Equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking.
In his compelling memoir, Trew delivers a blisteringly funny and unsettling portrait of a childhood forged from mischief, trauma, and a haunting lie. From the opening pages, when he describes his chaotic breech birth and the family jokes about his “fish face” and “blockhead” nicknames, the tone is set: this is a story that refuses to look away from pain but also refuses to wallow in it. Trew recounts the guilt of swearing a lie on his father’s life with a voice that is as funny as it is devastating.
The book is a patchwork of hilarious misadventures—failed first kisses, schoolyard battles, sweet-tooth bribes—and devastating family history. His grandmother, nicknamed “Marion the Carrion,” abandoned eleven children, while his mother transformed that legacy into fierce, if sometimes terrifying, devotion. His father, a war hero and stoic presence, gave love without words, his reclusiveness masking unspoken scars. Trew writes with bite and warmth, wielding humour to soften trauma while letting the pain still pulse through. Funny, painful, and deeply human, the book is not just about one childhood lie but about survival, resilience, and the crooked road to truth. A treat.
Pub date August 1, 2025
Papillon
ASIN: 1738245411 (paperback)
ASIN: B0D9J21WGD (Kindle)
Price $21.99 (USD) Hardcover, $14.99 Paperback, $7.99 Kindle edition
