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ckjesq's review against another edition
2.0
Please please educate yourself - it’s parallel bars not horizontal - the OT is 5 not 4 and more - this book was written only to further exploit the victims and take $$ from them 1 let them tell this story but then again White males continue to “know best” and laude over others - skimming the book is how I finished it -
avalydia's review against another edition
4.0
Horrifying all the way around. All the more so because USAG/MSU continue to deflect responsibility for what they allowed Nassar to get away with for so long.
liralen's review against another edition
3.0
One of several books so far—and probably many more to come—about the abuse Larry Nassar inflicted on young gymnasts and the way the gymnastics world helped to perpetuate his crimes. This one is based in reportage rather than personal story, aiming to give more of an overview and timeline for what happened. I preferred the writing in [b:The Girls|43492058|The Girls An All-American Town, a Predatory Doctor, and the Untold Story of the Gymnasts Who Brought Him Down|Abigail Pesta|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1546847676l/43492058._SY75_.jpg|67641089] (which Start by Believing references) and am not convinced that this adds a whole book's worth to the conversation, but there are a few things worth highlighting.
He told his gymnastics patients he had treatments that could alleviate their pain and allow them to continue practicing. He used his pelvic floor adjustments when other doctors might have explored options for surgery or other forms of treatment. One gymnast said she saw Nassar for months before someone recommended she get a bone scan when her pain continued to persist. The results showed she had eight fractures in her back. Whether the treatments worked was nearly irrelevant. They were enough to convince gymnasts and coaches they were safe to keep going at a time when stopping was not an option.*
I'm not sure why this is so shocking to me, but it is. It's not like Nassar's abuse would be any less horrific if, other than the abuse, he'd been treating gymnasts effectively. I'd still be perfectly happy that he's rotting in prison. But this really highlights the disregard for gymnasts' health: that he willfully ignored injuries with potentially devastating long-term effects in order to continue his abuse, and that other officials and adults involved weren't invested in making sure that gymnasts' health and wellness was actually being looked after—they were invested in taking the word of anyone who would tell them, honestly or not, that the gymnasts could train.
It is perhaps indicative of the anguish sexual assault victims experience when wrestling with the decision to share their stories publicly that for more than five months after the Larry Nassar story broke in the Indianapolis Star, not a single gymnast from the US national team, current or former, stepped forward to identify themselves by name as one of his victims. The national team gymnasts who’d filed civil lawsuits to that point had done so anonymously.
Yes, but I would love to see this taken further—it's not just a question of anguish but a question of suddenly becoming public figures not for their achievements but for trauma over which they had no control (and subject to unfair scrutiny and criticism and worse), and it's a question of possible retribution from the insular competitive gymnastics world, so so on. So...anguish, yes, but also a lot more context-specific things.
*No page numbers because Overdrive is terrible
He told his gymnastics patients he had treatments that could alleviate their pain and allow them to continue practicing. He used his pelvic floor adjustments when other doctors might have explored options for surgery or other forms of treatment. One gymnast said she saw Nassar for months before someone recommended she get a bone scan when her pain continued to persist. The results showed she had eight fractures in her back. Whether the treatments worked was nearly irrelevant. They were enough to convince gymnasts and coaches they were safe to keep going at a time when stopping was not an option.*
I'm not sure why this is so shocking to me, but it is. It's not like Nassar's abuse would be any less horrific if, other than the abuse, he'd been treating gymnasts effectively. I'd still be perfectly happy that he's rotting in prison. But this really highlights the disregard for gymnasts' health: that he willfully ignored injuries with potentially devastating long-term effects in order to continue his abuse, and that other officials and adults involved weren't invested in making sure that gymnasts' health and wellness was actually being looked after—they were invested in taking the word of anyone who would tell them, honestly or not, that the gymnasts could train.
It is perhaps indicative of the anguish sexual assault victims experience when wrestling with the decision to share their stories publicly that for more than five months after the Larry Nassar story broke in the Indianapolis Star, not a single gymnast from the US national team, current or former, stepped forward to identify themselves by name as one of his victims. The national team gymnasts who’d filed civil lawsuits to that point had done so anonymously.
Yes, but I would love to see this taken further—it's not just a question of anguish but a question of suddenly becoming public figures not for their achievements but for trauma over which they had no control (and subject to unfair scrutiny and criticism and worse), and it's a question of possible retribution from the insular competitive gymnastics world, so so on. So...anguish, yes, but also a lot more context-specific things.
*No page numbers because Overdrive is terrible
clarice_flora's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
fast-paced
4.5
Although of course impossible to call an enjoyable read, this book was perfectly approached, written and handled, despite the harrowing horrific nature of its content. A book that despite all, had a hopeful and powerful air to survivorship, as well as being informative, to the point and unapologetic. A hard read, but worth every word.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Medical trauma, Rape, and Sexual violence
livnewman's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great listen on audio—the true crime genre done right, with a focus on humanising victims not glorifying perpetrators, and a searing analysis of the enablers, both people and systems, which allowed these crimes to occur. Following the stories of three women gave these stories a human face.
amirtsos's review against another edition
5.0
The world of elite sports, and especially aesthetic sports is notoriously tough for girls. This book dives into not only the atrocities committed under the guise of medical treatments by Larry Nassar, but more importantly emphasizes the culture that enabled and hid him from the world.
Through investigative reporting, this book uncovers the systemic problems which prevent predators from being caught, from governing sports bodies, to coaches, to universities, people in power discounted many reports from women and girls of sexual assaults, and in the rare cases where complaints were taken seriously, by using medical jargon and hiding behind a controversial but at least somewhat legitimate medical practice, Larry Nassar was able to continue abuse for decades.
This book is not the story of each of the hundreds of women who came forward, rather it is about the systems they had to get past, and the authority figures in their lives who (intentionally or not) contributed to their grooming.
It is an eye-opening look into a story which sheds light on not only one bad apple, but the many people who enabled him to continue his abuse for their own financial gain, for medals, and for accolades.
A must read, especially for the parents of elite athletes (especially in aesthetic sports), coaches, and anyone else who has a duty to protect children and especially young athletes.
Through investigative reporting, this book uncovers the systemic problems which prevent predators from being caught, from governing sports bodies, to coaches, to universities, people in power discounted many reports from women and girls of sexual assaults, and in the rare cases where complaints were taken seriously, by using medical jargon and hiding behind a controversial but at least somewhat legitimate medical practice, Larry Nassar was able to continue abuse for decades.
This book is not the story of each of the hundreds of women who came forward, rather it is about the systems they had to get past, and the authority figures in their lives who (intentionally or not) contributed to their grooming.
It is an eye-opening look into a story which sheds light on not only one bad apple, but the many people who enabled him to continue his abuse for their own financial gain, for medals, and for accolades.
A must read, especially for the parents of elite athletes (especially in aesthetic sports), coaches, and anyone else who has a duty to protect children and especially young athletes.
angelasosh's review
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
A good overview of the Nassar scandal. My main complaint is that this seemed like the authors were just regurgitating information already put out by others; I didn’t feel that they did much investigating themselves.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Suicide, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Bullying, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Grief, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, and Pedophilia
sarahvernall's review against another edition
4.0
A poignant read in the aftermath of the Raisman, Biles, Maroney and Nichols appeal to Congress this week. Organises the timeline of Nassar's career and crimes with sensitively written accounts of his victims and a sharp focus on the flawed systems and corrupt actors who allowed him to freely abuse his power.
michelleful's review against another edition
4.0
A complex and heavy read, but a readable factual account of a horrible period of sports history. You will get angry.