The Little Prisoner - tear-jerking but inspirational.
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I bought this book soon after the Latest Austrian enslavement case came to the press (Josef Fritzel).
I have been lucky enough to have been brought up in a safe, happy and secure family environment, and could (IN NO WAY) imagine the fears and terror of such an horrific upbringing.
I picked this book up at around 2pm and began to read it. At 7pm I was getting told off for STILL not helping with dinner (despite many reminders)!
Dinner passed and I was STRAIGHT back into this book. My partner went to bed (understandably disgusted at my only focus - THIS BOOK, and this AMAZING recollection of courage, fear, disgust and pain).
At 11am, I had finished the book! (about 20 hours solid reading!).
NEVER before had I read a book so quickly..... NEVER had I been so drawn into it, and NEVER EVER before had I gone through the emotions that I went through whilst reading this painful expose of an innocent girl's traumas, and her ultimate (though still tenuous) victory.
Beautifully easy on the "readability" scale (it is written so that EVERYONE can understand and appreciate the depth and the meaning, and with large enough text that one never feels it a trial to read (even at 4am!)), this is unnervingly shocking in that it is without doubt the most trauma-filled TRUE-LIFE story I have ever read.
I cannot recount how many times I had to stop reading to wipe tears away from my eyes (I'm a man, nearly 40..... takes a lot to make me cry!)..... but so many times my heart sank, my gut filled with a sickness unbeknown to me beforehand, and i just let flood with the tears for this amazingly courageous lady. And those special times (the main one for me was when Emma got her Christmas presents - I was crying out of control by then!)
Horror, disgust at her tormentor, frustration and sympathy for Janey.
Elation, proudness, love, and all that she emphatically and so resolutely stands for.
Fear, excitement and panic.
Read this amazing book - you'll feel all of them..... but be prepared to allow your heart strings to do their thing!
My only regret is that Janey herself won't hear my review, and know of my support.
But (as I well know), and YOU also will know after reading her torrid account..... that's how she'd like it best.
Good luck Janey, Steve, Emma and Sophie - my heart and thoughts are with you always.
XXXX
PS - I missed a day at work because of this book...... Janey missed a whole childhood. Worth a thought?
Love and TOTAL respect to you Janey..... and I hope one day that ALL the shackles of the past will be TOTALLY cast off, and if you.... no..... WHEN you get there .... you might get to see this review and see how many others are on your side. XXXX
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Brilliant read - sad story.
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How do these people keep up the systematic abuse of little innocent children ? Why does no-one ever intervene ? I would hope if i ever suspected any child was being abused i would do the right thing - i don`t think i could live with myself otherwise.
Well done jane for having the courage to speak out. x
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A distressing but compelling read
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I feel sad that some reviewers are condemning the author for allowing the abuse to take place for so long. As Jane had been subjected to this terrible mistreatment since she was four years old (which is before any early childhood memory that I can recall), and all the way into adulthood, it seems quite clear how her stepfather had such a psychological hold over her that it prevented her from reporting him. I could totally sense and understand her fear at the consequences of exposing the abuse as I was reading the book, and she was quite right to feel afraid, given the ending.
The book was a distressing but compelling read and I finished within 4 hours. I am however very dissatisfied with the ending, though through no fault of the author(s). I just cannot believe how a family that was aware of and experienced similar cruelty would choose to stand by such an evil being. I hope `Silly Git' dies in prison, and Jane's mother and brothers realize how stupid they are behaving and reconcile with Jane in the future. I have a feeling this is what she would want, even though I hope the mother rots in hell for betraying her child like that.
I feel like the story hasn't ended and would welcome a sequel. I would really like to know how Jane's doing now. I wish her the best of luck.
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An immense about of bravery.
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I found this book hard to read at times, just at the shocking and humiliationg times she had to go through. But however much it makes me sick to my stomach... How much she have felt? We're only reading the book we havent had to live that life in her shoes and for that i cannot even begin to describe what incredible strength and bravery she has. I believe SOME things in life happen to make you stronger and she really must be hard as rock, all this has moulded her into who she is today and what an Inspiration to us all.
When i read such horrifc stories such as this one,it really makes me believe in "An eye for an eye."
Such an Inspiration to us all, just by her writing this book we know that alot of people have gained the strength to come forward and not be afraid anymore and for that we should thank her.
This book will really touch you on a personally level, But if you dont take gorey detail well, this book isn't for you.
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Amazing
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Having just read this book, i have come away shocked and emotional that these things happen right under our nose with no-one helping the victims. I give full kudos to Jane who has such courage to stand up against her whole family in the fight for justice. She is truely an inspiration and i hope her book helps other people come forward who have been in similar situations to stop these horrible things to happening to our children.
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