Customer Reviews

The Girl in the Orange Dress: Searching for a Father Who Does Not Fail

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm a big reader (I read about a book a week), and this is my all time favorite book I've ever read.
Read it. You'll love it.

I almost feel like I am just "piling on" by becoming the 17th reviewer to give this book 5 stars, with not even one lower recommendation. If ever there was a book deserving of such unanimity, however, this is it.

This is the story of a little girl who grew up with a loving adoptive family that actually expanded through the dissolution of divorce, but her underlying sense was always one of abandonment and the threat of further severing of ties. To respond, she built a shell, distancing herself from meaningful relationships and always, always searching for the ideal father she had never had. Ms. Starbuck's forthright description of the pain of that search and the way it was wonderfully completed is told with great humor as well as sensitivity.

For anyone who has adopted, has been adopted, or is considering adopting, this is a must read book. For those who may be in the middle of searching for that "father who does not fail," this is a must read book. And for all the rest of us who want to read more than just another memoir, this is a must read book.

In other words, buy it, read it, and share it with everyone you know.

Throughout her childhood, Margot Starbuck was always told that she was "chosen and special". She was adopted when she was just a few weeks old. Always thinking that her upbringing was nothing but happy and warm because she had so many people who loved her, reality hit her hard as an adult. Margot started to feel the pain of abandonment, from her birth father and her adoptive father, and her heavenly Father.

Margot was also going through life with a smile on her face to hide her pain all the while seeking to find the Father that she could trust. What amazed me the most was the fact that Margot studied theology at Princeton and she still struggled to realize that God loves her and God has chosen her and that she could trust Him. I find a lot of comfort in knowing that she had that type of struggle because I think a lot of people do, I know I did. I have a fairly simple faith, I tend not to dig too deep, but I really appreciate the depth of Margot's faith. I also admire her for never giving up on finding the answers she needed.

While I was reading this book, I did something that goes against my own rules - I dog-eared pages and underlined passages I wanted to remember. There are so many powerful and important lessons for all of us in this book. I especially liked her Tootsie Pop analogy that she used; "I was sooo Tootsie Pop", Margot says, "The lickin' I'd been taking felt interminable, and now it felt like I was being crunched up and spit out."
Margot has had to deal with not just emotional pain in her life, but physical pain as well. She has had pain in her feet for years and sought healing anywhere she could find it. With all my fibromyalgia issues, I can certainly relate to her pain. I also admire her tremendously for working so hard and praying for relief from her pain. She never stopped having faith that she would find help for her pain.

I really enjoyed this book. It is very open and frank, which I'm sure was difficult for Margot, but I know anyone who reads The Girl in the Orange Dress will appreciate her honesty. I know I will use her wisdom and her experiences to help me through those days when I am wondering where God is. I will come back again and again to this book. I feel like I have a new friend in Margot. Get yourself a copy of this book and take this journey with Margot. It will leave you feeling more loved by your Father than you could possibly imagine.

The Girl in the Orange Dress grabbed me and held on 'till the very last word. Margot has such a refreshing voice! She's honest about her failings (as well as those of her family) and her doubts, but at the same time, she shares her journey of grace and faith in a loving Father God with conviction. Her humor shines on each page, as does her eclectic spirit. Highly recommended!

When The Girl In The Orange Dress arrived in the mail from Amazon, I opened it and read it cover to cover in one sitting. It is so amazing. So well written! I cried like never before and when I say that I mean technically: my tear ducts just opened and tears poured down in a stream. I wasn't sobbing, just a steady stream coming out like I could feel my tear ducts open and stay open. I was overcome with every emotion. I am so sad for Margot's sadness and so happy for Margot's discoveries. Everyone will benefit intellectually and spiritually from this book. It is a journey in the sense of "becoming" as within a type of process theology told through Margot's intelligent, funny, open, personal sharing of her story. While Margot's willingness to bring us into the depths of her alienation and longing act to bring the reader within the Lacanian discussion of forever "being" that same little person put out in the world needing a loving parent to merely survive let alone feel loved in the world during the difficult self discovery and attachment process. Whatever your stripe, Margot's book will speak to you. Now, I need to read it all over again!

As Margot Starbuck searches for a father who does not fail, she gives us the rare privilege of a story that points to a deep, holostic, and vibrant gospel. In a world of shallow answers and "smiley" faith, Margot narrates a real journey into the heart of God -- full of tears, joy, heartbreak, mistakes, and grace -- which is ultimately what we need. Margot has a theologian's depth and a storyteller's style, which gives this book extraordinary insight along with beautiful style. How often does a book make you laugh and cry and also give you a deep view into the human soul and into human society? Not often enough -- which makes a book like this that does these things a true delight!

This book is a little over-hyped, but it truly is a very good and well-written book. It's not normally what I would have read last year, but I decided to give the book a try after I saw the author speak at my college about her book. This book was very entertaining and interesting, but it's still not what I would read over and over again.

I think people who have/are considering adoption should read this book. Mrs. Starbuck beautifully covered some of the concerns about growing up in an adopted and divorced family. In her childhood, she had discribed herself as "chosen and special," but reality of her adult life had jarred her very deeply. This realization is quite stunning for the overall message.

This book had a lot of humor about very sensitive issues. I think some parts would have been really hard to read if there wasn't any humor in it. Some parts could have needed less humor in it, but overall it was an enjoyable book. Parts of the book were quite sad, but other parts were very happy. Some parts of the book felt slightly preachy on the subject of religion, and that was the main part that I didn't like too much.

Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who would loves memoirs and books about self-discovery.

What a delightful read! I laughed, cried, cheered and nodded. Even if you were not adopted it speaks volumes about relationships. I admire Margot's candor and humor! Loved reading about her struggles as a Christian while so many others sugar coat things! Some of my favorite key phrases--"plain white paper girl", "personal policy", "Tammy Faye Bakker", "apples and goats", "electric orange muumuu", "Tootsie Pop" and "canoe liability insurance". Overall, this is a very compelling memoir.

Everyone needs security of one kind or another. Financial security, spiritual security, emotional security and physical security are among the top needs in a persons life. This young woman was wearing an orange dress that her mother had bought for her on the day that she was given to her adoptive parents. She did have a good home for her first few yrs., but then a break in her parents marriage left her with a long distance father and later a couple more step fathers. Through these years she needed the security of a constant, loving, present father that would never leave her and always help her when needed. It took many years for her to find him and along the way she found her biological parents. This is her true story of her search and the joy of finding this very perfect Father. It is very readable. The author is very open about her feelings, struggles,and
attempts to accomplish this feat. It is a very common need of many in today's society and it's many divorces. Thus it draws it's readers personaly into her search It is very worth your time to read.

The Girl In The Orange Dress contains all of the elements I love in a memoir, great writing, I laughed and cried, I learned and became more aware, more sensitive, and was deeply engaged in the story.