4 out of 4 stars
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As you first begin reading The Untold: My Life, My Story, My Truth by Branisa Cheneau, you are promptly introduced to the author, commencing with her life at birth. Published in February 2019, Branisa Cheneau has chosen to write this book as a way to tell her story, which has remained a family secret until now.
Growing up with a rather complicated childhood, the author features what life was like for her family residing in what she refers to as "the projects." Although she does give "the projects" credit for some of her first life lessons, she has dealt with numerous traumatic life events that no one should have to endure. Without a father figure in her life due to his incarceration, the author's childhood was spent living with her mother and older siblings, while also being surrounded by a slew of family members. When her mother begins dating a man named Charles, the family quickly sees that the mother of four has put a man before her children, while also protecting some of his darkest secrets. When abusive situations start to come to light, the author of the story reveals what can only be described as a family being torn apart and children being forced to grow up at an alarming rate.
At under 100 pages, I was able to read The Untold: My Life, My Story, My Truth in roughly an hour. It's undeniable to acknowledge the amount of strength it took for the author to expose dark family secrets. Although her story could possibly damper the relationship with some family members even more so than already done, it seems like a necessary decision in order for Ms. Cheneau to move forward with her own life and find happiness within. The writing itself seemed to be well-paced and structured. The sequence of events which occurred were easy to follow and despite having numerous family members mentioned, they were easy to differentiate and to keep track of.
I was especially fond of the strength shown by the author, even at times when she was very young. While well aware of the repercussions that could come of speaking out, her strength to tell her story is empowering and noble. I found myself wondering infinite times throughout reading how a mother could place a man above her children and was then hit with the realization that Branisa was likely wondering the same throughout her childhood.
I was pleased with the consistent editing and found no errors while reading the story. The Untold: My Life, My Story, My Truth by Branisa Cheneau is a thoughtful and passionate telling that could do wonders with raising awareness among the public about childhood abuse and neglect. I'm pleased to rate The Untold: My Life, My Story, My Truth 4 out of 4 stars and would happily recommend Branisa's story to all readers who enjoy non-fiction in hopes of establishing some awareness.
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The Untold: My Life, My Story, My Truth
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