Going Down Swinging

What is it about?

A remarkable debut novel and bittersweet tale of the unflinching love and devotion between a mother and daughter.Razor sharp and darkly funnyGoing Down Swinging chronicles two years in the life of the Hoffmans. Eilleen Hoffman has just told Danny, her con-artist lover and father of her youngest daughter Grace, to get out — for good. Once a teacher, Eilleen lived a middle-class life, but her taste in men coupled with a predilection for pills and booze has brought her down. Desperate to prevent her family from sinking deeper into poverty, Eilleen reluctantly goes on welfare. Eventually she turns to the only friends she has left, hustlers and hookers, to learn how a woman makes fast money, no investment necessary.With Eilleen on welfare and her older daughter Charlotte a teenaged runaway, child welfare authorities descend on the Hoffmans. As Eilleen trails through several attempts at drying out, the well-intentioned Children's Protection Society finally intervenes to apprehend Grace. With the threat of prolonged separation now a stark reality, Eilleen and Grace must rally to confront their demons with grit, determination and humour. Unblinkingly observed and brilliantly written, Going Down Swinging is about the powerful bond between mother and child. And with her skilful narrative interplay, Billie Livingston illustrates poignantly how the truth of our stories lies not so much in the black and white, as it does in the grey.

My Thoughts....

I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars

I found this to be a very emotional book. I don't know how anyone who hasn't been a part of the child protection system could write such an accurate portrayal of it. Every character in this book was real, you can find people similar to them in any town. The author developed each one perfectly- emotionally, psychologically and physically. She also told the same story from every side- the parent, the child, the social worker, the family friends and even the police. I felt like I was reading the other side to the case history of any child I could potentially work with someday. It is an excellent book to teach empathy, meaning making and point of view. It is also a great example of how our experiences impact how we see the world around us. I loved it!