Full disclosure: I was given an eARC of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Content warning: this review discusses kidnapping, drugging, domestic abuse, and trauma.
Back in my Six Days in Detox review, I mentioned that I’ve read plenty of harrowing tales that stayed in my mind because of how well-written they were. What do I mean by that? It’s not just enough for the authors to articulate their stories into the written form. It’s all about how they are able to draw readers in and connect to them. That’s what makes their tales have a lasting impact. And reader, I found another one that I will remember for a long time. It’s called Lost My Mind Here Someplace: A Memoir by Arūnė Savage, and it’s a giant roller coaster of a ride in the best way possible.
Lost My Mind Here Someplace: A Memoir is a memoir about one woman’s immigration journey. Born in Lithuania and grew up in South Africa, Arūnė always wanted to go to the United States for a better future. Armed with nothing but an oversized suitcase and certain ideas of the American dream, she made her way to “Thelandofplenty,” but soon, she realizes that the nation is far more complicated and messy than she realized. While trying to obtain her US citizenship, Arūnė transforms from a naive girl to a woman ready to embrace her defects amidst the situations she finds herself in. This is a tale of survival through a fruitless search for one’s sanity and the need to achieve the American dream in one’s own way.
When I said that it’s a giant roller coaster ride, I truly meant that. She goes through a lot. I don’t want to give it all away, but here’s a quick rundown: she has an alcoholic father and an absent mother, got kidnapped twice, was homeless for a time, was drugged by a director while auditioning in New York City, and found herself in toxic relationships with plenty of men. I understand that this is not meant for everybody because of how intense it is. While I was reading this, I truly wondered, “How did she survive?”
Usually, I read about 20-30 pages a day per book. But with this one, I consumed 50 pages because it was so addicting. I needed to know how she made it in America. What kept me interested was her writing. Savage writes with humor and honesty. She is able to describe some situations as funny even when they were not like when she was deciding to pay the rent or get some pizza. I also felt for her when she described the abortions that she was forced to have when her partners didn’t want a child even though she did. In addition, she knows how to keep an audience interested. I knew I was going to be properly seated when I read the first chapter, in which she and some other people escaped after they got kidnapped and taken to Mozambique.
More importantly, it was Arūnė’s will to survive that made me want to read more of her memoir. In a harrowing tale like this, I would rather read about how someone pulls through after experiencing traumatic events as opposed to their suffering. That’s not to say people shouldn’t suffer. Suffering is a part of the experience, and Arūnė admits to that, especially when dealing with homelessness in New York City in the beginning and later with a husband who essentially forced her to stay inside their home in Los Angeles. It’s survival that drives people to get out, and Arūnė had that drive. It’s especially true when she went through the process of getting her US citizenship. As a natural born citizen, I knew that it took a long time to obtain that, but I didn’t realize how much money is needed and how many steps are involved. Arūnė wanted to stay in Thelandofplenty so much that she married two separate men to keep her green card. She was willing to do anything to live the American dream even if it wasn’t as romantic as she thought it was going to be.
Lost My Mind Here Someplace: A Memoir by Arūnė Savage is probably the most messed up memoir I’ve read for this website. But, it was still great. Savage has a knack for writing with humor and sincerity while also demonstrating a will to survive. I know I’ve said the following before, yet I’m going to say it again: I couldn’t believe what she went through. Savage genuinely proves that truth is stranger than fiction. While it’s not for everyone, I would recommend it to people who have been in toxic relationships, immigrants, and readers who want to know what the immigration experience is like in America. Lost My Mind Here Someplace: A Memoir is out now, so grab it wherever you get your books.
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Book Reviews by a Chick Who Reads Everything 