Thursday, February 26, 2015

Bon's Book Club - My Story by Elizabeth Smart


So this month's book was My Story by Elizabeth Smart.
Now I will admit, reading this seemed like it would be...less than delightful, given the topic at hand.
And to be honest? It obviously wasn't one of those books you supremely enjoy reading. 
Mostly because, at heart, it is about a young girl who got kidnapped and repeatedly brutalized.
I highly doubt there are many of us out there that would enjoy such a tale.
But I decided to give it a shot, not only because I enjoy book clubs,
but also because I remember it happening.
Remember the media. Remember her being found.
Remember how amazing it was that she could actually have survived,
as well as knowing what we did about her not exactly being in the wilderness the whole time.
But I also knew my scope of knowledge as far as details was sketchy at best.
So I decided, what the hell, I'll read it and catch up on the exact happenings.

I had a few problems with this book. Mainly, that it felt like it was being written by a 15 year old girl.
Understandable, given that was approximately the age she'd been taken.
But also, she was twenty five when the book was written.
I expected perhaps her writing style would be a bit more eloquent given that fact.
Sadly, it wasn't. It made it difficult for me to get through just by its structure alone.
The choppiness of it, the lack of real ability to immerse myself in the story.
Maybe it was just because it was a traumatic event being recalled and it was true.
So obviously, it wasn't a piece of crafted fiction that encouraged those things.
Who knows? I also know I got through the book in a couple hours.
So obviously, that always stinks a bit. 

Otherwise, it interested me. I am, at heart, a psychology lover.
I actively enjoy reading and watching things that are in regard to different psychological disorders.
So to read about the way that Brian David Mitchell operated, his manner of thought,
that intrigued me. It obviously wasn't delved into deeply, as it was from her point of view,
but it still was enough to keep me interested, simply to see where it would end up.

Now, onto the questions provided!

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