HILLBILLY GOTHIC A Memoir of Madness and Motherhood

Members of Adrienne Martini's Appalachian family had not escaped postpartum depression for generations. She had hoped her childbirth experience would be different--free of the subsequent darkness of depression she so feared. But not only did she ultimately succumb to it, she became institutionalized. Christina Moore guides the listener through Martini's struggles with motherhood, mental illness, and institutional treatment. Moore's emotional performance testifies to Martini's terrifying spiral into despair as she loses her grip on reality and the ability to care for her baby or herself. So authentic is Moore's depiction that listeners may be convinced she has experienced this nightmare herself. Her powerful storytelling cadence escorts the listener on a terrifying journey through the unknown territory that Martini ultimately triumphed over. B.J.P. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2008]