Losing the Dollhouse
Losing the Dollhouse by Jane S. Gari
Jane S. Gari knows how to compose a chain of memories. The language is riveting, the emotions are raw, and the situations are shocking and sad. She shows us how detrimental denial can be. The mother's and stepfather's refusal to accept the truth and their willingness to shuck responsibility creates an unnecessary nightmare that Jane navigates all alone for years. It's frightening how the darkness takes over a person and invades her soul to the point that she is unable to speak the truth for years. Because the two parental figures are so willing to live a lie, she is forced to eat the secret, one painful bite at a time. What's sad is how the parents' silence tacitly propels her into a chaotic world that is self-destructive. Even into her adulthood, Gari felt she had to endure the abuses of others; she was never told by the one person she needed to be told by that she didn't deserve to be treated this way. I found it hard to read some of the language and situations Gari chose; both are dark and upsetting, even in her younger years. I was left wondering why she put herself in certain (sexual) situations as a child, before the abuse began, and what it meant. But what is clear is that sexual abuse drives the choices we make, even when we don't realize it, and that's the sad truth. The positive side is that we can overcome, and I hope and pray that she continues to do so and know that she is valuable and precious.
