Review: Powerful, poignant and heart-wrenching
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 17, 2012
An extremely moving story and a very telling picture of the UK's state care system of the era. A truly harrowing tale of determination, survival and strength, the courage to never give up, to keep going, no matter what, to achieve those very deep yet unspoken dreams of a future life that can only be better than the current existence, to go forward despite constant adversity and to keep focused on that elusive dream. How shockingly unaware the world outside of the care system was, and possibly still is today, of the constant abuse of all types that took place in so many so-called "care" establishments. A tough read for all these reasons, a read that leaves a certain emptiness and yet the feeling of possible light ahead for the future, and hope.I need,  nonetheless, to reiterate some reviewers' comments in regard to grammar and punctuation, since, without some perseverance and and a will to continue the story to its conclusion, the errors can seriously detract from the reading pleasure.Having said that, I am a reader, not a writer, and have not experienced any similar situations in my formative years, so cannot be too hard on Ms Torrens, whose story comes straight from the heart - and I admire and thank her for telling it.