Review: Small Fry by Lisa Brennan-Jobs, Eileen Stevens (Narrator)

Summary from Goodreads:

A frank, smart and captivating memoir by the daughter of Apple founder Steve Jobs.

Born on a farm and named in a field by her parents--artist Chrisann Brennan and Steve Jobs--Lisa Brennan-Jobs's childhood unfolded in a rapidly changing Silicon Valley. When she was young, Lisa's father was a mythical figure who was rarely present in her life. As she grew older, her father took an interest in her, ushering her into a new world of mansions, vacations, and private schools. His attention was thrilling, but he could also be cold, critical and unpredictable. When her relationship with her mother grew strained in high school, Lisa decided to move in with her father, hoping he'd become the parent she'd always wanted him to be.


Small Fry is Lisa Brennan-Jobs's poignant story of a childhood spent between two imperfect but extraordinary homes. Scrappy, wise, and funny, young Lisa is an unforgettable guide through her parents' fascinating and disparate worlds. Part portrait of a complex family, part love letter to California in the seventies and eighties, Small Fry is an enthralling book by an insightful new literary voice.

Review:


I do not read a lot of nonfiction but when I do it tends to be memoirs. I randomly stumbled upon this one and decided to pick it up because of the recent film about Steve Jobs. I wanted to see if it was accurate or not. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the writing and the audiobook. 

What I Liked:

Writing Style. I found myself really connecting with Brennan-Jobs writing. I did not know what to expect from this memoir and was impressed with how beautiful her prose turned to out to be. I'm hoping that Lisa Brennan-Jobs will write more novels in the future! 

Audiobook. I picked up the audiobook from my library and managed to finish in only a handful of days. I found myself constantly listening to it because of the well-done prose and the great narrator. I'll be checking more with Eileen Stevens in the future (she also narrates the Dumplin' audiobook). 

What I Disliked:

It is hard to find faults with memoir, most of all when it is so well-written because I don't feel like I can judge someone else's story. 

Format. The only thing I struggled with was the structure of the novel. It was confusing how much time was passing throughout the memoir. I had to rewind parts of the audiobook because I would get lost every so often. 

I recommend checking out this well-written memoir, it was intriguing and easy to read. 

Rating:

4.5 Stars Out of 5 Stars.