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Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Abandonment
Moderate: Miscarriage
I share the critiques that others have already expressed: Shari's downplaying of her father's role abetting Ruby's abuse, especially in the early days, and her continued connection to the church that both fostered the toxic environment of her childhood and enabled the older man who groomed her in college. But at the end of the day, I just hope that this family is okay, and I trust that the Frankes themselves can give the best assessment of that. It does seem that Shari has developed a faith that is more personal and less centered on the institution of the church, which is promising. I also have a feeling that we will continue to hear from her in the future as she makes her way advocating for the rights of children online. I wish her and her 5 siblings all the best.
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Gaslighting
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Stalking
Minor: Confinement, Homophobia, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Torture, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Abandonment
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Abandonment
Moderate: Homophobia
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Homophobia, Infidelity, Miscarriage
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting
Minor: Sexual assault
I found it interesting that Franke stayed devout to her Mormon faith through everything she endured, as it played a large part in the damaging aspects of her upbringing. Still, as she expands on the community she's had and the ways in which the church emotionally and financially supported her mental health needs when her parents wouldn't, it makes sense. In the section discussing her mother and Jodi Hildebrand's sexual relationship in the span of time Jodi was living in Shari's bedroom, she is transparent about the issues she sees in the Mormon church that may have lead to the women's nightly semi-secret sexual liaison while they spewed virulent anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric in daily videos. Shari Franke expands on the differences in beliefs held by the younger generation of Mormons and the shifting beliefs of the Mormon church, wondering whether a more accepting church can help as a stop gap to keep more people from turning to hate and violence when they feel that they cannot be themselves.
Amid all of the sorrow and pain in this book, Franke is funny. This book reflects a lot on Franke's childhood, her family's history, and the ways in which her internal life differed from what she shared online. She integrates portions of her old journals and Mormon scripture to help differentiate between sections of the book. Overall, it's well written and engaging. It's one of the best nonfiction books I've read about recent events, in a long time.
I am like 50% sure I watched one Shari Franke school day vlog when I was a teenager, and even then, I found it weird that she was allowed to share so much of herself publicly on the internet at such a young age. I wish her parents had protected her and her siblings better, and I wish there was more done to protect the rights of children to bodily autonomy and privacy, but I hope her testimony can be a step towards taking down family channels and other online platforms that exist solely off the exploitation of children.
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Stalking, Gaslighting, Abandonment
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Medical content
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment