Come Back audiobook

Whoa -- this book was intense. I knew that going in, and wouldn't normally have chosen it (I stayed away from "Hannah's Gift" despite numerous recommendations from friends, because I can't handle reading about topics like the death of a child), contrary to the ribbing of my friends and family who always insist that I like the most depressing books. One of the mixed blessings of being in a book club is being forced to read books you wouldn't normally pick up, I guess.Reading this book required a strong stomach, on two levels. First, reading about the horrific sexual abuse Mia suffered from her father as a toddler was hard to take. Working in a field where I hear stories like this hasn't immunized me, which is probably a good thing; and while I work to maintain some professional distance in the office, I tend to forget those skills when I'm reading a book. Second, I'm embarrassed to admit this because it sounds crassly irreverent and even heretical from someone in my field, but all the pop psychology got on my nerves. I had to keep reminding myself that these people had lived through terrible experiences and needed to learn relationship skills that may not apply to those of us with more mundane lives; however, repeatedly reading dialogue like "I want to give you some feedback -- I experience you as using humor and sarcasm to distance others," or "...as playing up your experiences so you can act as the drama queen or victim," etc. made me want to cringe. I find these kind of statements canned, not to mention intrusive, and would probably go nuts if a friend or family member of mine started talking this way on a regular basis.Having said that, this book was gripping and I literally couldn't put it down. The writing was great, and the story was highly affecting. I was inspired by Claire and Mia's strength and courage in living these experiences and then in writing so honestly about them.Or did they? Because, in the aftermath of "A Million Little Pieces," I suspect I'm not alone in reading dramatic memoirs with a bit of a cynical eye, especially since I wonder whether it's possible to actually remember all those details and not to be filling in any from one's imagination. James Frey stole my innocence, I guess.Overall, though, I think the book is worth reading if you can handle this type of material. I need a serious break, though -- bring on the chick lit, man!

I am surprised to say I actually kind of loved this book. "A mother and daughter's journey through hell and back" doesn't really sound like the kind of book I would normally read or enjoy. But when I slapped the cover closed after reading the last page, I took a deep sigh, counted my blessings, and vowed to be a better mom to these little kiddos of mine that I love so dang much.I think sometimes I am overly hard on my oldest daughter, trying to teach her to behave and calm down. This book made me love and celebrate the light and joy that constantly radiates from her. Yes she's super hyper a lot, but she's so HAPPY! And I'm so glad. I'm a lucky mom.My heart breaks for mothers everywhere that face the challenges of addiction and abuse addressed in this book.

I read this book after chatting with the author (Claire) by email. It was a gut-wrenching story for a mother to read. I can't imagine going through what she and her daughter experienced. Though it's non-fiction, it's definitely a page turner, with the reader crossing fingers, toes, and anything else crossable - praying that the story will not end in disaster.

I wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did, but I found the psychology of abuse and drug addiction and the dynamic between a single mother and her daughter fascinating. The story jumps back and forth between the mother's story and then the daughter will jump in with her perspective, so the book flips back and forth between them, which I thought would be gimmicky but actually works. So you get both sides of the story as Mia runs aways, they track her down, send her to a rehab/strict boarding school for addicts in Eastern Europe, then Utah and go through therapy and group therapy. By the end, I really found this book quite moving and hopeful- I can't actually think of an example I've seen in my own life of two people taking a hard look at themselves and deciding to change and spending years and years trying to do so. I also thought it was amazing the mother actually looked at her own behaviour and how that contributed to her daughter's drug addiction and set about changing her actions and approach to life -again, I've never seen a parent in a dysfunctional family scenario take responsibility and make a serious change. Anyways, for me, that made this story really amazing, and thought it really gave you a look into child abuse, drug addiction and where that can lead and how to get back from it.

a VERY powerful story of a daughter's battle through addiction and her mother's struggle to keep her safe and get her into an effective treatment program.

I am not one usually to read non-fiction, but this mother-daughter story "through hell and back" was a fantastic read.

