Booktrib reviews “Confessions…”
Confessions of Joan the Tall the often simultaneously hilarious and poignant, offbeat memoir…
Reading Between the Lines on “Confessions”
Cusack Handler’s prose reverberates with evocative imagery, insight and emotion, conjuring not only the physicality, mystery and allure of the Roman Catholic faith of the 1950s, but also the authentic intensity and vacillation of adolescent feelings. The story, constructed in slice-of-life fragments and steeped in the present tense, deepens the intimacy of this well-drawn, psychologically […]
Kirkus reviews “Confessions”
Handler writes with candor, sometimes almost embarrassingly so, yet thanks to her masterful rhythms, there’s beauty in even the most painful scenes. She creates a character who has a huge voice and a compelling story all her own. Read the full Kirkus review here
A wonderful review from ForeWord
Confessions has been reviewed on ForeWord. Here is a short excerpt: The beauty of Handler’s memoir is that it will appeal to young people and adults alike, particularly those who, like Joan, have grappled with their spiritual upbringing and what it means for the day-to-day conduct of their lives. Confessions of Joan the Tall is […]
Speaking of Books talks about “Confessions”
She creates a window into the consciousness of her speaker, the girl Joan, that allows us to witness what her memory retains. We can only guess at those experiences that have been left out. This may be the distinction between memoir and autobiography. And this is, for me, what makes memoir, as a genre, so […]
Sharon’s Garden on “Confessions”
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Joan Cusack Handler’s life growing up. Her stories is divided up into short segments that are easy to read in short spurts of time or just as enjoyable sitting down and devouring her tales all at once. Read the full article on Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews
“Confessions” highly recommended on She Treads Softly
Confessions of Joan the Tallis an extraordinary memoir that recounts a year in the life of author Joan Cusack Handler. In a seemingly simple style, Joan Cusack Handler manages to capture the anxiety she felt over her perceived lack of piety and her way above average height. Read more at She Treads Softly
“Confessions” gets 4 out of 5 stars on Bookchickdi
Handler perfectly captures the angst of being twelve; the uncertainty, the need to please your parents, the desire to fit in with other students and have friends, to be just like everybody else. The funny thing is, no one ever was like everybody else. Reading it brought all those feelings right back to me. Read […]
“Confessions” on Fiction Addict
I really enjoyed this book because even though times have changed, the topics still ring true. Joan, despite being teased and ridiculed, has a good heart and experiences many of the same things as we do. She is a funny, thoughtful girl that makes me laugh with her ramblings and worries. We can see the […]
“Confessions” on Pingwing’s Bookshelf
I liked reading about Joan’s journey towards self-acceptance – it’s not an easy one, but hopefully we all get there! I was also interested in reading about her faith. While I’m not a religious person now, I attended church as a child and when I was around Joan’s age I found myself questioning what I […]