Post #18 – Women’s Memoirs, Book Raves – Matilda Butler and Kendra Bonnett
Reviewed by Michelle Rockwell
First considered too controversial by publishers in the 1970’s, Daddy’s Girl was finally released in 1980, but only after the Canadian-born author, Charlotte Vale-Allen, had established herself as a novelist. Today, we may find it hard to imagine that the book was rejected because of the content. But knowing this detail, reminds us of the changing attitude toward open discussion of the effects of incest.
Daddy’s Girl begins with the end of WWII, when the author was a preschooler and continues through her years in high school. While it is the harrowing story of father-daughter incest and its aftermath, it is also laced with glaringly honest and bold insights into the sometimes painful themes of childhood, motherhood, sexuality, and reclaiming personal power. Most importantly, Charlotte Vale-Allen speaks to common human expectations of behavior and kindness in the context of gratifying social relationships. She helps us to understand that despite appearances we never really know what another person is going through.
The author writes, “I do depend upon the kindness of strangers. And when it comes, it’s a shock and a comfort every time—something I feel in dire need of, yet unworthy to receive. I yearn for people to be kind; I hope for it constantly. And when they are, it blinds and stuns me, renders me speechless,” (165).
As an 18-year-old in 1984, I saw myself in Daddy’s Girl and found the courage to develop my potential in spite of abuse. My own experience was validated, and that’s all I needed. Unlike many stories of childhood tragedy, Daddy’s Girl is not self-serving; she is not asking for pity or apology. Charlotte Vale-Allen is anything but a victim and I believe this is what makes the book so valuable. It is this wisdom that guides me as I write my own memoir.
If you would like writing tips on how to handle a sexual abuse story, I recommend that you read Daddy’s Girl. You can learn more about the author at Charlotte Vale Allen’s website. She answers email and autographs her books with a personal message. She has written more than thirty books.
