Review: Carnival Girl by Sonja Herbert

Carnival Girl
by Sonja Herbert

Published by: Cedar Fort
Released on: June 12th, 2012
Paperback
205 Pages
Rating: 4/5







   First, let me start of by saying that Carnival Girl is a memoir. I think in knowing this, it made the story a little more personal to me. Carnival Girl takes place on the road, with many different stops in between. Just the sound of being a carnie might sound like a fun and frivolous adventure for some, but that certainly isn't the case for a family life.
  Sonja first explains that her mother (Mutti) had to stay hidden and out of the way from the war and all the negative things that unfortunately came with being a Jew at that time. Mutti was a strong woman, regardless and although I can't say that I always agreed with her parenting skills, she had a backbone that would break concrete and took care of all her children well.
  As I read into the childhood of Sonja and her life of traveling in a caravan, no heat, and just enough food to make it at times, then to find out about her and her siblings jumping in and out of schools so they could continue traveling while maintaining some sort of normalcy, not to mention having to work in the carnival themselves, only left me with an open heart of love for her. Sonja, being as young as she was, was introduced to God and at times, when things got almost unbearable for her, would turn to prayer. And sometimes, that's all you can do. I praise her and applaud this woman. Carnival Girl is a story of heartache and hope.



Received for review purposes from the publisher.