Book about a little girl with an abusive mom. Read around 2010-2013.

[Lina]

Looking for this book about a little girl with an abusive mom. The little girl has a an older sister named phoebe and they’re both named after birds. I distinctly remember a quote in the book that goes something like “I think my mother named us after birds in hopes that we’d grow wings and fly.” The climax of the story is when the little girl get a severe lashing on the back by the mom. The little girl runs away until she finds a bar. She hide in a bush where a biker exiting the bar finds her.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

How old is the little girl?
What age reader?
Set where and when?

[Lina]

The book is literary fiction. The little girl is probably 6-10 yrs old. I think book takes place in the 70s or 80s. There’s also a part at the beginning of the book where the little girl has a n illusion about the devil.

[Rainbowheart]

Is this adult fiction?

[Lina]

I’m not sure if it was adult fiction, but the way it was written it was probably for older teens/adults

[Olivia]

i'm not sure if this is correct, but upon searching for a partial version of the quote "my mother named us after birds", i found a book called "looking after pigeon" by maud carol markson, and the book starts out with that partial quote. the sisters aren't named phoebe, but they're named after birds, dove and raven. maybe this helps!

[Rainbowheart]

Looking After Pigeon for Olivia's suggestion.

[Lina]

Thanks so much for the suggestion, I looked at the book and it wasn’t it:(

[Ayshe]

Before Women Had Wings maybe?