Poignant...an intricate portrait ... Vulnerable, self-aware and admirably introspective, she confronts her childhood trauma to decipher how it shaped her ... For all its candor, Kelly’s book is short on details about her acting career ... Even with the help of a professional she credits in her acknowledgments, Kelly’s clipped prose isn’t always so colorful, as she too often leans on stilted dialogue recollections and ham-handed turns of phrase. But the lack of lyricism can be forgiven in light of her raw soul-searching.
Kelly pulls back the curtain on her deeply traumatic early life in a stunning, achingly honest new memoir ... It’s honest and unflinching ... Shocking, yes, but Kelly’s story is one of resilience
Her eventual celebrity and success as an actress on Friday Night Lights are mere footnotes in this memoir that is otherwise her coming to terms with the neglect and turmoil of her childhood. With extremely brief moments of optimism sprinkled solely in its final chapters, Kelly openly exposes her most complicated relationships and how they shaped her into someone habitually attracted to chaos ... The retelling of these memories is neither educational nor inspirational; they are simply deeply upsetting. Her introspection into her past is ultimately the defense and justification of the adults responsible for her troubled childhood—a roller coaster ride of one minute praising them for their affection, the next sparing no detail about her abuse and abandonment. It’s clear she’s still navigating their long-term consequences.
Heart-stopping ... Despite sometimes horrific obstacles, Kelly resists painting herself as a victim, instead suffusing her story with gratitude and humility. It’s an immensely moving story of one woman’s unconquerable spirit.
The author is not shy about discussing difficult topics, and this candid text will appeal to Kelly’s fans and to readers seeking a courageous story of self-acceptance. A generous and humane memoir.
