Locked in a room with a bed, refrigerator, and adjoining bathroom, I was instructed to eat, bathe, and behave. I received meals, laundered clothes, and toiletries through a cat door, never knowing if it was day or night. The last time I saw the face of my abductor was when he dragged me fighting from the trunk of his car. And when I finally escaped, I prayed I’d never see him again.
Now that I’m home, my parents and friends want everything to be like it was before I left. But they don’t understand that dining out and shopping trips can’t heal what’s broken inside me. I barely leave my bedroom. Therapists are clueless and condescending. So I start my own form of therapy - but writing about my experience awakens uncomfortable memories, ones that should’ve stayed buried. How far will I have to go to uncover the truth of what happened - and will it break me forever?
I have read other books, where kidnap victims return to their former lives, but I thought Stolarz's approach was fresh and rather amazing. The kidnapping scene was harrowing. I believe a few tears escaped as I was reading that part. I also thought the way she flipped back and forth helped me get the full picture of what Jane had gone through. I was full engrossed in this book, and rooting for Jane and her family as they slowly healed from this ordeal.
