"When matriarchs begin to disappear, there is a choice to either step into the places they left behind, or to craft a new space. Helen Knott's debut memoir, In My Own Moccasins, wowed reviewers, award-juries, and readers alike with its profoundly honest and moving account of addiction, intergenerational trauma, resilience, and survival. Now, with her highly anticipated second book, Knott exceeds the highest of expectations with a chronicle of grief, love, and legacy. Having lost both her mom and grandma in just over six months, forced to navigate the fine lines between matriarchy, martyrdom, and codependency, Knott realizes she must let go, not just of them, but let go of who she thought she was. Woven into the pages are themes that touch on mourning, staying sober through loss, and generational dreaming. Charted with poetic insights, a sprinkle of sass, humour, and heart, crossing the rivers and mountains of Dane Zaa Territory in Northeastern British Columbia and the cobbled streets of Antigua, Guatemala, this is a journey through pain on the way to becoming. From BECOMING A MATRIARCH: Through writing, reflecting, and dreaming I found my way to the real lessons. I found permission to become whoever I needed to be. I found permission to live a life and not just endure it. I found permission to belong deeply to myself. I found permission to lay to rest the sorrow of the women before me and to cultivate joy for us in its place."-- Provided by publisher. |