Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

Living Dead Girl

by Elizabeth Scott

Once upon a time, I was a little girl who disappeared.

Once upon a time, my name was not Alice.

Once upon a time, I didn't know how lucky I was.

When Alice was ten, Ray took her away from her family, her friends -- her life. She learned to give up all power, to endure all pain. She waited for the nightmare to be over.

Now Alice is fifteen and Ray still has her, but he speaks more and more of her death. He does not know it is what she longs for. She does not know he has something more terrifying than death in mind for her.

This is Alice's story. It is one you have never heard, and one you will never, ever forget.

Reviewed by Briana @ Pages Unbound on

2 of 5 stars

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Living Dead Girl is a quick, but certainly not an easy read. The chapters are short, which will keep readers turning the pages, but the strongest pull is the desire to see something good finally happen to Alice. Will she escape? Will she be okay? Is it possible to be okay? The questions beg to be answered, and the format of the book suggests to readers that they can find out everything in just a single sitting. And there is nothing else to be done; no one will want to stop and leave Alice still under the power of her captor.

Because this is a horrible story. It is disturbing and, though not necessarily explicit, there are enough details to make the sexual acts forced from Alice clear to readers. This book will be better suited to older teens and adults.

Unfortunately, the inevitable horrified reactions from readers has the potential to keep them from pondering the deeper aspects of the story. Alice’s mental state, especially while she is watching talk shows with women who had been in situations like hers, is quite interesting. Her thoughts about Ray’s wanting to find a new girl are troubling, yet understandable. And, of course, there is the matter that no one ever noticed something was wrong. There is a lot to wonder about human nature in this book.

An unforgettable read, but not one that should be picked up lightly.

(Good at what it aims to do, but rated low because I was very upset and disturbed and so did not "like" the book. An example of why rating scales are inherently subjective.)

Also posted at Pages Unbound Book Reviews.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 28 July, 2012: Finished reading
  • 28 July, 2012: Reviewed