This is a relatively intense memoir of a drug-addicted daughter and the lengths to which her loving, but controlling, mother went to save her. It was co-written by the mother and daughter.The daughter, Mia, was raped by her father as a small child. She didn’t really remember details as a teen-after but the long-buried pain caused her to act out and run away as a teenager. She lived in the streets, mostly in Indiana, and was raped again while passed out on drugs. Mia’s mother, Claire, and stepfather, Paul, were frantic w/ worry and moved heaven and earth to find her. Claire’s brother accidentally found Mia in Utah. Claire showed some real balls and sent Mia to a treatment program in the Czech Republic, of all places! Mia makes it sound as terrible as a Russian gulag.Then the story gets a little bit sappy for me: Mia and Claire both start working the therapy programs, w/ Claire figuring out that she was very cold and controlling and lived in her head too much (she was a screenwriter). Mia would put in some work but then break a rule and end up at Square 1 again; she didn’t want to succeed, out of fear.But all ends well, which feels too “and they lived happily ever after” to be real life. I didn’t really like Mia or Claire: they were very much alike in letting their fears keep them from their best lives. The story is gripping and told well, w/ the same story told in both Claire’s and Mia’s voices. I just thought it felt a little too scripted so give it 4 stars.

the daughter went through hell. The mother was inconvenienced

The book "Comeback", by Claire and Mia Fontaine was a very special and eye-opening book. This book was a story written by a mother and daughter, talking about how they each felt while going through a very difficult time. The daughter Mia, a smart, and beautiful girl goes from having good grades and hanging out with friends, to smoking drugs and roaming around Indiana. From Mia's point of view, it talks about how she needed to get away from her "seemingly perfect" life. Claire, Mia's mothers point of view was totally different. She was wondering how her daughter went from all A's, to running away. Throughout the book, you could vividly see how distraught Claire was, like any mother would be in this situation. It being a true story helped me see how even though such a tough time, they ended up closer than ever. Throughout the experience, you can see how both mother and daughter understand more about themselves and each other than ever. I found this book, looking through my high school English teachers bookshelf, and know that it can be found at most libraries around Los Angeles. In conclusion, this book was very enjoyable and entertaining.

Powerful memoir of a mother and daughter who struggle to fix their lives and their relationship. Mother and daughter co-author the book. Daughter's part is in italics and mother's part is regular print, so it's easy to follow.After running away from home multiple times, the daughter is sent to a boot-camp recovery program in Europe. She suffers from several issues, the biggest of all is the abuse she received from her biological father when she was young. With that baggage, she started doing drugs, cutting herself, and running away. While her language is a lot more colorful than I prefer (f-bombs on every page she narrates), I felt like I was in her mind and understood her. At the end, I feel her triumph.I also loved seeing the mother's side of the story and how she changed to make life better for her family. She didn't send her daughter off to another continent because she didn't want to deal with her, but because she didn't know how to. Part of the program she put her daughter into had its own program for the parents, which the mother went through successfully.The writing is beautiful, and although the journey was painful for them, I'm glad to have read it and learned more about how to have a successful relationship with my daughters.

My mom recommended this book to me. It somehow helped her figure some things out in her life, I believe through its representation of the group therapy process. I felt very close to the book for a different reason: the daughter's rehabilitation facility reminded me of the group home where I used to be a therapist (which also had a fast and unpredicted closing). I listened to this as an audiobook, and the readers portraying the mother and daughter give very good performances. I recommend 'reading' the book this way. It helps differentiate their stories, and it helped me connect with the characters as real people who I don't have to like all the time in order to appreciate them. There are no easy answers to life other than it takes hard work, dedication, and a little luck.

** spoiler alert ** This book changed my life. As someone who has gone through very similar things to Mia and has ended up in the same kind of places. This is an accurate portrayal. What people don’t understand is how hard it is to be a parent to someone struggling so hard. What these reviews I’m reading are missing is how real and raw it all is. It’s traffic and hard to get through. But that’s reality, the relationship between the mother and daughter is so moving and relatable. Being locked up somewhere creates resentment, but ultimately it’s the best decision. The decision to be sent away was the hardest and best decision of my life and I’m sorry but if you haven’t gone through it you may just never understand how beautiful and life changing this book was/is.