I have a lot of thoughts on this. I have not read many memoirs and the most memorable one I can compare it to is The Glass Castle. Mentzel's voice is very different than the one used there in many ways. It comes off as "stronger" but I would also say in some ways abrasive and less engaging. It definitely feels like an author's first book. However, her writing wasn't bad. It told the story that it needed to and it assisted in telling that story.

I wasn't expecting to connect to her narrative as much as I did being the older sibling, but I found that it never meant I wasn't in someone's shadow. I feel like I've always been in my mom's shadow. I can't say I related to her specific events, but the ideas were there.

And finally, as one of those Idina fans, it was a super interesting read. It was interesting to see her as a sibling, more of a person than an idol. It was also weird reading a book written by her sister. If this had been any other memoir it would have been fine, but sometimes I couldn't help but feel like I was prying into a second person's life instead of the author's.