Steady Diet of Nothing

Candy, a young teen staying in an abandoned home with other teens runaways (some of which were pretty unforgettable) fights to stay alive through substance abuse, prostitution, and the dangers of being unhoused. 

This is not a hopeful and inspiring story. Candy's struggle is real and it is heartbreaking. We see how she deals with her pain and we feel it too, knowing that there are many, many Candys out there. Cynthia Cruz knows it too, and her writing absolutely reflects that. It's poetic and melancholy, it's authentic. It feels like a memoir. 

There is a blurb on the back of the book by Cara Hoffman that says “We are so sick of survivors. This is a book for the rest of us.” and that about sums it up, really. Steady Diet of Nothing is depressing. It opened my eyes wider than they wanted to be and I'm glad I read it