kchisholm's review against another edition
4.0
THE BLOOD ON MY HANDS is a very personal story, told by Shannon O'Leary, recounting a childhood that truly could be said was hellish. A violent, mentally ill father, an extended family wrapped up in concern about their "good name", vicious or uncaring authorities, and police neglect that is positively staggering, combine in this tale to create a story that's incredibly difficult to read.
When reviewing this book it's really important to stress that the review is not of the life, or the story itself. This is somebody's truth, a woman's life and what happened is utterly horrific.
This is a story which must have taken guts to tell as it attempts to cast light on domestic violence. A scourge that continues to plague our communities and will have done much earlier than the 1960s and 1970s that this book covers. If, for a moment, any reader has any doubts whatsoever of the depths to which some perpetrators can sink, and the damage and outcomes that victims carry with them for the rest of their lives then read THE BLOOD ON MY HANDS.
Given how incredibly difficult the subject matter is in this story - and O'Leary doesn't pull many punches about what happened - the style of writing makes it very approachable. Even when the reader is physically repulsed, or fighting off a raging anger at the neglect and dismissiveness of people who knew - it's a difficult story to put down. Which makes for a decidedly confronting experience - something that's incredibly difficult to read, whilst being something incredibly difficult to put down.
It's important that we understand the outcomes of domestic and family violence. It's important that we are reminded of causes as well as outcomes. It's important that we remember there's a reason for the increased focus and concentration on support and providing victims with options now. It's equally important that we tackle the multiple questions around perpetrator motivation. A searing book, THE BLOOD ON MY HANDS is not a book that you can possibly say you're going to enjoy, but it's one that's guaranteed to stay with you.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/review-blood-my-hands-shannon-oleary
When reviewing this book it's really important to stress that the review is not of the life, or the story itself. This is somebody's truth, a woman's life and what happened is utterly horrific.
This is a story which must have taken guts to tell as it attempts to cast light on domestic violence. A scourge that continues to plague our communities and will have done much earlier than the 1960s and 1970s that this book covers. If, for a moment, any reader has any doubts whatsoever of the depths to which some perpetrators can sink, and the damage and outcomes that victims carry with them for the rest of their lives then read THE BLOOD ON MY HANDS.
Given how incredibly difficult the subject matter is in this story - and O'Leary doesn't pull many punches about what happened - the style of writing makes it very approachable. Even when the reader is physically repulsed, or fighting off a raging anger at the neglect and dismissiveness of people who knew - it's a difficult story to put down. Which makes for a decidedly confronting experience - something that's incredibly difficult to read, whilst being something incredibly difficult to put down.
It's important that we understand the outcomes of domestic and family violence. It's important that we are reminded of causes as well as outcomes. It's important that we remember there's a reason for the increased focus and concentration on support and providing victims with options now. It's equally important that we tackle the multiple questions around perpetrator motivation. A searing book, THE BLOOD ON MY HANDS is not a book that you can possibly say you're going to enjoy, but it's one that's guaranteed to stay with you.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/review-blood-my-hands-shannon-oleary
sarahs_bookish_life's review against another edition
3.0
The Blood on My Hands is a true story about the abuse suffered by the author and her family.
Shannon's father seems to have multiple personalities which leads him to be violent and abusive, mainly to Shannon and her mum.
There are some parts that are quite horrific, mainly when her father is brutally getting rid of women's bodies that he has killed. Some parts certainly make for uncomfortable reading.
It is obvious that Shannon's father has a lot of mental health issues but unfortunately no matter how much Shannon's mother begs the police and doctors, no one is prepared to step in and help the family out.
It is really hard to rate a book that is non fiction, especially one to do with abuse. Even though the book held my interest and I found some parts shocking I just didn't feel the true horror of what Shannon and her family were going through. The story jumps quite quickly from when something happens to something else so that I just didn't get the full impact of the horror that had just happened. The ending also jumped from when Shannon is still a child to a two page Epilogue and left me feeling like there was a huge gap missing.
I feel bad not being able to give the book more than three stars as I do have every empathy for Shannon and her family and what they went through but it just didn't have the impact on me that I would expect from a book involving such a harrowing subject. I would still urge people to read the book as it is a story that should be told and heard.
My thanks to the author and Kelsey at Book Publicity Services for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Shannon's father seems to have multiple personalities which leads him to be violent and abusive, mainly to Shannon and her mum.
There are some parts that are quite horrific, mainly when her father is brutally getting rid of women's bodies that he has killed. Some parts certainly make for uncomfortable reading.
It is obvious that Shannon's father has a lot of mental health issues but unfortunately no matter how much Shannon's mother begs the police and doctors, no one is prepared to step in and help the family out.
