Helpful Score: 27
What a book. If you saw the Diane Sawyer interview, the first part of this book will be very familiar to you. Jaycee's account of her abduction is harrowing. An 11 year old on her way to school, stun-gunned before she even knew what hit her, thrown into a car, and spirited away.
Jaycee was obviously a very shy and sweet girl. This vulnerability comes through in each part of the story she tells. I have a hard time putting my finger on it, but I think the best way to describe it is to say that her innocence shines through the book. She was isolated and came to rely on the Garridos as her only form of contact with the outside world, so in a way, she had to bond with them. She was afraid because they told her that they could sell her to people who would keep her in a cage, and they told her that they had Dobermans in the yard.
The description of the sexual abuse she endured was very difficult to read. Anything you can imagine, Garrido did to Jaycee. Garrido is truly a sexual deviant, drug addict, and mentally unstable piece of garbage. Jaycee did what she had to do to survive. I cried just thinking of how this innocent girl was tortured and humiliated.
She gave birth in the backyard, and eventually, Nancy Garrido's jealousy meant that Jaycee was her children's "sister". In reading this book, I developed an even greater distaste for Nancy Garrido (if that was at all possible). She treated Jaycee like a rival for her husband's affection, not an abducted child. She lied to Jaycee and exploited her vulnerability. She deserved just as much jail time as her husband got, and I am sad that she only got as much as she did. She videotaped children for her husband in public parks so that he could do disgusting things with the tapes. She is just as awful as he is.
Jaycee's loving heart can really be clearly seen through her love of animals (which Garrido also exploited) and my heart broke each time she had to endure another loss. It is clear that Jaycee has a lot of therapeutic work to do to understand and make sense out of her experiences. But what remains is a vulnerable, kind, loving, strong survivor who deserves every happiness in life. I just wanted to hug her when I finished the book. Compelling, heartbreaking, and inspiring.
To end my review, I will say this (my personal two cents): The Garridos should never, ever even be able to see daylight rom their cells. Jaycee was denied daylight for a long time--they should suffer the same fate. Let them pee in a bucket like Jaycee had to. Let them have no running water. Any human decency they get is more than they gave to their 11 year old captive.
Lastly, I hope she sues the parole department for millions of dollars and wins. (ETA: I hear she got a big settlement from them.) They did not follow their own policies and they were manipulated by the very piece of scum who they were supposed to monitor. Garrido was an expert (Nancy too) in distracting the officers from their job, but they should have done better. If they had, Jaycee would have been out much sooner.
Jaycee is a better human being than both of her captors put together. She seems to be a great mother, and I hope she and her children have a wonderful life together.
Jaycee was obviously a very shy and sweet girl. This vulnerability comes through in each part of the story she tells. I have a hard time putting my finger on it, but I think the best way to describe it is to say that her innocence shines through the book. She was isolated and came to rely on the Garridos as her only form of contact with the outside world, so in a way, she had to bond with them. She was afraid because they told her that they could sell her to people who would keep her in a cage, and they told her that they had Dobermans in the yard.
The description of the sexual abuse she endured was very difficult to read. Anything you can imagine, Garrido did to Jaycee. Garrido is truly a sexual deviant, drug addict, and mentally unstable piece of garbage. Jaycee did what she had to do to survive. I cried just thinking of how this innocent girl was tortured and humiliated.
She gave birth in the backyard, and eventually, Nancy Garrido's jealousy meant that Jaycee was her children's "sister". In reading this book, I developed an even greater distaste for Nancy Garrido (if that was at all possible). She treated Jaycee like a rival for her husband's affection, not an abducted child. She lied to Jaycee and exploited her vulnerability. She deserved just as much jail time as her husband got, and I am sad that she only got as much as she did. She videotaped children for her husband in public parks so that he could do disgusting things with the tapes. She is just as awful as he is.
Jaycee's loving heart can really be clearly seen through her love of animals (which Garrido also exploited) and my heart broke each time she had to endure another loss. It is clear that Jaycee has a lot of therapeutic work to do to understand and make sense out of her experiences. But what remains is a vulnerable, kind, loving, strong survivor who deserves every happiness in life. I just wanted to hug her when I finished the book. Compelling, heartbreaking, and inspiring.
To end my review, I will say this (my personal two cents): The Garridos should never, ever even be able to see daylight rom their cells. Jaycee was denied daylight for a long time--they should suffer the same fate. Let them pee in a bucket like Jaycee had to. Let them have no running water. Any human decency they get is more than they gave to their 11 year old captive.
Lastly, I hope she sues the parole department for millions of dollars and wins. (ETA: I hear she got a big settlement from them.) They did not follow their own policies and they were manipulated by the very piece of scum who they were supposed to monitor. Garrido was an expert (Nancy too) in distracting the officers from their job, but they should have done better. If they had, Jaycee would have been out much sooner.
Jaycee is a better human being than both of her captors put together. She seems to be a great mother, and I hope she and her children have a wonderful life together.
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