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Benner's memoir tells of her difficult childhood in a dysfunctional family from which she emerged to eventually overcome the damage of her abusive mother's control and criticism. Her older sister mirrored her mother's behavior, reinforcing Benner's early belief in her own inferiority. As a very young child, the author faced many health challenges, but her physical problems, though numerous, were nothing compared to the psychological assaults of her mother and sister. Later, her husband, and father of her two daughters, divorced her and kept her from her two daughters. Though dealing with depression, she came to have a strong faith in God. She attended ACTS (Advanced Christian Training School), where she completed the course, and then spent two years at the School of Ministry, which has given her "purpose and a new sense of worth."
Benner's work is blatantly honest. She opens her heart and her extremely difficult home life to readers, digging into areas that few want to explore. She reveals it all with dignity and bravery. At times, her memoir reads like a personal journal, in which she dissects her relationships with her mother and sister, revealing their manipulative nature. From a very young age, Benner noticed the different way her mother treated her siblings. They were given closets of clothes, while she had only the very basic wardrobe. As teenagers, her siblings were given the freedom to refuse church attendance, yet she was forced to attend Mass with her mother. Even as adults, Benner's sister and mother continue to manipulate and belittle her. Though her relationship with her father has its own challenges, he does not display the same hateful traits as her mother. Yet with both parents being alcoholics, both are abusive. This poignant narrative will lead readers on an emotional journey they'll not forget.