3 out of 4 stars
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Survivor is a memior of the author, Angela Caito. Angela found herself stuck in an abusive relationship with seemingly no hope for escape. The domestic violence related in this telling is not for the faint of heart. Sadly, it is real, and more people are victims of it than we can fully realize. Angela sets out to tell her story in the hopes that she can help someone else in the same situation. If you find yourself in an abusive situation or know of someone who needs this kind of help, this story is meant for you.
Distrustful of most men who cross her path, Angela is taken with a good-natured young man who treats her like a princess. However, David has had a troubled childhood, and he turns out to be quite unlike anything Angela supposes him capable. Being a good-natured person herself, she forgives him time and time again when he assures her things will get better. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Angela is pregnant with David’s child and finds herself unable to escape his clutches. She fears for her life and that of her unborn child who provides her with the only reason to live. She relates in detail many horrific experiences she faced, and how she survived through it all.
I have never come close to any relationship such as described in this story. It has made me see how truly blessed and rich my life is with loving family and friends. I am also grateful for a God who sees the suffering inflicted on His children by the devil and cares about each one of us. Although I’m quite sure Angela couldn’t see God much through her experiences, I believe He was behind each and every miracle she records.
Angela gives a warning to every person. She tells us to be very, very careful before committing ourselves to any kind of long-term relationship. “Check and double check” the life of your would-be companion. She says you owe it to yourself and the lives of your children. I couldn’t agree more with this. Be sure you know to what you are committing yourself.
Angela says in the beginning of her story that “Abusers don’t change no matter how hard we pray they will.” I don’t agree with this statement, because I believe that God can work the impossible. However I believe she was right in escaping him. Even if someone could change, that doesn’t mean that you have to stay with them and endure violence at their hands.
I generally am not captivated with stories that are not written with lots of dialogue and description. When reading Survivor, you get the feeling that you’re sitting on the couch next to Angela and she’s telling you what happened. It’s not written in the style that you’d find in a thriller novel. It’s more of a telling from one friend to the next, a recounting of events. However, the subject matter is enough to keep you turning the pages. I finished the book in just a few hours.
There are a few grammatical errors in this book, but overall, she writes well. I applaud her resilience and her willingness to expose her own humiliation to be of assistance to others. I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars because although a good story, I don’t believe it’s for everyone. Angela says, “…many things in this story could possibly be triggers for anxiety and depression so please read with caution.”
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Survivor
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