From the time of Kartya's arrival in Australia the family had a struggle on their hands. She was moody, self-contained, silent, she had mood swings and an uncontrollable anger. She was so totally different from their other three children. They had trouble bridging the horrors her life took living on the streets - paint sniffing, smoking pot & heroin. In short they were afraid for her life.

To be honest I found the first 2 chapters hard to get through, but after them I didn't put the book down. This book has something that only one other book I've read about adoption has and that is heart wrenching, high voltage deep down EMOTION. The other book was called "Death by Adoption".

Kartya's story let it all hang out. Nola didn't gloss over mind-blowing stuff as a "family hiccup", it was straight, warts and all. The frustration!! So many writers leave it out thinking maybe if they call their child or parents bitches or wish they would just go away someone will think them a bad parent or child. Whatever, stories on adoption are so lacking on emotion, frustration and the sense of loss and confusion the depth of despair.

They are usually so wishy - washy, so nothing. Not this book. This family were only to aware one can't put a round peg in a square hole, they were also aware it was their daughter's basic human right to know where she came from.