It’s been nearly a month since Jill Duggar published her debut memoir — and her family is still curiously quiet on the topic.
Not surprisingly, Jill’s parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, lashed out against the book before it was even published.
But her many brothers and sisters have mostly decided to steer clear of the controversy.
Jed Duggar condemned Jill’s memoir, but the others have declined to weigh in at all.
The few who have remarked on the situation have rather curiously claimed that they haven’t even read the book.
During a recent YouTube Q&A session, Joy-Anna Duggar said that she intends to read the book but hasn’t gotten around to it yet.
Jinger Duggar offered a similar excuse, claiming that she plans to pick up a copy of her sister’s literary debut, but she’s been busy with other matters.
“I always hold out hope,” she said. “I mean, I think that with Christ, nothing’s impossible. So I hold out hope that one day our relationship will be in a much healthier place than it is even right now.”
“I am eager to,” Jinger said in an interview with Tamron Hall.
“Jill’s a brave girl,” she continued.
“And I think her coming out and telling her story … I know that is the hardest thing to do.”
That’s high praise, but really — why hasn’t Jinger read her sister’s memoir.
It’s been out for a month, and it’s only around 270 pages long.
We’re sure Jinger has a lot on her plate, but something else is going on here.
Not surprisingly, critics were quick to accuse Jinger of failing to support her sister during a very vulnerable time.
But it turns out that Jill harbors no ill will toward Jinger or any of the Duggars who have chosen to side-step this particular controversy by remaining silent.
After all, if there’s anyone who understands the fearsome power of Jim Bob, it’s Jill.
“I kind of refrain from saying specifically who is like in our corner and who’s still sorting things out,” Jill told CNN in a recent interview.
“[Jinger] doesn’t care that I say anything, but she’s been very supportive and very positive,” she continued.
“And then some of the other ones have been supportive behind closed doors. I just know for them and the space that they’re in, they have to be careful.”
While fans might continue to wish that Jinger would speak out on Jill’s behalf, the situation is nuanced, delicate, and potentially dangerous.
Escaping a cult is no easy feat, and Jill seems to understand that her siblings need to protect themselves however they see fit.
If that means pretending they haven’t read her book, then so be it.
We’re sure Jill understands that her brothers and sisters have already endured enough controversy for one lifetime.