Book Review: Raising Them by Kyl Myers

This was a very interesting memoir, written in a highly engaging style that I found entertaining, informative, and endearing without ever devolving into the saccharine-sweetness that plagues so many positive family memoirs… I wasn’t familiar with Zoomer’s tale from the Internet – I’m not on Instagram and apparently missed the media circus surrounding their life so far – so came into this one cold. I don’t think it helped or hurt my read – the tale was compelling and sweet and poignant all on its own. Myers has a very easy writing style; you fall into her words quickly, and the mixture of funny, touching, and clearly heartfelt anecdotes and experiences grabbed me by the heartstrings from the opening salvo.

I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop – it never did. This isn’t a cautionary tale or one of redemption. Instead it is the unicorn of memoirs: a genuinely happy story without twists or agony. That isn’t to say everything is always sunshine and roses. Parenting is hard, and gender-creative parenting in a gendered world adds an extra layer of challenge at times. The challenges and associated stress are presented honestly and fairly, as are their resolutions. This isn’t about one parenting style over another. It’s about deciding what’s best for you and your family and seeing that decision through. It’s a refreshing thing to read a memoir that doesn’t leave one depressed (or sugar-sick with the overdone positivity), and I for one hope to encounter more of these rare beasts. It was a lovely tale of a well-loved child and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.