Overview

Untethered, A Memoir, explores Elizabeth Jane's life in England after leaving the Caribbean and the only parents she knew. She spent her first five years surrounded by family secrets that continue to affect her today. Emotionally unprepared, she sought security through hard work to achieve reputable goals. When her hopes that her marriage would provide the companionship and love she craves are dashed, she leaves England with her three children and moves to the United States.

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Reviews

A five star review by Ada Jenkins at Reader Views: Untethered, a Memoir by Elizabeth Jane Pryce, touches upon some harrowing subjects, some of which include physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. This is undoubtedly a memoir of personal triumph against the odds. The author never gives up on her quest for independence and self-actualization, managing to escape an abusive marriage, complete her English degree, and reclaim her independence. Playing the hand you've been dealt can be difficult, especially when the odds are stacked against you. Moving alone to England from the Caribbean in the 1960s, fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Jane Pryce is uprooted. Forced to navigate increasingly toxic relationships, particularly with her birth mother, Thea, she attempts to carve out a better future for herself and her children, overcoming many obstacles along the way. Elizabeth Jane Pryce's Untethered, a Memoir is unafraid to delve into the long-lasting impact of intergenerational trauma, emphasizing the importance of being free from the harmful influence of others, while also acknowledging that the road to freedom is anything but easy. Fans of memoirs and women-centered books are in for a treat with this one! The role of creativity is an intriguing subject that surfaces throughout the narrative. As a teenager, Pryce escapes into daydreams, which offer a much-needed break from the harsh realities of her stifling home life in Crawley. Fortunately, she is invited to stay at her aunt's house in Winterdown, near Surrey, on the weekends. She enjoys making up stories by the river and would often ""stare into the crackling fire and look for images with delight."" Being gifted with a storyteller's worldview at a young age seems to give the author a sense of individuality, providing an essential outlet for her emotions. A non-linear narrative structure offers plenty of space for reflection, with Pryce, at times, recounting childhood events through the perspective of an adult. An example of this would be the events leading up to a sexual assault. A conversation with her granddaughter triggers this painful memory, and these flashbacks mirror the experience of dealing with unprocessed trauma, where certain subjects or images trigger painful recollections from out of the blue. The inclusion of factual information creates a culturally relevant setting. For instance, when she attends Winston Churchill's funeral in 1965 and watches the procession of the coffin with her aunt. I found it interesting that some children, such as her friend, Susan, were often overlooked by teachers in school. This was due to a lack of educational support for slower learners at the time, with teachers being too busy to adapt their methods. Women's issues are at the forefront of this story. Subjects such as postnatal depression, marital breakdown, and dysfunctional mother/daughter relationships are explored with unflinching honesty. How to deal with the rage that arises in the aftermath of abuse is a difficult question to answer, with Pryce admitting that ""sudden, intense emotions can erupt, leaving us overwhelmed and out of control.""

Author Information

Elizabeth Jane Pryce was born in Dorset, England. Raised in the Caribbean, returned to England in 1964, where she went to school, married, and raised a family, before moving to Bellingham in 1991. She is a poet, Wild Child (2010), and publisher of The Blue Bottles Writing Studio: A Variety of Stories (2020). She is the author of two memoirs: Chosen (2022), about her early childhood in the Caribbean, and the five-star-awarded Untethered (2025), about her life in England. Elizabeth is working on her third memoir and runs a writing group and a blog: bluebottleswritingstudio.com

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