Reviewed by Makeda Cummings for Readers' Favorite

In Fractured, Debra Morgan recounts her upbringing after being abandoned by her biological mother as a young child; her grandmother raises her in a household characterized by blurred family roles. Her upbringing is marked by repeated exposure to emotional and physical abuse, along with manipulation linked to her biological mother, which leaves her questioning her own experiences. As she enters her teenage years, she grows more aware of how unstable her home life actually is, but much of the damage is already done by then. Feeling no real sense of belonging while struggling with her identity, she resorts to substance use to manage the pain, eventually resulting in a battle with addiction. There are a few steady influences in her life, like her great-grandparents and her time spent with animals, but they don’t fully counteract what’s happening at home. As an adult, being forced into rehab becomes the point where Debra starts addressing both her addiction and her past. The memoir follows what happens when she finally has to face everything at once.

Debra Morgan’s Fractured is a raw, personal look at what childhood abuse, neglect, and addiction really do to a person. It's written linearly, so you can see exactly how her past affected her future relationships and behavior. Parts of the book, particularly the chapters involving her abuse and manipulation, are harder to get through. But her honest voice really helps when dealing with such a heavy topic. The family dynamic is a major standout, particularly the confusing roles between mother, grandmother, and child, and the way that affected her sense of identity. Other key moments, like her time with her great-grandparents or a trip to Alaska, give more context to who she is outside of her trauma. Debra's gradual move toward recovery later on doesn’t magically resolve everything that has affected her life. However, it does help readers follow how she starts working through what she’s been carrying all these years. Nothing about her journey comes easily, but her honesty will speak to readers on a deeper level. If you’re looking for a memoir on surviving childhood trauma that lays things out clearly, this one is worth reading.