Book Summery (Via Goodreads): "Once upon a time, I was a little girl who disappeared.
Once upon a time, my name was not Alice.
Once upon a time, I didn't know how lucky I was."
When Alice was ten, Ray took her away from her family, her friends -- her life. She learned to give up all power, to endure all pain. She waited for the nightmare to be over.
Now Alice is fifteen and Ray still has her, but he speaks more and more of her death. He does not know it is what she longs for. She does not know he has something more terrifying than death in mind for her.
This is Alice's story. It is one you have never heard, and one you will never, ever forget.
Book Review:
Wowzers. Where to start...Well, I guess I'll start with the truth. I actually read a portion of this book like a year ago after reading another blogger's review. I remember I was sitting in the cafe at my local bookstore, reading, and I kept looking up and around as if to check and see if other people could actually believe the content that I was reading. It was like a train wreck...as horrifying as it was, I couldn't stop reading. About a third of the way through, I got up and put the book back on the shelf and made other purchases instead. I was actually embarrassed about reading the book. Over time, I would think back to it. I often thought of the main character. Did she make it out alive? If so, how? Did she end up dying? All these thoughts raced through my mind, and today, curiosity finally won out, and I made the purchase. This story is heart-wrenching. Parts of it make me cringe, and other parts make me angry. I like how Scott focuses on how the media often makes the victim feel guilty about not reaching out for help. Is that really the case, or do we just not pay close attention. The only thing I would like to change about this book is the ending, but ultimately, that is not my choice to make. This is a book that all readers should pick up. It has been argued that it may not be suitable for teens. Personally, I think teens are exposed to a lot. They cannot be protected from all the big bad things in the world. Knowledge is power. The more they know, the more they can protect themselves. A great review with the author can be found here.
Favorite Quote:
“I do not fall. I fell so hard so long ago there is nothing left for me to land on. I just keep falling and falling and falling.”
Cover Art Commentary:
The cover pictured is actually not the cover of the book I have. But I like this one a lot better. It has so many components that are touched on in the book. The small white dress, the leg looming over it, the dead leaves on the ground, left to rot and decompose quietly.
Rating:
