Review: A difficult subject well handled.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 25, 2014
This book is about the effects rape has on a young woman's life. It is a difficult subject and I found parts of the book made uncomfortable reading. The rape itself at the beginning of the book was a good piece of dramatic writing. However, I did struggle at times reading about her subsequent descent into terrible depression, which leads to her feeling suicidal. She breaks off the engagement with her boyfriend, finds she can't handle going back to work and her parents are not supportive, so for about half the book I found myself hoping for something positive to happen! I began to worry that it was going to be just a dark story with an unhappy ending.Donna ends up in hospital and is slowly befriended by a male nurse. From this point, the story is more uplifting. In particular, I enjoyed her friendship with the sister of the nurse who has had to face something worse even than rape.In truth, I didn't really like the character of Donna because I would have liked her to be stronger after her rape ordeal and not let it so ruin her life, but the author has probably done a good job of realistically presenting the more norml response to being raped, rather than my wished for scenario, born out of my desire for an easier read.As the relationship between Donna and the nurse flourishes, she is faced with further emotional challenges and it is never certain how their relationship will end up.The thriller element of the book comes to the fore over the last third of the book and the author has included a clever twist at the end.In summary, the book held my attention to the end and left me thoughtful about what I had read. It is not an easy subject but the author has done a good job in describing the possible effects of rape on the victim and those around her. You can only feel sad that there are people in the world suffering this terrible crime.