Fran Elizabeth Grubb

I don't usually read memoirs, but I thought I would give this one a try, and I am glad that I did. Fran lives with her siblings, mother and her father. They live in poverty and are always moving around a lot. Fran lives in fear of her father, but she never expresses hatred toward him, even though he is mentally and physically abusive to all of his children and his wife.

Fran and her sisters had to suffer sexual abuse from their father. She constantly lived in fear wondering what abuse she would suffer each day. Her mother was never their to protect her or her siblings, and she abandoned Fran at a very young age. I have 2 children and I can not imagine this. I can't even comprehend it.

Fran and her siblings had to work in the cotton fields at a very young age, from sun up to sun down. Most days they did not get to eat and on the days when they did it was only a bologna sandwich. They had to sleep at night on covers that never got washed. They all had share one washcloth to wash up at night.

Mrs Grubb didn't get to experience most things that children do today. Such as a loving and happy family life. Running around carefree and happy. She longed to go to school like all of the other children, but wasn't allowed to.

Fran tells the story from her point of view as a child and as an adult. The story goes back and forth between the two. This book was very hard for me to read. I had to put it down several times while reading it, and walk away. It was hard for me to comprehend how a parent could do such horrific things to their children.

I will admit that I found myself hating her father. I was so angry at him and wanted to scream. I know that you are not supposed to hate and nothing ever comes of it, but I could not help it. This book was very emotional for me.

As a child Fran had her faith in God to help her through and she often prayed. Her faith in God is what helped her through her very difficult childhood and now also as an adult. Throughout the book Fran talks about her husband and how he has helped her heal.

I found myself wanting to rescue her as the little girl. I admire her very much, and because of her love for Jesus she forgave her father for what he had done to her. I am not so sure I could have done that. Cruel Harvest is a very good book, but as I said it is very emotional and at times really hard to read.

I received a copy of Cruel Harvest from the publisher through Book Sneeze to review and give my honest opinion.… (plus d'informations)