I knew what I was getting myself into by reading this book...but at the same time, I did NOT know what I was getting myself into. There were graphic parts of this book that I wasn't ready for, but at the same time I was really blown away by the mindset / psychological part of this story. After finishing this book, the first thing I wanted to do was give Jaycee a big hug and tell her that she is moving in the right direction and is a very strong person.
Summary: In the summer of 1991 I was a normal kid. I did normal things. I had friends and a mother who loved me. I was just like you. Until the day my life was stolen.
For eighteen years I was a prisoner. I was an object for someone to use and abuse.
For eighteen years I was not allowed to speak my own name. I became a mother and was forced to be a sister. For eighteen years I survived an impossible situation.
On August 26, 2009, I took my name back. My name is Jaycee Lee Dugard. I don’t think of myself as a victim. I survived.
A Stolen Life is my story—in my own words, in my own way, exactly as I remember it.
For eighteen years I was a prisoner. I was an object for someone to use and abuse.
For eighteen years I was not allowed to speak my own name. I became a mother and was forced to be a sister. For eighteen years I survived an impossible situation.
On August 26, 2009, I took my name back. My name is Jaycee Lee Dugard. I don’t think of myself as a victim. I survived.
A Stolen Life is my story—in my own words, in my own way, exactly as I remember it.
I really like how the book starts out because Jaycee directly calls out the style of the book and how it's written. The book was written how she experienced it...sometimes she goes on tangents, sometimes it feels very stream of consciousness, and sometimes it's very childlike and simple and you want to shake her and ask her why she isn't doing something differently. But I think I liked her style of writing because it felt very honest and like she was talking you through her story rather than just reading a perfect version of what happened to her.
TIDBIT: I think it's fair to warn you that there are some graphic descriptions in this book. Luckily it's not over the top (because it's evident that this girl suffered way worse than is depicted in the book), but it's enough to be horrific. This quote perfectly summarizes the essence of this book: "I decided to write this book for two reasons. One reason is that Phillip Garrido believes no one should find out what he did to an 11-year-old girl. ... I believe I shouldn't be ashamed for what happened to me, and I want Phillip Garrido to know that I no longer have to keep his secret. I'm also writing my story in the hopes that it will be of help to someone going through, hopefully not similar conditions, but facing a difficult situation of their own -- whatever it may be."
This is a really spectacular book because it emphasizes the bonds that Jaycee had with her mother and how every day she wished to see her mom (even though she forgot what she looked like). When she reunited with her mom at the end of the book, my eyes watered. This book also shows what a strong person Jaycee is. There are no words to describe what she went through, but the fact that she came out of it and is willing to open up about it and how she's dealing with is amazing.
I like how Jaycee framed up the book. She would relay a first-person account of her captivity and then provide a "Reflection" section that took you to present-day and provided her current thoughts on that situation. It was interesting to read because it put what she was feeling into perspective. One time a kitten that she was taking care of in captivity died and she talks about how how heart-broken she was. But I don't think that point is really driven home until you reach her "Reflection" and you realize why it was so heart-breaking...because she was reaching out for something to love and love her back and for that something to die, was such a let-down for her.
I feel bad saying that I enjoyed this book because how can anyone enjoy reading about something so terrible happening to someone? But it was interesting reading about how the Garridos brainwashed / psychologically manipulated Jaycee into thinking that she was nothing without them. I've never read a book like this before (with exception to "Room" by Emma Donaghue), but it was such an eye-opening book.
Bottom line, this book is not an upper. There is so much more I can say about this book and how unbelievable the story is...but I think it's worth going into the story without knowing all the details.
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