‘Out Of Chaos’ is a compelling autobiographical read, written with honesty in a matter-of-fact style that makes reading this somewhat discomfiting story still a quite comfortable experience.
The title of this book is no lie: it is a story of family dysfunction, homelessness, crime and abuse experienced by a young woman who had the strength to then reclaim and rebuild her life. It is a cautionary tale about how easy it can be to fall so far that it’s hard to get back up, but it is also a story that would give hope to anyone in similar situations.
Mott neither glorifies the less-than-stellar choices and actions of her misguided youth nor begs for the reader’s pity as she tells her story, but does evoke a great deal of understanding and empathy in the reader as her life is pulled into a downward vortex from which she cannot escape. The moments of resolve and the decisive actions that Elle takes as a result position the reader to share her hope of a better life and to almost will her to make it work, despite the fact that they are reading the story in past tense.
Despite the bleakness of its beginning and the despair encountered as the story continues, the overall tone and the message of this book are positive and life-affirming.
‘Out Of Chaos’ has been awarded a Gold Acorn.
Find your copy here.
It takes a particular kind of person to embrace the challenges of living in the more isolated parts of coastal Alaska, and to not only survive but thrive on the landscape and lifestyle that it presents.
This is a story of cultures confronting one another and the tension between tradition and innovation that follows. When a young woman travels to work in a traditional community that has just begun to embrace tourism, she discovers the different interests and motivations that cause ripples and turbulent undercurrents in Lugu Lake.
