Book Review: Bastard Out of Carolina

An illegitimate child born in South Carolina in the early 1950s tells her story of hard times, poverty, a rough-but-loving extended family, and the horrors of sexual abuse. Dorothy Allison writes this story so convincingly, it is nearly impossible for me to believe that this is truly a work of fiction. Her ability to get inside her main character's (nicknamed Bone) head and know her thoughts and feelings in such a frightfully true way is haunting.

The story starts telling of Bone's mother and extended family, and the fierce love and loyalty they have for one another despite being what society considered "trash." Her hardworking young mother finds love and loses it in a tragic accident, leaving her with 2 young daughters and vulnerable and lonely. She is then courted gently for 2 years by the man Bone comes to call Daddy Glen.

Daddy Glen's marriage to Bone's mama is where things start to plummet downhill. When things turned truly ugly in Bone's life, the description was such that I felt sick and dizzy. The tragedy just deepens from there. I was actually so horrified that I decided not to finish the book. However, as a testimony to the skill of Dorothy Allison's writing I suppose, I couldn't stay away. I was driven to know if there would be any redemption in Bone's life, or at least some satisfying revenge.

Sadly, sickeningly, there isn't.

I don't know if I can recommend this book or not. On the one hand, the writing is superb. Anybody who can write this story and get me to finish it has to be extremely talented. It's a well-told story that will make your stomach turn, make your head hurt, and make your heart ache.