She’s Come Undone

About the book

Dolores Price begins her story as a smart-mouthed girl in the 1950s whose life unravels after her parents’ marriage collapses and a neighbor commits a violent act of sexual assault against her. To cope with the resulting psychological trauma, she turns to compulsive eating, eventually reaching 257 pounds while retreating into a world of television and self-loathing. The narrative follows her through public humiliation, a mental breakdown, and a search for stability during her adult years in the 1970s. She navigates a series of failed relationships and a desperate marriage while attempting to reconcile her fragmented identity.

Readers interested in the long-term psychological effects of childhood trauma and the messy reality of weight gain as a defense mechanism will find a blunt account here. The book appeals to those who prefer character studies where the protagonist is frequently unlikable or self-destructive rather than idealized. It provides a look at how professional therapy, unexpected friendships, and personal accountability eventually replace cycles of victimhood. The reader walks away with a specific perspective on how a person rebuilds a sense of self after decades of emotional paralysis.

Details

Published

1992

Language

EN