I finished reading "Loving Amy" a few days ago.
First of all, Janis is quite an impressive woman. She may appear a little demure, but she's actually quite the lioness. Strong, independent, full of resolve.
I was a little dissapointed that very few stories recounted were new to us. In fact, if you have read Mitch's book and are familiar with Amy's ilife, many of these stories seeem identical in their narrative, as if they have been rehearsed or discussed many a time, or picked and rewritten form other sources. I can understand that her parents didn't know everything about Amy, and so have to piece her life back together form different interviews, newspaper articles etc. So some of it doesn't seem completely genuine because not first hand accounts.
This book is better writtent than Mitch's, and much less rushed.
It's also more honest. Janis doesn't try to make excuses for Amy, she tells it as it is. For example, she's no fool, St Lucia's jazz festival concert was not cut short due to weather conditions, which was a cover-up, but clearly because Amy was drunk.
Janis also discusses Amy's eating disorders.
I found it interesting that she addresses Amy's public personas (and fake accents), her thumb-sucking and acting like a kid, and surrounding herself with children.
It's interesting how little Janis mentioned Blake or Dionne.
I was heartbroken at how distant they had become in Amy's final years and how Amy hurt Janis by calling other women "mummy" and not really acknowledging her.
I thought it was refreshing that Janis mentions more than once that Amy had mental issues underlying the addictions, a need for control, and that all her "rehab" stints were doomed attempts because she never tried real rehab, the one where they get you to dig deep and analyse what your triggers are and what the source of the problem is.
All in all it's much more realistic than Mitch's book. Possibly because Janis knew Amy well having always been by her side for most of her ife. Maybe because she's more pragmatic than Mitch, and also because she's had more time to digest her death and look back on things.
It's a good read.
Strangely, I hardly cried at this one, whereas I was in tears throughout Mitch's book.
