The Heart is Deceitful Above all Things

J T LeRoy

Shocking, disturbing, unpleasant was my reaction to these stories of a dysfunctional mother's abusive relationship with her son. Other people have described it as heartbreaking, strange and even magical. Be warned, this collection of linked autobiographical stories hold no punches about the extremes of physical, mental and sexual abuse.

Extract

The ones that buy me candy don't last long. The ones that slap her last longer, but not as long as the ones that beat her with their fists and me with their belt. We live in the car, driving until she meets the next one. Sometimes she tells him about me, her brother. Sometimes I'm her sister. 'Men like girls not boys,' she says. 'Yo wanna come inside, don't ya?'

Parallels