What readers think of The Glass Castle, plus links to write your own review.

I thought that this book was brilliant. There were so many events that happened that I found myself rereading to make sure I understand where we were and what was going on. I would like to respond to a few of the other reviews. The inconsistencies of this novel are not too hard to imagine. Think about it, a woman is recalling her childhood. Her father gambled and played poker that is how he made money. The mother received money from her land in Texas. It was for oil. Didn't you read the part about the million dollar parcel that her brother left behind. I think that the details you are looking for are not important and therefore Ms. Walls did not speak of them. The glass castle is a fantasy for a better life than what they had, but it about everything it was a dream.

Each family progresses through life differently. For me, the necessary constant for success is food, shelter, warmth, and the absence of physical and sexual abuse. With these "gifts", people are free to focus their energies on learning and growing "well". Having grown up in a family whose parents ignored their children but who offered the above "gifts", I tell everyone that I have my wonderful life because of these constants. However, I have always wondered how my life would have turned out if I hadn't had the above constants. Now I know. The children in the Walls family have given me my answer. It's all about the character, the drive, and the ingenuity that comes rushing up when you suspect that there must be a more productive way to live a life. Thank you Jeannette Walls for allowing us to see the potential in all of us. Knowledge of your journey follows and inspires me daily.

At my recent book club discussion on The Glass Castle, we unfortunately spent too much time discussing whether it was "abuse or neglect". We are not sure where the authorities on that subject draw the line.

I finished this book three weeks ago and it is still staying with me. I can't remember a book or thoughts about a person I've never met staying with me so long. I could hardly put the book down.

In our book club discussion, many women had a hard time not focusing on their anger at the parents. I was able to let go of that early on and focus on the children's amazing resilience and strength. I would love to meet these fine adults!

Exquisite writing! What some previous reviewers don't seem to catch is the "home schooling", apparently par excellence, the three older siblings received during their California days. There was far deeper involvement by the father during their expeditions into the desert. Life for the family changed when they moved to Phoenix and changed even more after they settled in Welch. Maureen was outside the close bond between the older siblings because of the age difference. She truly had no advocate. Walls is superb in her description of the family dynamics.

This book was definitely the best book I have EVER read... Some of the things that this family goes through makes you sit and wonder if this is really a true story. I wanted to cry sometimes.. one thing i could never do during this book was put myself in Jeanette's spot.. I could never imagine going through what she did. I think she is a brilliant author and her story it amazing.

Jeannette Walls really captures the image of her childhood in the book making the reader keep turning pages. It's filled with Love Hate Neglect drama and more and truly is an excellent book.

Even after reading this amazing true story, I felt the need to reread it. Jeanette Walls tells an incredible story that you want to rush through to find out how all the characters turn out. Yet when rereading it, I appreciated her writing style, symbolism and depth as a writer.

Excellent, powerful and very much engaging. I couldn't put it down, and I never wanted it to end. Jeanette and her siblings should be very proud of what they had to overcome and how they survived such adversity.