Where Has Mummy Gone? by Cathy Glass

Title: Where Has Mummy Gone?

Author: Cathy Glass

Published: 2018

Genre: Memoir

Grade Level: Adult

-Movie Rating: PG-13 for child neglect

Blurb (from goodreads):

The true story of Melody, aged 8, the last of five siblings to be taken from her drug dependent single mother and brought into care.

When Cathy is told about Melody’s terrible childhood, she is sure she’s heard it all before. But it isn’t long before she feels there is more going on than she or the social services are aware of. Although Melody is angry at having to leave her mother, as many children coming into care are, she also worries about her obsessively – far more than is usual. Amanda, Melody’s mother, is also angry and takes it out on Cathy at contact, which again is something Cathy has experienced before. Yet there is a lost and vulnerable look about Amanda, and Cathy starts to see why Melody worries about her and feels she needs looking after.

When Amanda misses contact, it is assumed she has forgotten, but nothing could have been further from the truth…

Disclaimer: My review of this memoir is not in any way a reflection upon the author or their life. I am a book reviewer, I review books… not people.

My Scores:

Writing Style: Good

This book was written in the UK style, so if you live in the US, like I do, the grammar may seem a bit weird at first. They use single apostrophes, rather than double, for their dialogue. There are also different expressions: like ‘I’ll phone you’ rather than 'I’ll call you.'

But nothing too major.

Other than that, I find the writing to be good. I just don’t feel the style is unique. In fact, I read a similar book by Casey Watson and thought it was also written by Cathy Glass...

Characters: Memorable

(I known they're real people. I’m referring to them as character’s anyway.)

In this book we meet an eight-year-old girl named Melody. Before meeting Cathy Glass, she had a reputation from other social workers for being ‘feral.’

Melody’s mother, who for one reason or another, has had several of her other children placed with social services and eventually adopted. So, she has gotten wise to the system and was determined to avoid them.

At last, Melody is put into the care of Cathy Glass, where all her worries should be about herself... except that all she seems to worry about is her mother.

Plot: Slow Burn

The plot moves a lot slower than I would have liked. I think it should have been about 100 pages shorter.

It goes into great detail about the governmental procedures involved in Melody’s case. I mean, it’s all well and good, but it's not exactly the reason I was reading this book.

That aside, there was enough suspense to keep me reading all the way through.

Overall: Enjoyable

Overall, it was a quick, enjoyable read. I loved getting to know these characters and their unique situation. However, I think it should have been about 100 pages shorter to speed the plot along.

Goodreads Rating: 3 out of 5 stars