Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
Wow. Big mistake here. I started to read Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott about an hour before we were supposed to be to church this morning. Which meant that I had to put it down. And I did not want to put this book down. As soon as we walked back in the door I had picked it back up again and shamelessly read Living Dead Girl through dinner. It was that good.
At the age of ten Alice is kidnapped from a school field trip by Ray, who is one of the sickest, most disturbing antagonists in literature that I will not soon forget. For the next five years Alice submits under Ray’s power for fear that he will kill her family. She learns to give up all of her feeling, power and pain. Day after day, month after month, year after year, she is emotionally, physically, sexually, and verbally abused.
Alice isn’t the first “Alice” that Ray took. There was another Alice before her and Alice knows that she’s becoming too big and too old because Ray likes his girls young. She decides to help him find a new “Alice” at a nearby playground but knows that when she does Ray will probably kill her. Alice is past all feeling. She refers to herself as a living dead girl who was born the day Ray took her, her body doesn’t belong to her, she belongs to Ray. She will do anything for him.
The story of Alice makes you so uncomfortable because like Alice you feel completely powerless. You want to reach through the pages of the book and if you’re able you wonder which should you do first, rescue Alice or kill Ray? He makes you that mad. Living Dead Girl reminded me of the Elizabeth Smart story, which although a huge national story, it was even more so here in Salt Lake City. The day she was found my class at college was canceled just so we could watch the news. I remember thinking how come Elizabeth didn’t just tell somebody? She had plenty of chances. Elizabeth Scott delves deep into the mindset of a victim who feels powerless against her perpetrator. Alice is free to come and go, rides the bus, even is questioned by the police and given several opportunities to ask for help and run away. She thinks:
I am 15, and I figure soon Ray will kill me.
I could run, but he would find me. He would take me back to 623 Daisy Lane and make everyone who lives there pay.
He would make everyone there pay even if he didn’t find me. I belong to him. I’m his little girl.
Alice watches a lot of TV and even knows that people ask those questions. But she knows they are wrong.
Why didn’t you tell someone?
Why didn’t you ask for help?
Why didn’t you leave him?
Why didn’t you respect yourself enough to get away?
The women usually crumple, shed their flesh shells, and become quivering living dead girls, trapped. A few will say that no one listens, that people don’t want to see, and that if you try something, anything, you won’t suffer but others will.
The audience always boos ad says You Should Have Done Something. You should have fought back. You should have known no one has that kind of power. You should have been strong.. . . The thing is, you can have that kind of power, and everyone in those audiences knows it. That’s why they yell. That’s why they say You Should Have Done Something.
They have power too.
I’d like to see them with it taken away. I’d like to see What They’d Do then.
Living Dead Girl is sad, disturbing, heart wrenching, and brutal. While it’s a difficult read it is in not graphic, which actually makes it that more haunting because the reader fills in the blanks. I felt like a useless bystander who was horrified and powerless to take any action. The book ends with either hope or despair. To tell you the truth I’m not sure which and I think the author purposely left it that way.
Edited to add an author video:
If you can handle it, I highly recommend Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott. You will not soon forget it.
Elizabeth Scott’s website.
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Category: Book Reviews, Fiction, Young Adult
Tags: child abuse, female author, Fiction, I-L Title, published 2008, Q-T Author, sexual abuse
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Natasha, your review has me wishing that my local bookstore was still open at midnight. I really need to read this one.
on October 26th, 2008 at 10:07 pmThat part where she’s watching tv was brilliant, I thought…the book is about so much more than sexual abuse, it’s about the power we have over others.
Great review. One of those disturbing books that’s hard to say you love, but greatly impacts you.
on October 26th, 2008 at 10:43 pmRuth – I know what you mean! I guess that’s why people like the Kindle.
Amy – It is about the power. We also see that when she’s in the car with Jake. She enjoys having power over him.
on October 26th, 2008 at 11:22 pmOh yes, I have this one on my TBR list! Glad to read that you think it’s a winner.
on October 27th, 2008 at 6:42 amI have read so many positive reviews of this book – I clearly need to read it.
on October 27th, 2008 at 6:53 amThis sounds really intersesting. Great review and I will be adding this to my TBR list. Thanks!
on October 27th, 2008 at 7:46 amSounds haunting but good. I have this on my TBR pile. I just have to work towards getting ready to read it. Good to know that it’s worth the read though. Thanks for posting this great review!
on October 27th, 2008 at 12:24 pmI thought this book was amazing. I have an interview with Elizabeth Scott coming up that I’ll post in November.
Becky
on October 27th, 2008 at 3:50 pmGreat review. I’ve seen a few reviews for this one and it’s definitely one I’d like to read.
on October 27th, 2008 at 6:11 pmI had not heard of this book. It sounds terribly intense – I’m not sure I’d be able to stomach it. It is a fascinating subject certainly, about things I wonder about when I hear stories like Elizabeth Smart’s and others.
on October 27th, 2008 at 6:24 pmThis sounds like what I need right now. I have read a few boring books the last week and need a good “can’t put it down” page turner.
on October 27th, 2008 at 8:38 pmI was in Utah on vacation the day that they found Elizabeth Smart, everyone was talking about it everywhere I went and I remember sitting in my car listening to the news reports.
Great review, I’ve added it to my list.
on October 27th, 2008 at 8:51 pmI have heard great things about this book and am considering reading it one day. It does sound like it is a difficult book though, but well worth reading.
on October 27th, 2008 at 9:58 pmWell, with a title like that how could you put the book down??? I’ve seen this one around, but I’m not sure if I could handle the subject matter! I guess maybe it helps that it isn’t quite so graphic?
on October 29th, 2008 at 7:28 pmOk I read Elizabeth Scott’s other book Stealing Heaven and thought it was OK. With such a glowing review maybe I will give her another try.
on October 29th, 2008 at 10:22 pmThis one is on my wish list. Great review.
on November 1st, 2008 at 10:57 amJoy – I think you’ll like it. It’s a fast read but very haunting.
Janssen – Read it for sure!
Samantha – You’re welcome!
Em – It’s the type of book that hits you hard!
Becky – That’s awesome! I’m looking forward to it!
Darlene – Read it sooner than later.
Tara – I immediately thought of Elizabeth Smart. Although she wasn’t in captivity as long as the girl in this story, it makes you wonder if she hadn’t had been spotted, how long she would have stayed. Years?
Jeanette – Utah basically shut down that day. We could not believe it. This is a can’t put down book for sure.
Lisa – Oh good. I love it when I can convince somebody to add a book to the list!
Literary Feline – It is difficult, but worth it.
Trish – I don’t know if it’s better or worse because it’s not as graphic. My mind lead me to believe the absolute worse and filled in the blanks.
Laura H. – I haven’t read any of her other books, I’ll have to look into it.
Lynne – Thanks.
on November 2nd, 2008 at 12:41 amWow. I’ve heard a lot of good reviews for this book, but yours makes me want to read it right this second. Sounds like it gives you a lot to think about and is hard to read at times. Having a little girl myself, I can imagine this book making me sick to my stomach, especially having read your description of Ray.
on November 2nd, 2008 at 9:40 pm[...] Rating: 2 Balance of Opinion: Becky’s Book Reviews, Book Addiction, Maw Books Blog [...]
on June 23rd, 2009 at 3:31 pm