The Sapling Years


Non-Fiction - Memoir
217 Pages
Reviewed on 02/01/2021
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    Book Review

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

The Sapling Years: A Memoir by Shelly Irvine is the second book in the This Too Shall Pass series, which is all about everchanging homes, towns, society, and personal relationships. This memoir is the author's story of her youth, from her earliest memories until she was 21. Her sapling years was the time when she was unhappy, suicidal, and disgusted with the world, and when she developed her body, mind, and personality through her unique experiences and relationships. The author grew up in a big family with ten siblings and they all got along pretty well yet at the same time stayed out each other's way and dealt with their own issues.

The glimpses of the author's childhood take readers down memory lane, and her hardships, childhood, education, and relationships make this memoir a compelling read. The Sapling Years is transparent and honest, and Shelly Irvine speaks about how humans are narrow-minded and egotistical as a species. Readers will enjoy reading about the growing up years of the author as she is very vocal when it comes to speaking about those years, and how at the age of 14 she gave her life to Christ and got herself baptized. Her trust in God during the good and the bad times, where she felt she needed religion to continue on, is all interesting to read. The next book in this series is also eagerly awaited to learn about the author's next phase of life.