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MWSA Review
Scattered, Smothered, and Covered by Sandra Tow is a memoir told in an honest, no-holds-barred manner. As I digested her words, I felt like Sandra Tow was confiding in a trusted friend.
I was both saddened and horrified to read about Tow’s family dynamics. Despite having a mother who doesn’t feel complete without a man, regardless of how he treats her, Sandra loves her mother unconditionally. Sandra assumes the role of her mother’s caregiver each time a relationship ends. To add to her burden, Sandra also has to care for a younger sibling or siblings.
Although a heartbreaking story of poverty and abuse, Scattered, Smothered, and Covered is also a story of grit and survival. Young Sandra is determined to break free of the symbiotic relationship she has with her mother. These pathological family ties threaten teenage Sandra’s mental and physical health.
Author Tow writes: “Anger can be beneficial and a fuel for change, but my unresolved rage, resentment, and misplaced shame began to choke my happiness and settle into the dark recesses of my soul, where it would reside for years, leaking toxic sludge and polluting my thoughts and relationships.”
She dreams of achieving independence, and at the age of eighteen, Sandra enlists in the U.S. Army, where she can make a mark for herself. Scattered, Smothered, and Covered is a gritty, beautiful story of the struggle to overcome poverty and hopelessness. I will remember Sandra Tow’s book long after I finish reading it.
Review by Nancy Panko
Author's Synopsis
How do you build a meaningful life when your foundation has cracks from the start?
Amidst the backdrop of rundown motels and trailer parks, the lines between mother and daughter blur, and a young woman bears burdens she never asked for as she tries to survive the chaos of her life. Scattered, Smothered, and Covered is a story about resilience, family bonds, and the battle to be the heroine of your own story.
In this gripping memoir, Sandra Tow explores the extraordinary resilience that can emerge from life-changing obstacles.
Format(s) for review: Paper or Kindle
Review genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Pages/Word count: 315 / 85,000