Memoir Review: Educated by Tara Westover
A Memoir Review Through the Fairytale Lens
It’s strange how you give the people you love so much power over you.
—Tara Westover
At first glance, fundamentalist survivor memoirs might seem like the dark, dystopian cousins of Hallmark Christmas movies. Swap out the cozy small town for an apocalyptic landscape with controlling parents, toss in a hefty dose of fearmongering, and you’ve got endless variations on the same theme—except no two survivors, no two families, and no two belief systems are ever exactly alike.
Tolstoy nailed it:
All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
—Leo Tolstoy
When twisted theology runs the show, every decision feels like life or death. Survivors of these worlds grow up under a constant, fictional ticking clock—whether it’s called the apocalypse, the time of trouble, or the desolation—the label doesn’t matter. It’s the looming doom that leaves its mark.
Regardless of denomination, the fundamentalist ingredients rarely change—distrust of the outside world, belief in impending catastrophe, stockpiling supplies, and rejecting medical care. It’s a recipe for isolation and control, all disguised as righteousness.
The themes might repeat, but the details are new. Crack open any of these memoirs, and a unique story unravels every time.
Tara Westover’s Educated checks all the familiar boxes—religious extremism, isolation, end-times prepping—but it ups the ante with a reckless, accident-prone father, a neglectful mother, and an abusive sibling to keep things harrowing. If you’re looking for a memoir packed with blood, broken bones, gaslighting, spiritual manipulation, and a heavy dose of scapegoating, this one delivers.
How Does Educated Align with the Fairytale Lens?
1. A Hero Who Transforms
What sets Tara apart from her parents is her sincerity—her unshakable curiosity in a family where questioning the status quo invites punishment. Long before she found her wings, she was already a hero—a little girl quietly challenging the madness swirling around her. Watching her resist the lies, even as a child, makes her eventual escape all the more rewarding. This isn’t just a story of leaving—it’s a story of transformation, of reclaiming her mind and spirit from the grip of emotional and spiritual control.
2. A Villain Who Neglects or Abuses
These parents choose ignorance at every turn—refusing to see beyond their own warped worldview. Their misadventures could rival the worst Disney villains, except the damage they cause isn’t animated or exaggerated. The wounds they inflict on themselves and their children are all too real.
3. A Fairy Godmother Who Empowers
While most of her family perpetuates the dysfunction, Tara’s oldest brother Tyler is one of the first people who encourages her to pursue an education. He leaves home, goes to college, and plants that initial seed in Tara’s mind—that there’s another way to live.
4. A Kindred Spirit for Companionship
In an isolated family, childhood friends are often limited to siblings. For Tara, her brother Shawn was that friend—protective and playful, taking her on motorcycle rides and making her laugh. They shared real moments of connection, where he treated her with kindness and loyalty. But in a cruel plot twist, that bond unraveled. His protectiveness turned possessive, then violent. The person she once trusted became one of her greatest sources of pain. There’s nothing sadder than realizing your kindred spirit was a mirage.
5. A Life-and-Death Struggle
Tara’s memoir stands out because her entire family stumbles from one life-and-death crisis to the next—most sparked by her father’s impulsiveness and recklessness. Surviving childhood feels like a miracle. But the real battle begins after she leaves home, as Tara fights for her sanity—still navigating the emotional and spiritual abuse her parents continue to dish out.
6. A Three-Act Story
Tara’s memoir naturally falls into a classic three-act structure. First, the childhood stories—full of danger, isolation, and fundamentalist control. Then comes Act Two—leaving home, struggling to blend into society and navigate university life, all while carrying the weight of her upbringing. Finally, the third act zeroes in on her internal battle to know and accept herself, even as her father relentlessly tries to destroy her sense of self, dismissing her accomplishments and autonomy at every turn.
7. Magical or Spiritual Elements
There’s not much here in the way of miracles or magic—perhaps because Tara’s parents have weaponized magical thinking into a life-threatening art form. Any glimmers of faith or wonder are overshadowed by their fanatical beliefs, leaving little room for genuine spirituality.
8. An Ending that Resonates
Anyone who’s dealt with fundamentalist parents will instantly recognize Tara’s struggle. Her attempts to reach, reason with, and educate her narrow-minded parents are both heartbreaking and chilling. It’s hard to imagine people so fiercely committed to ignorance they’d tear down their own daughter simply for outgrowing their small world and daring to think differently. Tara’s real triumph isn’t just her education—it’s how she stands firm in her values, even when reconciliation with her parents proves impossible.
In the end, Educated isn’t just about escaping a dystopian fairytale—it’s proof that even when the wicked spell won’t break, you can still walk away, write your own ending, and live to tell the tale.
What I Love About This Memoir
Tara found her education, but it wasn’t handed to her—it was clawed for, earned inch by inch. And she wears the victory wreath with both dignity and humility.
Tara’s vulnerability in telling her story—even as her parents actively work to discredit her—touched my writer’s heart. I know that girl. I’ve been her.
As much as I admire Tara’s triumph, there were moments I had to physically close the book. The injury scenes are brutal—almost too much to stomach. This raises an important question for any memoirist writing about abuse or violence—how do we tell the truth without making our readers feel like they need to come up for air?
Educated is not for the faint of heart. It will challenge you, anger you, maybe even exhaust you. But by the end, it leaves you with something essential—hope, hard-won and defiant, proving that even in the hardest soil, something resilient can grow.
I want to get multiple copies from your own website! Looking forward to this next step!