The Three Burials of Lotty Kneen by Krissy Kneen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When Krissy Kneen was a speaker at my authors’ group a few months ago, I was intrigued by her latest book. I’ve read some of Krissy’s work before. While I love the way she writes, I confess that I find explicit erotica confronting. So, when she said this was a quest of discovery to find her roots in a faraway land, accompanied by bucketful of family secrecy and a good slather of quirkiness, I was hooked.

The memoir does not disappoint. In fact, I couldn’t put it down. Krissy’s storytelling is sublime. Her research tour of Slovenia and Egypt is thorough and personally risky. Gaps are filled with possibilities, family lies and fairy tales.

Her metaphors are spot on; one I loved was the dream of Lotty Kneen, reincarnated as a snake.

She is coiled up in a dark place … she is coiled in the belly of her granddaughter. Big belly, big enough to hold the long snaking form she has become. The grit of rock, the crackle of grass, the heat of the sun.

This wonderful, uplifting story about personal discovery, grieving, and the pursuit of truth is highly recommended.