It is really hard to rate a book that is non fiction, especially one to do with abuse. Even though the book held my interest and I found some parts shocking I just didn't feel the true horror of what Shannon and her family were going through. The story jumps quite quickly from when something happens to something else so that I just didn't get the full impact of the horror that had just happened. The ending also jumped from when Shannon is still a child to a two page Epilogue and left me feeling like there was a huge gap missing.
I feel bad not being able to give the book more than three stars as I do have every empathy for Shannon and her family and what they went through but it just didn't have the impact on me that I would expect from a book involving such a harrowing subject. I would still urge people to read the book as it is a story that should be told and heard.
My thanks to the author and Kelsey at Book Publicity Services for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
readingnookreviews's review against another edition
4.0
Shannon O’Leary’s story is one that is engrossing, terrifying, and heart wrenching. It’s almost hard to believe this is a true story as it contains descriptions of horrific events that no person, much less a child, should ever have to witness or endure. I was so angry the police did absolutely nothing to help (or “couldn’t” I guess). It’s insane to think that her father was never even punished or convicted in any way for his heinous crimes. I will say this is not for the faint hearted and it will stay with you for a long while after you finish reading. I think the most interesting part of this book was from a psychological perspective looking at different actions of her father and different personalities he seemed to have. Thank you to the author and Book Publicity Services for the free copy in exchange for an honest review!
Warning: this book is very graphic and leaves nothing to be imagined. There are extensive descriptions of violent events including animal abuse, domestic abuse, rape, and murder.
Warning: this book is very graphic and leaves nothing to be imagined. There are extensive descriptions of violent events including animal abuse, domestic abuse, rape, and murder.
letstalkaboutbooksbaybee's review against another edition
3.0
3.5⭐️
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
TW: rape, violence, murder/death, abuse, animal cruelty, sexual abuse, miscarriage
Honestly, this book was so uncomfortable to read. Shannon O’Leary documents her life in this book, a life in which she and her family were tormented by her abusive father for years. Her father and his multiple personalities killed family pets, abused her mother, sexually abused her, and forced her to watch as he murdered people in the Australian bush, where no one would find any evidence to condemn him.
This book made me so angry at the police’s complete lack of any sort of motivation to protect Shannon and her family. They turned to authorities multiple times just to be brushed off. Teachers, doctors, counselors all failed Shannon, her mom, and her siblings. They suffered years of abuse. Not to mention the nameless victims her father brutally murdered right in front of his daughter.
To be honest, the storytelling of this book wasn’t the best it could have been. The author jumped around in the timeline of events, leaving me as a reader slightly confused on the chronology of things. I also wanted more from the epilogue on how she was doing now and on if her father continued to stalk her throughout adulthood. I hope she eventually got the psychological help she obviously needed.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
TW: rape, violence, murder/death, abuse, animal cruelty, sexual abuse, miscarriage
Honestly, this book was so uncomfortable to read. Shannon O’Leary documents her life in this book, a life in which she and her family were tormented by her abusive father for years. Her father and his multiple personalities killed family pets, abused her mother, sexually abused her, and forced her to watch as he murdered people in the Australian bush, where no one would find any evidence to condemn him.
This book made me so angry at the police’s complete lack of any sort of motivation to protect Shannon and her family. They turned to authorities multiple times just to be brushed off. Teachers, doctors, counselors all failed Shannon, her mom, and her siblings. They suffered years of abuse. Not to mention the nameless victims her father brutally murdered right in front of his daughter.
To be honest, the storytelling of this book wasn’t the best it could have been. The author jumped around in the timeline of events, leaving me as a reader slightly confused on the chronology of things. I also wanted more from the epilogue on how she was doing now and on if her father continued to stalk her throughout adulthood. I hope she eventually got the psychological help she obviously needed.
wellwortharead's review against another edition
4.0
I don't know that I have ever read of such a horrific case of abuse that didn't end in death. I had to constantly remind myself to calm down, this is a first person account so the author did survive. Words spoken to Shannon by her mother are what truly defines this story.
"Go down the road until you come to a telephone box, and ring the police if your father kills me." Words spoken by a mother who never knew from one day to the next if she and her children would survive the madman she married.
I received an advance copy for review
"Go down the road until you come to a telephone box, and ring the police if your father kills me." Words spoken by a mother who never knew from one day to the next if she and her children would survive the madman she married.
I received an advance copy for review
canary20's review against another edition
1.0
This book was about the abuse Shannon (the author) had suffered by the hands of her father. I had a hard time keeping track of what was going on and figuring out who people were. It felt that Shannon just wanted to get it all out and write it all down with no consideration of time and connection. The description of this book is that her father was also a serial killer but there has never been any proof at all besides Shannon on what she saw. I believe on one part the mom was around for one killing but I am not really sure if she saw anything. Was there never any missing person's cases? Shannon makes it sound like her father killed hundreds of people but only described a couple that she states she saw. I feel bad that I gave this book such a low review especially after the strength it took to actually write everything down that she went through but I couldn't feel a connection and some things were just so unbelievable. Received this copy from Netgalley for a honest review.
brittanyraeann's review against another edition
4.0
Wow. It's hard to even put words to the emotions I felt while reading Shannon's book. I'm beyond amazed at her strength and willingness to survive, and then to go even a step further and share her story with the world. I won't lie, her story is very uncomfortable to read. But that's why it needs to be shared.
I felt her fear through each turn of the page. Her and her family's experience is definitely not for the faint of heart, as it's horrific from page one until the end. The book is written from a child's perspective, but with adult wisdom. But through it all, Shannon survived and is such an inspiration!
What made me so frustrated is that her father was never caught for his crimes and never served any time. But Shannon made sure her story of survival was known. I've already got her follow up book and can't wait to start.
I felt her fear through each turn of the page. Her and her family's experience is definitely not for the faint of heart, as it's horrific from page one until the end. The book is written from a child's perspective, but with adult wisdom. But through it all, Shannon survived and is such an inspiration!
What made me so frustrated is that her father was never caught for his crimes and never served any time. But Shannon made sure her story of survival was known. I've already got her follow up book and can't wait to start.
keeperofpages's review against another edition
4.0
“I have felt the cold steel of a gun in my mouth and against my temple.”
From the opening line of the prologue, I knew this was going to be a book that would evoke deep emotions of sadness and anger in me. To say I enjoyed this book somehow seems wrong, so what I will say is, I was deeply moved by O’Leary’s story.
I don’t often read autobiographies but I’m drawn to these books because no matter how many I read, I have to know how and why these events were able to occur with no one intervening. I despair at the systems in place, failing these young people they were meant to protect. O’Leary’s father clearly has some serious mental health problems, undiagnosed and untreated, he reigned down terror on his entire family. At times when I was reading about certain incidents, I was so outraged, I wanted to go back in time and shout ‘why isn’t anyone doing anything!’ The strength, courage and resilience Shannon and her mother displayed was inspiring, the strength and bond of this mother and daughter truly moved me. There were brief flecks of happiness in this book but they were few and far between, you need some emotional strength to read this book as some of the details are horrific and will make you wish this book was fictional.
It’s hard to talk about the flow and pace of this book because Shannon didn’t get to choose the pace and flow of her life. My only criticism, if you can call it that, is the ending, for the simple fact, that I would have liked Shannon to expand a bit more on life after escaping her father, for selfish reasons, I wanted to read more about Shannon’s happier adult life, if only to erase the trauma of her childhood from my mind. The book does jump from event to event, with gaps missing but again who am I to criticise, I’m hoping these time-gaps were filled with happy times and they were so few and far between that Shannon wanted to keep them all to herself but I fear that wasn’t the case.
Overall, this is a deeply moving book, one I highly recommend. It will open your eyes to the cruelties that exist behind closed doors and shock you that even sometimes when the door opens, no help arrives. Domestic violence is as real today as it was back then and although laws are changing, and people are becoming more aware, there are still thousands of children suffering in silence. Thank you, Shannon, for your bravery in sharing your story with us.
*My thanks to Kelsey at Book Publicity Services for providing me with a copy of this book*
From the opening line of the prologue, I knew this was going to be a book that would evoke deep emotions of sadness and anger in me. To say I enjoyed this book somehow seems wrong, so what I will say is, I was deeply moved by O’Leary’s story.
I don’t often read autobiographies but I’m drawn to these books because no matter how many I read, I have to know how and why these events were able to occur with no one intervening. I despair at the systems in place, failing these young people they were meant to protect. O’Leary’s father clearly has some serious mental health problems, undiagnosed and untreated, he reigned down terror on his entire family. At times when I was reading about certain incidents, I was so outraged, I wanted to go back in time and shout ‘why isn’t anyone doing anything!’ The strength, courage and resilience Shannon and her mother displayed was inspiring, the strength and bond of this mother and daughter truly moved me. There were brief flecks of happiness in this book but they were few and far between, you need some emotional strength to read this book as some of the details are horrific and will make you wish this book was fictional.
It’s hard to talk about the flow and pace of this book because Shannon didn’t get to choose the pace and flow of her life. My only criticism, if you can call it that, is the ending, for the simple fact, that I would have liked Shannon to expand a bit more on life after escaping her father, for selfish reasons, I wanted to read more about Shannon’s happier adult life, if only to erase the trauma of her childhood from my mind. The book does jump from event to event, with gaps missing but again who am I to criticise, I’m hoping these time-gaps were filled with happy times and they were so few and far between that Shannon wanted to keep them all to herself but I fear that wasn’t the case.
