I ordered it from amazon.ca and it arrived yesterday - I read it through entirely, and here are my thoughts on it:
-> I found her affect throughout the book to be rather flat!! That is to say that the tone of the book seemed, almost... emotionless in most parts! I suppose though, that considering the content, and what she survived this is most appropriate. I don't know that I'd expect her tone (even in writing) to be any different!!
-> She included excerpts from a journal she kept as a child while imprisoned. Though monotonous to read - this part illuminated her true desire to go home, how she missed her mom and family and friends, and how she felt so torn, and unable to help herself!!
-> I too was left wondering about how her children experienced their prison. If they weren't surprised to hear all their mother had lived through, I had hoped to find out why not? Perhaps Philip told them such while Jaycee was on an outting with Nancy? I too was deeply concerned that he may well have sexually abused one or both children as well. My fears were heightened when I read about how Nancy and he would drive around near parks and schools, and Nancy would get the girls to do the splits etc... so Philip could take pictures / video secretly from another viewpoint. This was happening while Jaycee was incarcerated, so I don't think I can believe that he ever really changed his ways -- two small girls (by the way, Jaycee says in her book that Philip said he "needed" a girl.....that he hoped her baby would be a girl etc.... two small girls don't seem to have stood a chance with him. If they did, perhaps it might have been only b/c they were his children? Some pedophiles cannot get excited about their own children / family... only others (its less personal that way?).
-> Jaycee doesn't explain a lot about her current relationship with her mother or family. She thanks them in the end of the book, and indicates that her distance from them should not be considered a reflection of her feelings towards them (? loosely paraphrased as book is not presently in hand). I assume then that she doesn't live with them and doesn't identify very strongly with them.
-> she forgot her mother's face. She found thinking of her mother so painful, that she blocked those thoughts most of the time. I was surprised (deeply!!) to learn that a child abducted at 11 could, and did indeed forget her mother's face!! I never realized this was a possibility even, though now I see it so clearly!! It makes me wonder how many other older abductees might be out there (Jacob Wetterling et al, perhaps)... who are too frozen with fright, and numb to step up and announce themselves!! How many can't recall home life in great detail prior to their abductions? I think this book really opened my eyes to the potential for the human mind to build walls to protect itself as best it can!!
-> I was surprised that she never used her children's real names, only their initials. I know she wants to protect their privacy -- I get that -- but I would have liked to know the names, as then I'd have better understood how they GOT their names which she touches on in the book.
-> I would like to have known more about her ongoing relationship with her kids. How are they coping? Have they changed their names to protect their privacy (Jaycee doesn't like to risk them being exposed, so has issues going to school functions with them etc).... how does she cope with the issues they have from being captive??
I couldn't put the book down, and I thank her for writing it, and sharing as much as she did! I hope one day, her children (one or both) write their own book regarding their own experiences as prisoners in that environment!!
