Summary

"Call Me Tuesday" is a poignant and disturbing coming-of-age story set in the American South, narrated from the perspective of Tuesday Storm, a young girl enduring a childhood marred by emotional and physical abuse. The narrative unfolds in Spring Hill, Tennessee, during the 1970s, within a family grappling with the aftermath of a tragic event—the death of Tuesday’s half-sister, Audrey, who suffered from polio. Tuesday's mother, Rose, is mentally unstable after the accident, displacing her guilt, grief, and anger, she directs it all towards Tuesday, blaming her for Audrey's death and subjecting her to constant cruelty.

The novel explores themes of guilt, identity, and the search for normalcy amid dysfunction. Rose, a woman obsessed with beauty and societal expectations, relentlessly criticizes Tuesday's appearance, further eroding the young girl's self-esteem. The abuse escalates over the years, involving not only emotional manipulation and verbal attacks but also physical violence, leading to a progressive isolation of Tuesday from her brothers and the outside world. In desperate attempts to survive, Tuesday resorts to desperate measures, as wearing a mask to hide her face and consuming non-food items like paper, to cope with the emotional turmoil.

The narrative also delves into Tuesday's complex relationship with her father, Nick, a high school teacher and coach, who is aware of the abuse but unable or unwilling to protect her, trapped between his love for his wife and his duty to his daughter. Despite his occasional acts of kindness and support, Nick's passivity contributes to Tuesday's sense of abandonment and fuels her resentment. As Tuesday grows older, she begins to understand the extent of the injustice she's suffering and starts to push back, culminating in a violent confrontation with Rose. The act prompts a series of events that ultimately lead to Tuesday's removal from the home and placement with her aunt Macy in Nashville, a move that offers her a chance at a new life. She grapples with how to build a new life when all that she is is a compilation of the trauma she had experienced

In Nashville, Tuesday confronts the challenges of adjusting to a new environment and forming meaningful relationships, hampered by the emotional scars of her past. Though surrounded by relative love and support, she continues to battle feelings of guilt and worthlessness, resorting to harmful coping mechanisms. As she navigates adolescence, Tuesday's desire to be accepted and loved leads her down a dangerous path, testing her resilience and her ability to break free from the cycle of abuse. However, she decides to use her experiences for her own good and helps others. With all of her experiences, she finds strength within to become more than her past and build a future for herself.

Ultimately, "Call Me Tuesday" is a story of survival and the enduring power of the human spirit. It offers a raw and unflinching portrayal of child abuse and its lasting effects, while also exploring the complexities of family dynamics and the possibility of healing and self-discovery.