Call Me Tuesday by Leigh Byrne

 

Title: Call Me Tuesday: Based on a True Story

Author: Leigh Byrne

Published: 2013

Genre: Fictionalized Memoir

Grade Level: Adult

-Trigger Warning: disturbing child abuse, grief

-Movie Rating: R

Audiobook

Read by: Allyson Ryan

Length: 7hrs 42min

Recommend: Yes

Blurb (from goodreads):

At eight-years-old, Tuesday Storm's childhood is forever lost when a series of tragic events send her family spiraling out of control into irreparable dysfunction. Almost overnight, the loving environment she's come to know becomes an endless nightmare of twisted punishments, as she's forced to confront the dark cruelty lurking inside the mother she idolizes. Based on a true story, Call Me Tuesday recounts, with raw emotion, a young girl's physical and mental torment at the mercy of the monster in her mother's clothes--a monster she doesn't know how to stop loving.

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: Top Notch

This book is truly a gripping read that had me in suspense from start to finish. The writing style is so complete you can picture every scene, follow every action, and empathize every gut-wrenching emotion. The pacing is perfect, the dialogue is sound, and the transitions are seamless. 

It truly felt like I lived a little of the life portrayed in this book, I was that emotionally invested. I wish more memoirs had this sort of organization and impact that this one gives.

Characters: Memorable

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

The novel is told entirely through the POV of the MC, Tuesday Storm. Tuesday was an extremely relatable character. She was brave, clever, resilient, and unlike so many other victims of abuse she retained a noble sense of morality (which made me love her all the more).

Maybe I’m just being greedy, but I wanted a little more understanding of the side characters like her father and her brothers. It felt like they weren’t even there most of the time, but then again maybe that was the point. Either way, that's why I gave the score of ‘memorable’ instead of ‘absolutely amazing.’

Plot: Absolute Page Turner

I was completely sucked in from the word go. I couldn’t stop listening to it. 

Overall: Totally Obsessed

Overall, I am totally obsessed with this book. It was engaging, heart-breaking, and really changes your outlook on the world. You’ll never look at children in odd clothing the same way again. If anything is going to cause you to become a social worker, stories like this might tip the scale. If you’re already a social worker, it might be worth your time to become familiar with this story.

I can’t wait to start the sequel “Call Me Cockroach,” because I want to know if she will be able to overcome all the pain and live the happy life she deserves.

Messaging: 

“She shares her story with hopes of offering inspiration to others who have suffered in a similar way, and to add to the awareness of some of the often overlooked signs of abuse in children, particularly that of the "scapegoat child," a phenomenon in which one child is singled out from a sibling group and punished for all the family's problems.”

Similar Books: Child Called It by Dave Pelzer

Goodreads Rating: 5 out of 5 stars