Review: Intriguing
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 06 17, 2013
This book is billed as a "psychological thriller".  Add "emotional" and "disturbing" to that list as well.I need to clarify that I usually steer clear of this subject matter.  I am still dealing with lingering PTSD as a result of my own sexual assault(s) in high school.  There is a term that we survivors use for things that cause us to have a flashback or nightmares.  We call them triggers.  And I do want to stress that this book is one major trigger for anyone who has suffered any kind of sexual assault or exploitation.That said, it is right on the money regarding PTSD type symptoms.  For that reason, I kept on reading.  I wanted to see if the portrayal of Tiara's symptoms was accurate.This book starts with the assault that she commits, a heinous crime where she stabbed a woman repeatedly in the face, dislodging an eyeball and putting her in a coma.  The story then slowly weaves back and forth between Tiara's journal entries while in custody and the investigation from the law enforcement point of view.  It also peeks in on her mother and her memories and issues.To help the psychiatrist treating her understand why she committed a gruesome assault, Tiara starts writing down memories, starting with her birthdays.  She starts an entry for each of her birthdays and often the months leading up to it.Through this technique, she is able to remember.  Remember a lot.  And the memories aren't pretty.  I found this quote to be 100% accurate:  "I have turned on a tap and now the memories are gushing out under enormous pressure."  That is almost exactly how I described it.  I went 8 years with ignoring the memories and hoping they would just go away.Through these memories, the reader realizes just how disturbing Tiara's childhood was.  Absolutely heinous crimes were committed against this poor girl.  You almost feel that she is justified in committing her crime, once you learn the identity of her victim.Many emotions rolled through me while reading this book.  Sadness, anger, frustration, despair.  I already didn't like pagents and I can't stand to see the tiny little outfits young cheerleaders and dancers wear.  This book solidified the fact that my child will never, ever be in a pagent.  Ever.This book is a bit of a mystery and thriller in addition to the issues regarding sexual assault.  I read it in two days.  It kept me drawn in and the character of Tiara is so real.I'm sure those who haven't had similar experiences might find this book informative, and it accurately portrays what survivors go through.  But if you can't stomach lurid details it might be wise to skip it.