334 pages
published in 2010 century london
it is the story of a little girl named Elizabeth (Lizzy or Liz) Murray, who’s father
Peter Finnerty, a sharp minded witty and coy guy
was a college dropout, who indulged first in retailing then using drugs. he was in and out of prison and he got Lizzys mom Jean Murray, an abused runaway,
pregnant with her sister Lisa. when when he was out he got her pregnant again with Lizzy.
she was legally blind and never married to Peter making her a single mother and making her eligible for state aid. what she would spend on drugs cigarettes and later on a cocktail called white russian. (vodka+ coffee liquor + cream) while the kids were starving and only eating bread rolled with mayo the parents binged. they sold Lisas coat and even stole their christmas money from their grandmother. Jeans mother was batshit crazy just as much as Jean was schizophrenic. whenever she started acting up they take her away for months. after they sorted her out after a few months she would become a real housewife for like 2 weeks then all hell went loose again when she got high again. social workers blamed lizzy for not cleaning up the place since her blind addict and mentally ill mother wasnt doing it. its heartbreaking because Lizzy didnt learn it how to clean up and it wasnt the norm for her. the norm was to get thrown out leftover food from garbage and clothing that wasnt good enough to be sold. when Lizzy got into the system and here comes the really annoying part..
the book has a tv adaptation where it pissed me off…
they tell the tale of Lizzys grandpa taking her and her sister and mom in after they find out she has aids. they portray her for being in the system because she didnt want to go to her grandpa.
but what was written in the book was a man called Brick who was a regular at the bar Jean used to go and suck cock for drinks. Brick has a compulsive hoarding habit and a dirty apartment even though Jean portrayed him as someone brilliant. Brick had absolutely no books whereas Peter, Lizzys father went as far as to fake named to log into the public library take out books and never return them. It wasnt Lizzys grandpa but a potbellied drunkard night guard with yellowed fingers from cigarettes.
they left out Leonard the gay man with HIV who infected Jean with tuberculosis while they were coping about their shared misery.
they left out Carlos the guy waiting for his inheritance to get when he turned 18 shortly. the way he promised the dying Jean to take care of Lizzy and the way he went downhill after getting the money and the way he abused Lizzy and put her in the corner where she leaped from and got to start and get her life together. her mom dying of the tuberculosis and her dad helping her lie into getting back into high school because Lizzy was insanely smart. her dad getting aids and admitting it. Lisa inheriting the bad genes and going blind just as her mother while Lizzy inherited their fathers mind.
It was a good book and a really disappointing and infuriating movie.
It's a mun thing 