The Idyllic Chaos of My So-Called Life
Amy-Noelle Smith
language
(Smith Publishing, Jan. 4, 2014)
"I was two years old when my mother’s boyfriend forced his way into our house as I slept and wrapped his powerful hands around my mother’s neck, trying to extinguish her existence upon this earth. My mother took hold of a rusty kitchen knife resting on the counter and wildly thrashed about, stabbing him in the arms and legs until his grip was broken, and he ran out of the door, never to be heard from again. He was unsuccessful in his quest to kill my mother, and to this day I don’t know if his failure was a blessing...or a curse."At seventeen years old, Astrid has come to the conclusion that her future, a life of insignificance, is impossible to escape. Her mother, who'd been in and out of prison for most of her life, was sent to prison for the third and final time when Astrid was twelve years old, forcing her into the foster care system; a world of uncertainty and fear.Astrid intractably holds onto the belief that she will never amount to anything of consequence, when her long lost Aunt Audrey finds her, and takes her from her foster home in Louisville to Charlevoix. While in Charlevoix, Astrid's notion of her nothingness is challenged by the people she meets, especially a handsome mysterious boy named Will, and her disabled neighbor Lilah. Astrid must face the demons, not only of her past, but the demons that still exist within her, and learn how to move forward with her life, while realizing that she is not fated to lead a life that is worthless.