In Plain Sight: A True Story of Kidnapping and Rape
By Anna D Stoddard Book Review by Miranda Moses (Fraser) ISBN: 9798670753326 Before I get into this book Review I have some things I'd like to discuss first. I'd like to state that this is a story that may be triggering to some people because of the topic of rape. I also want to clarify that I am not including this in the Halloween Book Review Series of 2020 because I am making light of this topic. It is actually a very important topic in my life, so make no mistake I feel very deeply for the author. However, I had already planned on including a "true crime" novel in the series this year, as I had listened to other readers saying that they prefer that genre over paranormal stories. But when I heard this author on Tik Tok discussing how she was dealing with a custody battle with her rapist after 10 years... my heart sank and my anger burned. And then she was explaining how Covid got her book signings canceled and she was in the hole for all the books she had purchased for those. Well, a decision was made. I bought this immediately, and I've swapped it for the other true crime book. I want to help share this book and hopefully get her some more sales. And just to clarify, I get nothing out of this but the joy of helping someone else. Now, let's get into the actual book review. As I stated above, this is a true crime novel. It was written by the victim herself and it had to have taken a lot of courage to write this story. From a literary standpoint, I will say that there were writing style choices that were not my cup of tea and I'm sure there are others who are going to feel the same way. My biggest example of this was the repetitive telling of how "small framed" the author is. I understood that she was trying to explain why she was easily injured or inebriated but there was just something about the way it was written that I didn't care for. HOWEVER, I also know that I am not reading a book written by an English major or someone who's sole focus is the written word. I am reading, essentially, a survivor's memoir. And so I want to bring that up and remind other's of that as well. Before you rip into an author try and think about where they are coming from. This is a raw story to tell and it is also her first book. The story revolved around Anna and her kidnapping and her assault spanning several weeks. She starts by telling about her home life as a child and the emotional and physical abuse she had growing up. She says that it may help readers understand what led her to making choices that put her in this situation to begin with. And while I do find it fascinating to hear background stories behind what leads a person to do the things they do I also wanted to make a VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: none of that matters. None of it matters! No matter what she did, wore, drank, who she trusted or where she went- she did not DESERVE to be raped. I will die on that hill and I will delete and block anyone who has the audacity to come on this book review and victim blame. Because I do not play that game. Of course, anyone can hear a story and think "I wouldn't have done that" or "I wouldn't have gone there" etc, but you ultimately don't know what you would do if you've been through any of the things she describes. You're also hearing a story ten years later. That's ten years of thinking this over and over. That's ten years of growth, mentally maturing, and a lot of hind-sight's 20/20. So you're not hearing a 19 year old's brain and how it's working through things. It's easy to hear a 30 year old woman be like 'red flag there' and 'should of listen to my gut' and then judge what she's doing in the book. I hope that made sense because I know what I'm trying to convey but I also know I'm just getting REALLY passionate and subsequently worked up, lol. In Conclusion, it's hard to say "this was a good book!" because that feels so weird to say about a story that is so heartbreaking. This book is full of graphic details, abuse, pain, and horror. You want to jump in the book and shake the cops that aren't taking this seriously. You want to kick the man's teeth down his throat and save her. But you can't do any of those things. All you can do is read and sympathize. You can also share this story as a warning to the young people in your life. A warning that, while you don't deserve anything bad happening to you, there are really bad people out there and this book may help you to think about who you trust. AND it's also a symbol of hope. It is always empowering to hear from survivors who work hard to share their stories and come out stronger despite them. And finally I will say the author is now happily married to a wonderful man who loves her and her son. She has stated that she will always pick her son and that he is the best thing to come out of that horror. And I think that's so beautiful. She is also working to help other victims! If you want to purchase this book here is a direct link to the author's stock. It's 15 for a book or 20 for a signed copy. https://annadstoddard.com/?fbclid=IwAR30cKgyhDAI1n8oDU0RD6RdINn0rnsAQtFhheXtFEyUPhne3RkBgGgVEO4
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October 2020
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