Fruit Punch

For some reason we equate suffering to perseverance and misinterpret the gravity of shame, the duration of its presence; how we always end up stuck in the ages it starts.

This memoir, though slight in page count, demands a slow perusal. Allen has a poetic, lyrical writing style that never veers into purple prose and is filled with personality. There are some funny moments, but be sure to heed the warning in the author's note. 4/5