Absolutely incredible, and truly one of the best books I've read all year. I don't care what else I read in the next seven months, this will settle firmly in my top 5, maybe top 3 of 2021.

Anything I can think up to describe my feelings about this book feel pale and little in comparison to Tara Westover's writing and her life. All I can say is that I went into this thinking it was just going to be some memoir about a woman who didn't have a formal education and how she changed when she finally did set foot in a college class. What I didn't expect was to be hit with the intensity and confusion that loving an abusive family can mean and how it can affect you for the rest of your life. I didn't expect to see myself in parts of her, in the confusion of growing up and realizing your life is Not Okay to the confusion and guilt in still wanting to be loved by family and the pain that can take hold when you need to break away to save yourself.

(Side note: I totally want to read her dissertation. It sounds INCREDIBLE.)