My review of the Lost Episodes of Beatie Scareli as posted at www.goodreads.com

The Lost Episodes of Beatie Scareli is a book that takes more risks than the rest of its genre.Your average lit fic bildungsroman depicts reality in a plotcentric realist mode that contradicts the frequent "the journey is its own reward" message or wishes to use the inner strength of heroine's going through a childhood hell to inspire in an Oprah books mode. Ginnetta Correli has written a book that would give Oprah pause. The adult world is ugly and nobody wishes to help. There is no good parent. There are no miracles. The only soundingboard for Beatie' s suffering is a stuffed rabbit. There is no redemption for Beatie's family, no chance at reconciliation. The realm of child abuse and neglect is shown through a sublime funhouse mirror where the only humor is terror at the rantings of Beatie's insane mother. Well done. My only critique is that the moments of surrealism and madness should have gone longer to better accentuate a chaotic world. For those looking for a newer, more brutal approach to the coming age story, check this out.