About the book
Constance’s mother systematically abused her daughter, both physically and emotionally, throughout her childhood. Regularly beaten and starved, the girl was so desperate she took herself off to Social Services and tried to get taken into care. When that failed, she swallowed bleach ‘because it kills all known germs and my mother always told me I was a germ’. When Constance was thirteen, her mother simply moved out, leaving her daughter to fend for herself: there was no gas, no electricity and no food. But somehow Constance found the courage to survive her terrible start in life. This is her heartrending – and ultimately triumphant – story, now with fourteen extra chapters detailing the trial.
Reviewed by Browns Reading Group:
We felt the book was very repetitive – every chapter abuse and bed wetting. It will be interesting to see if Carmen does to to court and if so the result.
Star rating: **
Hampshire Libraries 