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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
After she escape came out in the media in the US I have been following her as much as possible for her story, insights, and everything else. Finally her book came out and then came out in english and I jumped on it. This woman knows how to tell her story putting in just the right amount of details and while keeping parts of her ordeal still private and not for the world. I can't wait to see what else she does in her life now.
This won't win any prizes for literary merit, but that's really not what it's about. It came up on Bookmooch and I thought it would be worth reading. Kampusch is not unreasonably light on detail about some aspects of her eight years' imprisonment (note to some reviewers: you have no right to criticise her for that). Early in the book I shuddered to think of this ten-year-old girl locked in a tiny, windowless underground space, often in complete darkness -- until I read this I hadn't realised just how small her prison was. And she didn't leave it for six months; the claustrophobia must have been intense.
The book clearly owes a lot to what must have been years of psychotherapy as Kampusch analyses the personality traits and reactions that helped her to survive an almost unimaginable ordeal. When she escaped she'd spent all of her adolescence -- almost half her life -- being manipulated, beaten, starved, and forced to do hard physical work, with Priklopil her only companion. It's hardly surprising that her relationship with him was complicated -- she is harsh about suggestions that she had Stockholm syndrome, and convincing in her argument that accommodating some of Priklopil's demands was key to surviving.
I think the care she received after her escape was far less adequate than I would hope it would be nowadays, now that a number of similar cases have come to light. A terrified, scantily clad and emaciated teenager huddling under a hedge and being yelled at to put her hands up by armed police; followed very soon afterwards by interrogation at the police station. Later she was confined in a psychiatric hospital for a while, despite not being mentally ill; after her isolation, being surrounded by many genuinely disturbed people must have been terribly hard for her. She initially appeared to cope well with freedom, even briefly hosting a TV show, but the effects will surely be lifelong; Priklopil stole the life she might have had.
The book clearly owes a lot to what must have been years of psychotherapy as Kampusch analyses the personality traits and reactions that helped her to survive an almost unimaginable ordeal. When she escaped she'd spent all of her adolescence -- almost half her life -- being manipulated, beaten, starved, and forced to do hard physical work, with Priklopil her only companion. It's hardly surprising that her relationship with him was complicated -- she is harsh about suggestions that she had Stockholm syndrome, and convincing in her argument that accommodating some of Priklopil's demands was key to surviving.
I think the care she received after her escape was far less adequate than I would hope it would be nowadays, now that a number of similar cases have come to light. A terrified, scantily clad and emaciated teenager huddling under a hedge and being yelled at to put her hands up by armed police; followed very soon afterwards by interrogation at the police station. Later she was confined in a psychiatric hospital for a while, despite not being mentally ill; after her isolation, being surrounded by many genuinely disturbed people must have been terribly hard for her. She initially appeared to cope well with freedom, even briefly hosting a TV show, but the effects will surely be lifelong; Priklopil stole the life she might have had.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
An honest account of what it means to lose your freedom to a kidnapper as a child. I have to give this survivor lots of respect in her ability to see things as they truly were, to see her captor as someone who had both qualities of good and evil. Even in her uncertainties, Kampusch's inner strength grew as she held on to her promise to free herself when she was ready. I wish her well in everything she sets out to do. Amazing writer and intuitive thinker.
Very inspirational and insightful story. It was easy to see that it was translated because of errors spread throughout but it was still a very smooth read. I think that it was a well-written book but it was somewhat simply wrote and there were some repetitions in places that seemed unnecessary. I do recommend it, though!
Dit boek leest moeilijk. Het is een hart verscheurend verhaal.
I enjoyed reading about Natascha's life story, and I hope she is doing well. She seems quite clinical about this, but after reading her story, it is evident why. She is obviously a very determined person.
a legitimately ground-shaking read for me. what an intelligent, thoughtful, and strong woman. i’ve always been interested in stockholm syndrome and the debates surrounding it, and reading about this case outside this book makes natascha seem like the poster girl. but the way she concisely and clearly lays out her experiences and perspectives show her as the opposite. her examination of her relationship with her captor is so, so raw and honest. i know going forward i will be much more critical of portrayals of victims in media, both fiction and nonfiction.
i started to read some of the other reviews on here and had to stop because i was seeing red. i genuinely implore you to reach out for help if your enjoyment of a memoir was impeded by the author not giving you the details of the repeated sexual assaults they experienced over years as a child kidnap victim.
i started to read some of the other reviews on here and had to stop because i was seeing red. i genuinely implore you to reach out for help if your enjoyment of a memoir was impeded by the author not giving you the details of the repeated sexual assaults they experienced over years as a child kidnap victim.
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced