Keeping Mother’s Secrets

May’s horrifying memoir is a harrowing tale of child abuse. When she was a young child, her mentally ill mother subjected her to verbal, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Her father fought to get custody of her, despite the lack of legal precedence for paternal custody, but after he won, she was still required to endure regular visitations with her abusive mother. Unfortunately, her father himself proved to be neglectful and embittered toward women after his divorce, which left Tracy feeling like she had nowhere to turn after she was sexually abused by a trusted coworker of her father’s. Many years later, as an adult, she reconnects with her estranged elderly mother and tries to find some measure of peace and forgiveness. May’s experiences are heartbreaking, but she holds back on internal reflection, making it harder for readers to connect with her tale of woe, and unfortunately, her story lacks a well-defined narrative arc. (BookLife)