I did more than enjoy this book about Helena (Lena) Hunter who has just been released from prison. The book actually opens on her last night in prison, and that's when we get a glimpse into her life "inside," where she was known only as "Lucky." This was a persona she created solely to survive.

Lena's reintegration to freedom is not easy as prison was difficult. Her original five-year sentence was stretched to eight because of events that happened within the walls, and she struggles daily to remember that the skills that kept her alive in prison will lead her back there. Her reunion with her family is equally interesting, as she served time for killing her maternal grandmother. While some relatives understand what happened, some clearly do not, and Lena is not in a rush to talk about it. The most heart-wrenching reunion, though, is with her 14-year-old daughter, who never saw her while she was away.

The book seamlessly takes the reader from Lena's life on the inside, to her life on the outside, and then back to life before prison and to the events that led up her prison sentence. While I am normally not fond of books that jump back and forth (especially among three different places in time), Ms. Little does this so effortlessly that the reader is easily transported to each scene.

Ms. Little's pacing could not be better. In the scenes leading up to Lena's imprisonment, there is a sense of foreboding. In the prison scenes, there is a sense of urgency. And in the scenes during her parole period, you can feel Lena's unease and anxiety about how to survive on the outside after being institutionalized.

This was an excellent book about a multi-faceted character who is inspirational, yet heart-breaking. I couldn't read it fast enough.

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