If you've read The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, and wondered about Rosemary's lack of maternal instincts and caring, this book will help explain why she was the way she was. Told in first person, with Jeanette's grandmother, Lily, as the central character, the novel is strewn with facts and stories handed down through family members to Jeannette. Not as compelling as The Glass Castle, it is, nevertheless, a book well worth reading. Lily is a most unforgettable character, and the time frame and geological regions she lived in adds to the enjoyment of the story. Now that I have read this tale a second time, it is evident to me that children have to make their own way in the world, on the path that is right for them. Rosemary could nor more be like Lily wanted her to be than a mule could be like a stallion. But it also does not excuse the lack of stability and provisions that permeated the lives of Rosemary and Rex and their children. That Jeannette and her siblings prospered and succeeded illustrates just how much of Lily's character and personality they inherited.