I would not give this book a star less . It deserves 5 stars . Deborah Spungen deserves an award for best mother hands down ! Her family deserves an award for the sacrafices they made and for loving their sister in spite of all she said an did . Love doesn't desert , it endures , an this family did that . First I want to bring up two things . Critics said Nancy was drawn to punk music for the rebellious nature of it and Deborah said :) " no they were wrong , Nancy was drawn to the music , the music was The Flame for nancy ". She knew her daughter well . When Nancy gives her mother a card she writes , I love you mommy , and u know why . Inspite of Nancy's sickness she knew her mother was the one who who would not give up . I read about two year old Nancy at nighttime ! I could not believe what I was reading - I thought am i I reading about the spawn of the devil ? This book is vivid as as it gets . This book made me sad , smile , cry , an cry again . A page turner I couldn't put the book down . The darkness they her family had to live in and Nancy's pain being worse than all the darkness . I read the book wanting to know more about the girl behind the murder an got to know a whole family . I know this book may not touch people the way it touched me but Nancy , her family , an Deborah will never be forgotton by me . I would prefer to say this verbally because I have too much to say about this book . All her feelings are so honest . She is so eloquent . She is even funny in light of the situation . When nancy was perky giving presents or getting them or saying thank your cheerfully for her sister Suzy's cookies I would cry And smile then become sad because her happiness wouldn't last . To live in so much pain as she did an her mother trying to help her survive as long as she could never giving up but wanting to but never doing it . She is a class act ! Deborah , waking up day an night , accepting all phone calls , finding facilities for Nancy . Her patience , never mocking nancy , or hitting her . Above all knowing Nancy . Knowing Nancy enough to know that she was capable of asking Sid to stab her if he loved her . I believe that scenario more than the other probes . Because I got to know Nancy well an her mother well . I loved this whole book . I love the family even more . Nancy will never leave my mind when it comes to fiction or non fiction . I've read about Gia , Marilyn Monroe , Frances Farmer , they stuck , but Nancy really super glued herself there . Her pain only brought my compassion . I of course relate to Nancy - my situation not being as bad as hers but I have alot in common with her - not two year old Nancy but everything else minus the great family an the great mom . This little baby must have gone into her mothers room at some point to name everything in her closet . Scary . But Deborah talks of how Nancy scared her but never let that stop her from trying everything to help her daughter . Her baby . Her feelings are honest an she is so brave . I don't know how to give a review that's not personal - it's all up for discussion for me . I can talk about this book all day ! I use this book as an example in alot of things - random things even . I heard that Frank , Nancy's father past away . I was very sad an said a prayer an glad to know they were still together in the end . Now I hear that Deborah had major surgery an she is resting . Suzy is a cook an has cookbooks , she goes by Susan now . David is still living , ill have to find out more about him :) Nancy saw everything - even her future . It's like being told u have a terminal disease an u are just going through the motions waiting to die . I feel in my gut she asked Sid to stab her . Her blaze of glory was due . She didn't want it a day late . In spite of her sickness I know that Nancy got it . She knew her mother didn't give up . Also I love how Deborah says Nancy liked being middle class :) if her parents were living in a car or weren't the go getters that they were Nancy would have a profanity field day ! I know in the end with asking all the time to her family , to her mother " do u love me " . I know she knew she was loved inspite if herself . She seemed so intelligent , an knowing , almost an indigo child . I'm so glad I got this book an it got to me speedily , I could not wait to read it ! I will never forget this harrowing story . Never forget this family . Never forget Deborah :) Frank too who is with Nancy as I write this in heaven with a Nancy that's not in pain . I want to say an talk about everything in this book an it's worth talking about everything . To me Deborah did everything right . Her whole family did :) Read more