the_epi_reader 's review for:

Petrified Women by Jeremy Ray

4.25

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Despite “Petrified Women” being under 100 pages, Jeremy Ray puts a lot of anxiety inducing build-up into his novella. I like that he dedicated his book to sexual assault survivors, tackling different responses to this horrible event (e.g., fight, flight, or freeze) and all responses are normal. “Petrified Women” is a horror story to give power to those who SA has impacted and that’s what makes this novella influential. As I was reading Harley’s encounters of hiding in the closet, I could picture what it would feel like to be in her shoes. Ray does an amazing job of making the reader feel like they are actually there in Aiden’s apartment, making you wonder what you would do if you were Harley. Without spoiling anything, the twist at the very end was another “fist pump to the sky” moment for SA survivors and anyone who experienced a bad relationship.