Young Adult Book Reading Challenges discussion

What did you think of the ending? Of the work as a whole?

I just finished reading a few minutes ago, and... I'm still kind of shocked. It was the most disturbing thing I've ever read, and SO realistic. I thought the ending was appropriate. Not happy, exactly, but then again how could such a tale have a happy ending?

It was such a sad book. The brain-washing of a child is such a powerful topic. Even though she alluded to wanting to die, I don't think she had the will or desire to do this to herself as there was always that glimmer of hope. I think it was more a reference to wishing that he would finally put her out of her misery. The title of this book was so apt

I didn't like the ending, but I still thought it was a very powerful book that rightly urges people to pay attention to the hurts of those around them. I wish the police had been more involved in the resolution, which felt infuriating. But also very real.

I thought the ending summarized her dilemma--although she wanted to die she wanted to give the "new" girl a chance and not be put through the horror. I live in a town with a recent missing child and I clicked on a link which listed a bunch of the higher profile missing kids/young adults--so sad and depressing. It reminded me again of how brave the women who persuaded the police to get more involved with Jaycee Dugard and her children. How many people (in the book) saw the girl and didn't report it or say anything? The wax place made me ill--that seemed like child exploitation.

OMG, i dont even know what to say..... this book was soooo disturbing but also sadly sooo true. I read this book in one day, i couldn't put it down. I honestly didnt like the ending only because i thought it could have ending like her going back home and seeing her parents and stuff like that. In the end though it was a good book just not a book i will read again.

At first I wanted her to be able to go back home and see her parents and everything too, but as the book progressed furthur I realized that really, she still wouldve been so scared and so scarred that she would never be happy, let alone normal. So I thought the ending was okay. I don't want every tale like hers to have that ending though.

I agree completely with Megatron. With her interactions with Jake, thd way that her experiences were manifesting themselves in a weird desire to see harm done to others would not have made for a happy ending even if she had been able to go back home. She seemed capable of continuing the chain of abuse. I get that she was willing to do certain things if it meant her safety, and that maybe that wouldn't have been the case once she was free of Ray, but I don't know. I think the ending was suitable.

That said, I was hoping for the car guy to make a reappearance. The way the author went into detail about him in the beginning made me think that he would be the one to finally say something, or react. I understand that in his inaction, it strengthens the theme that no one ever does. However, it just seemed like a loose end to me.

I thought the ending of this story was not the ending of her ordeal and I would have liked the aftermath to be more developed. It reminded me of the tragedy of Steven Stayner, who was kidnapped at age 7. When the molester kidnapped another child, he helped that child escape. Stephen died in an accident when he was a young man.

The story was haunting and disturbing. The abuse was ignored because neighbors believed Ray instead of their instincts that something was very wrong.

I agree with Stephanie, how the police woman should have been more involved with her like get her back to her family. The ending was good.

Michelle wrote: "I agree completely with Megatron. With her interactions with Jake, thd way that her experiences were manifesting themselves in a weird desire to see harm done to others would not have made for a ha..."


I think the guy in the truck was mentioned because it was supposed to show that people thought he was weird because he was quite but then it turned out that he wasn't the bad guy after all. When tend to stereotype the wrong people.

Now that I am done... well I am just like WHOA. I will say that it was a good book, but I don't know why anyone wants to read this. It is sooo depressing. The worst part is this really happens to people. Here is an article form one case:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/jaycee-lee-d...

This girl was kept for 18 years.. and the man even fathered two children with her! This case was mentioned in message 5 above. The wax place WAS terrible. You know they knew that girl was WAY too young to be in there. I also wondered how Ray got the pills to stop her period? He has to have a subscription for it.

I agree with everyone about her being very unstable if she ever went back to society. This girl started to like to see others hurt, just like Ray. He too got weird after growing up with an abusive mother. This reminded me a lot of Carrie by Stephen King. Carrie was also a weird girl because of her mother.

I looked up the story of Steven Stayner.. how sad http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_S...

Another big story is of Elizabeth Smart. That case was horrible as well. I lived in Salt Lake at the time and it was always on the news. I still can't believe that girl was taken right out of her room. Now there is a girl who turned her life around and is a wonderful woman now. I guess this just goes to show that you can go back to normal society after all the mental and sexual abuse. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabet...

Here is a great video on her turning her life around
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sTohV...

Antonio wrote: "I agree with Stephanie, how the police woman should have been more involved with her like get her back to her family. The ending was good."

The police woman is hard... I think she did the right thing... but then again maybe she should've made sure she went home. Well... she would've went to Ray though and he would've pretended like she was his daughter. I think the cop would've done something after a week or so. But only after 3 days I don't think it was enough time to make a big move.

Do you think that Alice jumped in front of the gun to kill herself?

No I never thought of that. That's an interesting thought.

Before the month is over (and the book discussions always keep going) I would like to say thanks to Laura for being our discussion leader!!!

The book was very sad, but while reading it I just wanted to go in there and help her out..., they ending was good for this story in general.

This book made me feel revolted, helpless and unbearably sad. It was SO disturbing and the fact that this might be happening to someone, somewhere in the world right now makes me feel....ugh. Terrible. The ending felt right- it was the only way to set her free.

The book was hard to read and was very disturbing. I had wanted to put down the and not finish it but I couldn't do it until I made it through all the way. I'm glad I had finished it though. It was an easy read also. I think I finished it within two hours or less.

Spandana wrote: "This book made me feel revolted, helpless and unbearably sad. It was SO disturbing and the fact that this might be happening to someone, somewhere in the world right now makes me feel....ugh. Terri..."

I agree... it is disturbing to think that someone in the world RIGHT NOW is going through something like this.

Abby wrote: "...i thought it could have ending like her going back home and seeing her parents and stuff like that. In the end though it was a good book..."

I kept hoping that she would find her way back to her parents up to the point where I realized there weren't enough pages in the book to wrap up the story with that ending. How could Alice/Kyla ever recover from what she's been through? How could her parents deal with it? You'd need a much longer book to tell that story.

If you're interested (and old enough to handle the topic) you should read Room by Emma Donoghue. This is also about an abduction - of a college student. In addition to telling the story of what her life is like in captivity, it deals with what happens after the young woman is rescued from her captor.

I just read this book a few weeks ago. It is a very shocking book, very depressing and sad. The ending fit well, although I find it really sad that she was soooo close to being free... but she didn't make it. The boy/guy in the car, the one with the little sister, I really liked his character, and I'm glad he tried to help Alice/Kyla.
Ever since I read this book I've been awkward and worried whenever walking past a man on the sidewalk, talking to a man at a cash register, etc.
Overall, a very very good book. But don't read it unless you are prepared to be Shocked and Disturbed.