As the Sycamore Grows is one of those stories that make you feel. Anger, sadness, cynicism, incredulity – these are only some of the emotions that will greet you throughout this book.
Author Jennie Helderman takes us into the world of Ginger and Mike, a real-life married couple living in the forests of the Deep South. Their marriage eventually deteriorates into domestic violence, but what makes this book different from other abuse accounts are the interviews.
Helderman sits down with both Ginger and Mike and records their individual accounts of what happened. What follows is a breathtaking, first-hand account of the kind of abusive relationship you only read about in the newspaper. You hear Ginger’s reasons as to why she stayed, what made her think she deserved what she got, what events in her past contributed to the terrible situation. And then you read about Mike, an unusual account from the abuser. You get inside his head, hear his reasons and excuses, and you really get a sense of the way his brain works.
Helderman has constructed a fascinated book, one that could easily be taken from book club to college psychology class. I was enthralled until the very end; this book was lovely, and necessary, and an excellent resource and piece of literature. Pick it up today.
