Color Me Butterfly by L.Y. Marlow

Color Me Butterfly by L.Y. Marlow

Amazon Rating: 4

by Tavares S. Carney

A Blessing and A Curse

In this no-holds barred memoir, L.Y. Marlow does an excellent job of drawing readers into the pain of her past.  Color Me Butterfly is filled with vivid scenarios entailing physical and emotional abuse at the hands of the men in her grandmother’s, her mother’s, her own and her daughter’s lives.  While stories such as this are not unheard of, Ms. Marlow does a good job in sharing with readers her family’s particular story. 

The blessing is that the women in this family clearly have a strong bond, sustaining each other and seeing each other through some very tough times.  The curse is that a cycle of physical and emotional abuse was perpetuated down through the years.  The novel clearly shows that Ms. Marlow not only lived her family’s history, but actually took the time to research and talk to her elders.  It shows her legacy is important to her.  I particularly appreciated the fact that Ms. Marlow eventually recognized the downward spiral and sought to change circumstances surrounding her and her daughter, Treasure, in hopes of breaking the cycle of abuse.  Only time will tell if the cycle has been broken. 

Admittedly, I would have liked to have learned what affects the abuse had on her male siblings in their relationships, if any, during their adult lives; however, this was a good, engaging read for me overall.  I recommend Color Me Butterfly to victims of domestic violence, victims of sexual abuse, families that have had to or are dealing with these issues, including the effects the abuse has, such as mental illness and suicidal tendencies, as well as readers that favor or are interested in a well written memoir.

Paperback: 422 pages
Publisher: El Publishing (February 5, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0978732057
ISBN-13: 978-0978732059

Network with the author, L.Y. Marlowe:

Color Me Butterfly