Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy AllisonMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
While some people are fortunate enough to live "the good life," with enough money, food, and housing, others live a hard-scrapple life. Bastard Out of Carolina, by Dorothy Allison shows us the hard life of Ruth Anne "Bone" Boatwright.
Bone was born to Anney, an unwed teen who gives birth after being involved in a car accident that renders her comatose for a short period of time, and who, therefore, can't lie about her marital status (or lack thereof). Anney spends the next couple of years trying to get an updated birth certificate for Bone, hoping to have the term "illegitimate" is removed.
Narrated by Bone, the book briefly mentions Lyle, her first step-father; Anney's marriage to Lyle produces Bone's sister. When Lyle dies, Anney takes up with Glen Waddell, eventually marrying him. The primary conflict throughout the book is between the abusive Glen and Bone.
The family - Anney, Bone, her sister Reese, and Glen - are forced to move from place to place, due to finances. They never seem to move up or down, simply to another ramshackle place. Jobs come and go, adding to the family's stress, which is also exacerbated by Glen's abuse.
By the end of the book, Bone has sustained broken bones, and more from Glen. Anney leaves Glen several times because of the abuse, but in the end, disappears, most likely with Glen. Anney's final act towards Bone is to bring her a new birth certificate with the word "illegitimate" removed, before disappearing again.
This semi-autobiographical novel is not the easiest book to read, but it is insightful, giving the reader an idea of how choices can make or break a person. Bastard Out of Carolina is a must read, while Dorothy Allison has much to say about the struggles of too many who are struggling to survive.
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