Title: Jane Anonymous
Author: Laurie Faria Stolarz
Pages: 310
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: 7th January 2020
Blurb from Goodreads:
That’s how long I was kept captive.
Locked in a room with a bed, refrigerator, and adjoining bathroom,
I was instructed to eat, bathe, and behave. I received meals,
laundered clothes, and toiletries through a cat door, never knowing
if it was day or night. The last time I saw the face of my abductor
was when he dragged me fighting from the trunk of his car. My only
solace was Mason—one of the other kidnapped teens—and our pact to
one day escape together. But when that day finally came, I had to
leave him behind.
Now that I’m home, my parents and friends want everything to be
like it was before I left. But they don’t understand that dining
out and shopping trips can’t heal what’s broken inside me. I
barely leave my bedroom. Therapists are clueless and condescending.
So I start my own form of therapy—but writing about my experience
awakens uncomfortable memories, ones that should’ve stayed buried.
When I ask the detectives assigned to my case about Mason, I get
an answer I don’t believe—that there were no traces of any other
kidnapped kids. But I distinctly remember the screams, holding hands
with Mason through a hole in my wall, and sharing a chocolate bar. I
don’t believe he wasn’t really there and I’m determined to find
him. How far will I have to go to uncover the truth of what
happened—and will it break me forever?
Book Links:
My Review:
*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley*
Jane Anonymous, a
seventeen-year-old young woman, was kidnapped and kept locked up for
seven months.
Jane's life became
limited to two rooms and she had to rely on her kidnapper for food,
clothes, and other items that were delivered through a flap in the
door.
Jane would have gone
crazy if not for Mason, one of the kidnapper's other victims. Jane
and Mason kept each other going and planned to escape together. But
when Jane did escape, she had to do so without Mason.
Now back home, Jane
struggles with everyday life and doesn't believe the detectives
assigned to her case who tell her that there are no signs of other
kidnapped people at the crime scene except for her.
Jane is determined
to find Mason so they can be reunited, but can she trust her memories
of what happened?
Can Jane go back to
the girl she used to be?
Jane Anonymous is
told in chapters set in the past and in the present. It was
interesting to read the chapters set in the past knowing that Jane
does escape and that she is questioning what happened when in the
present.
I really sympathised
with Jane and was rooting for her to escape and find a way to heal or
talk to someone about what happened to her. I just wanted to reach
into the book, give her a hug and tell her that everything would be
all right in the end.
The plot was
interesting and held my attention, but I wasn't gripped or thinking
about the book when I wasn't reading it.
The writing style
was easy to follow and I ended up reading this very quickly.
I felt that the
author handled the dark subjects in the book well.
Overall, this was an
enjoyable read.
