5 stars for Confessions of A Bi-Polar Mardi Gras Queen by Marie Etienne @MEstorge #memoir #bipolar
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  • N. N. Light
    • Dec 4, 2020
    • 3 min read

5 stars for Confessions of A Bi-Polar Mardi Gras Queen by Marie Etienne @MEstorge #memoir #bipolar



Title: Confessions of A Bi-Polar Mardi Gras Queen

Author: Marie Etienne

Genre: Memoir, Mental Illness


Book Blurb:


Midwest Book Review says, "Mardi Gras is supposed to be an epic celebration, yet it was one part of the puzzle that sent Marie Etienne between two extremes. "Confessions of a Bi-Polar Mardi Gras Queen" is Marie's second memoir, dropping true stories of her life that read like fiction and give the reader much empathy with Marie's bipolar condition. She also hopes to inspire others with her will as a mother and woman of the world, and "Confessions of a Bi-Polar Mardi Gras Queen" is a fine execution of that goal." Marie Etienne, author of STORKBITES: A Memoir, returns with a collection of outrageous true stories that are fast-paced, heartfelt, and brutally honest.CONFESSIONS OF A BI-POLAR MARDI GRAS QUEEN is filled with thematically connected stories that swing between hilarity and devastation. One of nine children growing up in a well-to-do family in Southern Louisiana, Marie Etienne spent decades risking everything in her search for happiness, sanity, and love. As an adult, her increasingly erratic behavior mirrored the drama of her upbringing and took its toll on her two sons. At 43, recently diagnosed as bi-polar and on the brink of suicide, her last-ditch hope was to come to terms with her deep-rooted feelings of fear, shame, and resentment by facing head-on who she really was, who she wanted to be, and what she was willing to do to make her life worth living. Etienne explores the themes of love versus lust, the legacy of abuse and mental illness, the impact of murder and suicide among her siblings, and the redemptive powers of faith, forgiveness, and courage. Marie Etienne has written a book that reveals the unstoppable drive of a woman determined to forge her own path through the world. Praise for Confessions of a Bi-Polar Mardi Gras Queen: "Marie Etienne has not lived an ordinary life, as the title of her second memoir suggests. Born into a wealthy family, she endured the untimely deaths of her alcoholic parents, the murder and suicide of two brothers, her own severe depression and a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Nevertheless, Etienne has come back from the abyss and is anxious to help others through her inspirational stories of survival." -- Karen Jones of Publishers Weekly Show Daily, May 2008 "Not everyone can pull of a Trifecta of overcoming promiscuity, alcohol abuse, and towering rage as consequences of an abusive Louisiana childhood. In her second book, Marie Etienne shares her trials and victories with humor, compassion, and insight. Etienne's candor always leaves me breathless with both envy and amazement, and her writing skills make for an enjoyable and revelatory read." -- Peggy Vincent, Baby Catcher: Chronicles of a Modern Midwife "Marie Etienne has written a brutally frank and captivating memoir that will have readers rooting for her at each step along the way in her quest to attain balance and confidence in her life and overcome years of dysfunction and insecurity." -- Wendy Nelson Tokunaga, Love In Translation


My Review:


Marie Etienne returns with an emotionally charged memoir. This time, she’s sharing something very personal: mental illness. In vignettes ranging from hilarious to downright sad, Marie talks frankly about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Join her as she details the lowest points in her life and how she climbed out of the abyss into the light of day. Her journey is one you can relate to and make your own changes to be the person you want to be.


Confessions of A Bi-Polar Mardi Gras Queen is an uplifting memoir. You may not believe me at first when you read what Marie has gone through in her life. Sure, she’s bipolar and was suicidal at one point, but through her sheer determination, Marie Etienne inspires others dealing with mental illness. Her analogy of the rabbit seeking happiness by chasing her own tail is insightful and shows how far she’s come. If you’re struggling with mental illness, this book is for you. If love reading memoirs, this book is for you. If you want to laugh, cry, scream out in frustration, be inspired to change your life, read Confessions of A Bi-Polar Mardi Gras Queen. Highly recommend!


My Rating: 5 stars


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Author Biography:


Marie Estorge is a member of the Squaw Valley Community of Writers. Her essays have appeared in numerous publications, including the San Francisco Chronicle, East Bay Times, and Diablo Magazine. She has published two memoirs, Storkbites: A Memoir and Confessions of a Bi-Polar Mardi Gras Queen, under the name Marie Etienne. Marie lives in Northern California with her two sons. When Marie is not writing or performing accounting for clients, she enjoys springboard diving, reading, movies, and art.


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Reviewed by: Mrs. N

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