someone's daughter

One of the most prominent voices of her generation opens with a deeply moving story about a childhood marked by the absence of her imprisoned father, and the path we must take to honor and overcome our roots. Ashley has always valued her father. Although she has only vague memories of ever seeing him in person, she believes he is the only person in the entire world who understands her. She believes she understands him, too. He is as sensitive as she is, artistic, and perhaps just as afraid of the dark as she is. She is certain that one day they will meet again, and she will finally feel whole. Few are her prisoners, and she has no idea what he did to end up there. Faced with poverty, adulthood, and a strained relationship with her mother, Ashley turns to her father for hope and encouragement. She doesn't know how to deal with the constant anxiety that robs her of sleep, or the physical changes that attract unwanted male attention. In her search for unconditional love, Ashley begins dating a boy her mother hates; When the relationship turns sour, he assaults her. Ashley is still traumatized by the rape, which she keeps secret from her family, and finally discovers why her father is incarcerated. This is where the real story begins. Someone's daughter enters the world of a poor Black girl growing up, exploring how isolating and complicated such a childhood can be. As Ashley struggles with her body and her environment, she offers poignant memories of adulthood that embody finding the connections between who you are, what you were born into, and the often complicated familial love that binds them together.