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A review by shiv91
A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
3.5
Like others, I found this a very difficult book to review and I debated with myself whether or not to even add it the book. I do think her story matters and she needs to have her voice after it was silenced for so long.
It was raw, emotional and disturbing. To go through what Jaycee went through and not only survive, but to actually begin to heal and try to move on in life shows how strong a person she is.
The sheer amount of manipulation and outright horror she endured was awful to read, to try and put myself in her shoes is something that makes me feel sick to even think about.
I realise that the chance at a proper education was taken away from her which I completely understand but I personally found it difficult to follow along with. I know she wanted to write this experience as she remembered it but I feel that perhaps if she waited another while to gather her thoughts more, it would have translated better on paper.
There was a lot of repetition which made me wish there had been some kind of editor involved and I didn't really understand the short addition of those few diary entries.
At the end of the day though, if writing this book was cathartic and helped her through the hell she suffered then it really doesn't matter what I think of the actual writing style/level. I'm not the one who was put through more awful things than anyone should have to endure.
It was raw, emotional and disturbing. To go through what Jaycee went through and not only survive, but to actually begin to heal and try to move on in life shows how strong a person she is.
The sheer amount of manipulation and outright horror she endured was awful to read, to try and put myself in her shoes is something that makes me feel sick to even think about.
I realise that the chance at a proper education was taken away from her which I completely understand but I personally found it difficult to follow along with. I know she wanted to write this experience as she remembered it but I feel that perhaps if she waited another while to gather her thoughts more, it would have translated better on paper.
There was a lot of repetition which made me wish there had been some kind of editor involved and I didn't really understand the short addition of those few diary entries.
At the end of the day though, if writing this book was cathartic and helped her through the hell she suffered then it really doesn't matter what I think of the actual writing style/level. I'm not the one who was put through more awful things than anyone should have to endure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Drug use, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Rape, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, and Animal cruelty