Munchausen by proxy (MBP) was not the worst of the abuse that this writer suffered as a girl; the other physical abuse and especially the emotional abuse stuck me the most. The brutality of the facts of this story reminded me a bit of one of my favorite books: Blackbird by Jennifer Lauck. The circumstances were different for each child, but neither book is for the faint of heart; the background of the writer is horrendous, and it always amazes me what some people are able to survive and at least partially overcome. It took me a while to get into the book (partly because of the style) but once I did I didn’t want to put it down. What was especially disturbing and sickening for me was having to not only absorb Julie’s story, but those of her brother, the foster kids, the elderly men, and even her father, and even her mother. It was a difficult read.

Read this book in one of my BSW classes for an assignment. Reread it again to be able to take my time, worth it both times!! Heartbreaking story, but very well-written and very honest.

I feel bad giving a memoir a three star rating, especially with a true story as tragic as this one, but feel that writing is not this author’s strength. The story is very interesting and sad, but I’ve read more compelling memoirs of abusive upbringing (The Glass Castle, Running with Scissors). I could see how writing this book would be very cathartic for the author and I commend her work in bringing awareness to MBP. The copies of her medical records were a very nice addition and overall the story is fascinating (albeit tragic) and would give the author herself 5 stars for her vulnerability ;)

I picked up this book because I was super intrigued by it being about Munchausen by proxy, and because it was a memoir. This was a really depressing and disturbing book - Definitely look up trigger warnings for it. Even though the content was interesting, I still feel like it could have been written better to keep the reader more engaged. I also was turned off by the racist and homophobic full page comments and dialogue.
You can watch my spoiler vlog here, for more comments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWpX8...

This was a hard book to read. It's about the author who was abused. Her mother took her to the doctor's all the time claiming there was something wrong with her and the doctor's found nothing wrong with her. The author is a victim of Muchausen by Proxy.

So damn boring.

I couldn't finish this book but not for the reason you might think. You might think the subject matter would the problem but no, the problem was the writing. I didn't feel anything for the author or her life. Her writing is flat, unorganized and detached. I found it hard to pay attention and had to keep re-reading what I had already just read. Very poorly written. I didn't want to, but I had to give up. I couldn't get through it. blah.

What a horrendous tale - way more than just Munchausen by Proxy (surprised she or her doctors never considered it, it’s been around a very long time) - add hoarding and cruelty to the mothers mental disorders. The grandparents and parents on both sides suffered from weirdness so what can you expect? How they got foster kids and vets in their “home” is beyond belief. Just one creepy chapter after another, but I couldn’t put it down! Yes, I was Sickened.

A Book of Pure Anger and Heartbreak

This is one of the worst stories I’ve ever read; there were a number of moments that made me feel nauseated and enraged. That Julie Gregory survived this kind of abuse and STILL had to go about mentoring and healing herself because the mental/ health workers she turned to consistently denied the veracity of her experiences shocks me. I’m in awe of her ability to survive, I wish her well as she continues to recover, and I hope to hell she never speaks to the people who called themselves her parents again.

So interesting and a quick read; a fascinating look into the childhood of someone suffering through Munchausen by proxy - but also of witnessing and experiencing abuse, neglect, poverty, and discovering identity. Reminded me a bit of Glass Castle because of the incredibly dysfunctional family. Writing is excellent.

As someone who has suffered with Crohn's Disease since the age of 14, I could really identify with this book; as I too, spent many a day at the hospital with my mom. One difference, though-- Julie is not sick. Her mother, who is mentally unstable, offers up terrible lies about Julie's health in order to seek the attention of doctors. Once they catch on, and/or reveal that Julie is fine, her mother whisks her away to another clinic or hospital, and begins the process anew. This really gets going when Julie is only 3-7 years old and unable to speak up for herself. At her mom's insistence, the poor girl had a catheter inserted, a heart surgery, a broken nose to fix a deviated septum, and may medications she probably did not need at all. Besides this, her mom and dad stockpile guns in the house, barely feed their kids, and her mother is constantly threatening suicide, sitting on little Julie's bed with a gun in her mouth until her child can calm her down.

Once in college, Julie learns about 'Manchausen by Proxy'- A form of child abuse where a caretaker will make up illnesses and demand treatment for their wards. The sufferer is usually a child, the perpetrator usually the mother. Julie realizes this is what her childhood was filled with, and begins to distance herself from her mom.

The latter half of the book is much more uneven than the first, as Julie skips entire years of her life and begins to unravel mentally. The first half was much more coherent. Still, this is a very harrowing and unsettling story- all the more so because it is true. --Jen from Quebec

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