Jonathan Anthony Burkett

The things that Jonathan went through at such a young age by a mother who could/would not love him is heartbreaking. I can not imagine what was going through his mother that would make her be that abusive, and for so long. What is worse is the child's fear of things getting worse if the child tells.

There are so many children who are getting abuse like this, who have no one they can turn to. Telling someone would not bring immediate or permanent remedy. If the issue is investigated and a crime is not found, that child goes back to that abusive parent. (off my soapbox).

What I did wonder, while reading this book, why no one called the police? Was it a really bad neighborhood where kids are getting whooping's all the time so everyone was numb to the sound? I am pretty sure he screamed his head off. At least until he just couldn't. (But I am pretty sure the pain was so great sound wouldn't come out.) Just trying to visualize what he explained is upsetting.

I was also surprised that he kept talking back like he did. In other people stories of abuse, they tend to try avoiding anything that could potentially cause a beating. They tried to be invisible, didn't speak, etc. I could understand it he said those things because she was preparing to beat him in hopes of her ending his life with that beating. But him just saying something "out of the blue" seamed like his was taunting her. I was reading it and saying to myself "shut up, you gonna get in trouble!"

The book seemed to jump around slightly to me during the teenage years. Otherwise I saw it was written probably how it would have been spoken.… (mais)

The story starts out as a young boy’s life, his childhood and yet it is the story of finding his father and their relationship. Passed around to different caretakers the writer brings about emotions that reach out and grab your heart, soul and mind. It was shocking, intense, implausible and yet amazing. A boy going through emotions of not being loved and not understanding why. Dealing with seizures and heartache without understanding and inability to change anything. The book is wrote very well with a main character I cried with and wanted to snatch out of the book and change that which he was faced with. The poetry mingled in brought out emotions on a very intense level bringing about the desire of one’s heart and needs. I received this book via goodreads and certainly appreciate the opportunity to read it and add it to my library.… (mais)