Biografie, wspomnienia, listy
ISBN:
Liczba stron: 0
Tytuł oryginału: Twist: An American Girl
Język oryginału: Angielski
Przeczytane:2023-08-14, Ocena: 5, Przeczytałam, Mam, Recenzencka, Insta challenge. Wyzwanie dla bookstagramerów 2023, Przeczytaj tyle, ile masz wzrostu – edycja 2023, Wyzwanie - wybrana przez siebie liczba książek w 2023 roku, 52 książki 2023, 26 książek 2023, 12 książek 2023, 2023, Ebook,
Our heroine is Madeleine Marie Baptiste, but she asks to be called Maddie Twist. She has a schizophrenic mother, Kitty. Her father is an abusive husband towards her mother, called Big Al. The girl wants to be a boy. Boys can do more than girls. She says girls can't have the life they want, they have to serve. Living in these times, I do not fully agree with this statement. Women can do much more than in the times described by the author.
Our heroine grew up in a pathological family. The father did not pay child support. She and her two brothers were literally starving. Pity those poor children. They have to watch their father abuse their crazy/sick mother.
Maddie is a queer person. What does it mean? She does not define her orientation and identity with words such as lesbian, bisexual or transgender. I admire this poor character. Despite her young age, she had to take care of her own brothers. She taught them prayers, fed them, and played with them. Maddie's life wasn't pretty or all roses. She went to various strange places where she was not understood. It can be said that she was hurt not only by those closest to her.
This story shocked me deeply. I can't forget her. What scares me is that this book is an author's biography. We get to know her life in the years 1965-1972.
Too bad she didn't tell her story. I hope she had more luck. This is a very difficult and sad story. Life in those days was much worse than it is now. I invite you to know the story of Adele Bertea's life.
This is a good biography mixed with melodrama. I would love to see this novel on the big screen. This story makes you think deeply about people who are queer. Has our perception of these people changed nowadays? Or do we rather treat them the same as in those years?