The book:
Sober Stick Figure: A Memoir by Amber Tozer
To be published in June 2016
Pages: 272
My copy: Advance Review Copy
The blurb:
Sober Stick Figure is a memoir from stand-up comedian Amber Tozer, chronicling her life as an alcoholic and her eventual recovery starting with her first drink at the age of sevenall told with the help of childlike stick figures. Amber writes and illustrates the crazy and harsh truths of being raised by alcoholics, becoming one herself, stagnating in denial for years, and finally getting sober.
*** Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy in exchange for an honest review. ***
My thoughts…
This book is a brutally honest account of one woman’s descent into alcoholism, told in a very simple and straightforward way. Not only is the language very direct, the book is interspersed with childlike stick drawings, which make the book funny and humorous, despite the harsh subject matter.
This is the kind of book you can whizz through in just a day, and although it’s a really easy read with some laughs along the way, it also gives a very honest insight into why someone can become dependent on alcohol. What starts off as fun soon changes into something quite different, and that comes across really well here.
The little stick figures are actually quite funny, despite showing no artistic talent! They add to the story and often reflect the situation Amber finds herself in.
This book is quite different to others I have read, and I don’t often read memoirs. But I really enjoyed this and I found Amber endearing, and her story was interesting and enlightening. Her honesty is refreshing and I liked that she didn’t look for others to blame for her situation. I also loved finding out more about Amber’s family and the ways in which they helped and supported her.
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