The Life I'm In by Sharon G. Flake
Published by Scholastic Press on January 5, 2021
ISBN: 1338573179
Pages: 336
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Goodreads

This book is simultaneously difficult to read and impossible to put down. A companion novel to Flake’s The Skin I’m In, this book picks up several years later with the first book’s bully as the main character. When Char’s parents died, her older sister became her guardian and her whole world flipped upside down. She struggled to deal with the loss, and often found herself lashing out and getting into trouble, eventually getting expelled from school. 

Char’s sister reaches a point where she feels she can no longer care for her, and forces Char to get on a bus to go live with their grandparents. Char feels betrayed, scared, and furious, so rather than transfer mid-trip, she sets off on her own. A fellow traveler abandons her baby, leaving it with Char, who decides to set out on her own, care for the infant, and not look back. She moves into a seedy hotel, struggles for months to make ends meet, tries to define herself and her life, and refuses to tell anyone from her past life where she is. 

Sadly, Char’s situation is all too common, and she is exactly the type of person preyed upon by human traffickers. After an initial grooming period, she finds herself trapped in a world that devalues her, abuses her, and destroys her sense of self. She and the other girls she is trapped with find ways to connect with one another and survive. Char learns that escape is rare, and even those who are lucky enough to get away will never be the same. 

This book is not a feel-good read, but it is so important, and very well-written. Recommended for high school students and above.

Reviewed by Kristi Favaloro, Skidompha Public Library, Damariscotta