Author: Rituparna Chatterjee
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 282
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My Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
With this book I don’t know where to start, I feel like I will fall short of words to describe how breathtaking this book is. It is a memoir of childhood abuse, healing and forgiveness written by Rituparna Chatterjee.
As a child Ritu lost her mother. Nobody told her what was wrong with her mother and with that she realized never to trust grownups. Her life was filled with sadness and on top of that her heart disease added more it. She constantly missed her mother and cherished the small moments spent with her. But her pain turned out to be never-ending. Soon Ritu moved to Central India to stay with her aunt where she was abused physically, sexually and emotionally. Those days of horror scarred that little child who could not trust anyone easily again. She faced the same things later even away from her uncle’s house which made her question the reality. Though she somehow managed o get away from her life as a prey and got enrolled to a boarding school, but new forms of challenges awaited her there. Still she hated going back to her family where she never felt safe. School was like a safe zone where she was surrounded by females and didn’t have to live in fear of an unwanted touch. She never got to live the childhood she deserved.
The way author described her life makes your heart break into pieces. I lost count of the number of times I cried my eyes out while reading this beautiful book Children are like wet cement, whatever falls on them makes an impression and it is even horrifying to think what they go through now-a-days. They are innocent, naïve and new to this cruel world. They think everyone is good and as a result the monsters take advantage of it. Children are supposed to be loved, cared for and protected. But due to the inhumanity of the world where we live they often grow up scarred and develop trust issues. They face many other forms of mental and emotional difficulties because of a stolen childhood. Being a girl is tough in this world where they are not valued as human beings and upon that being a girl child without anyone to protect you is more difficult.
Growing up as a woman in this vicious world I could feel the pain and hardships of Ritu. I don’t think there is any woman out there who has not faced an uncomfortable touch or glance or has been teased, catcalled, etc. But the book also gives us a hope of healing and able to live a better life. Ritu opted for a spiritual healing process which helped her calm her mind and able to forgive others for their sins. Though it is tough to live a normal life but the dream of a beautiful future is worth fighting for.
Triggers: Sexual Abuse, child abuse
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