Overall, this is a deeply moving book, one I highly recommend. It will open your eyes to the cruelties that exist behind closed doors and shock you that even sometimes when the door opens, no help arrives. Domestic violence is as real today as it was back then and although laws are changing, and people are becoming more aware, there are still thousands of children suffering in silence. Thank you, Shannon, for your bravery in sharing your story with us.
*My thanks to Kelsey at Book Publicity Services for providing me with a copy of this book*
alexandramilne's review
4.0
Read my other book reviews at booksibled.wordpress.com
I was sent these two books in exchange for an honest review.
These are dark, dark books. For the majority of the people I know I probably wouldn’t recommend them because so many of my friends and family read for escapism and the joy of it. I often had to put these books aside and convince myself to continue but not because they’re bad. It takes a certain amount of stregth of mind to keep reading through descriptions of kidnap, murder, domestic violence and child abuse. These books are so heavy and if that’s not something you want to read, even if you normally enjoy true crime, then that is totally valid.
But for people who are interested in how a family can survive after going through hell, how a girl can rebuild her life and how the mind can react to protect a person who has been through terrible trauma then these may be the books for you.
Shannon tries to piece together her childhood with the snippits of early memory that she feels she can trust. It often brings forth the question of the reliability of a narrator in a memoir and the way children and sexual assault victims are so often disbelieved to the point that they begin to doubt their own memories. Her memories of her mother and animals seem to be the strongest with the fear and confusion of her fathers actions often blurring the edges of her stories. It can be a little confusing but in a lot of ways I feel like that adds to the sense of fear the book instills in the reader.
The second book in the series focuses on Shannon rebuilding her life after her mother and siblings escape her father. It covers his attempts to stalk them wherever they move, her moving out and starting work, her fathers death and the difficulty she has in forming healthy relationships after years of systematic abuse from her father and mistreatment by boyfriends.
By the end of the books you have a strong sense of Shannon’s determination to not only survive but to thrive. In a lot of ways it’s heartwarming to know she survived so much and made it through to a happier, healthier place. However it’s hard to move past the appauling things she has internalised over the years and the process of getting all of that out on paper, while cathartic for Shannon, may be triggering to others. So, I can only recommend it with the heaviest of warnings.
P.S. An unsettling memoir series including triggering recollections of sexual abuse, domestic violence and a culture of fear but an inspiring story of piecing yourself back together and surviving trauma.
I was sent these two books in exchange for an honest review.
These are dark, dark books. For the majority of the people I know I probably wouldn’t recommend them because so many of my friends and family read for escapism and the joy of it. I often had to put these books aside and convince myself to continue but not because they’re bad. It takes a certain amount of stregth of mind to keep reading through descriptions of kidnap, murder, domestic violence and child abuse. These books are so heavy and if that’s not something you want to read, even if you normally enjoy true crime, then that is totally valid.
But for people who are interested in how a family can survive after going through hell, how a girl can rebuild her life and how the mind can react to protect a person who has been through terrible trauma then these may be the books for you.
Shannon tries to piece together her childhood with the snippits of early memory that she feels she can trust. It often brings forth the question of the reliability of a narrator in a memoir and the way children and sexual assault victims are so often disbelieved to the point that they begin to doubt their own memories. Her memories of her mother and animals seem to be the strongest with the fear and confusion of her fathers actions often blurring the edges of her stories. It can be a little confusing but in a lot of ways I feel like that adds to the sense of fear the book instills in the reader.
The second book in the series focuses on Shannon rebuilding her life after her mother and siblings escape her father. It covers his attempts to stalk them wherever they move, her moving out and starting work, her fathers death and the difficulty she has in forming healthy relationships after years of systematic abuse from her father and mistreatment by boyfriends.
By the end of the books you have a strong sense of Shannon’s determination to not only survive but to thrive. In a lot of ways it’s heartwarming to know she survived so much and made it through to a happier, healthier place. However it’s hard to move past the appauling things she has internalised over the years and the process of getting all of that out on paper, while cathartic for Shannon, may be triggering to others. So, I can only recommend it with the heaviest of warnings.
P.S. An unsettling memoir series including triggering recollections of sexual abuse, domestic violence and a culture of fear but an inspiring story of piecing yourself back together and surviving trauma.
letstalkaboutbooksbaybee's review
3.0
3.5⭐️
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
TW: rape, violence, murder/death, abuse, animal cruelty, sexual abuse, miscarriage
Honestly, this book was so uncomfortable to read. Shannon O’Leary documents her life in this book, a life in which she and her family were tormented by her abusive father for years. Her father and his multiple personalities killed family pets, abused her mother, sexually abused her, and forced her to watch as he murdered people in the Australian bush, where no one would find any evidence to condemn him.
This book made me so angry at the police’s complete lack of any sort of motivation to protect Shannon and her family. They turned to authorities multiple times just to be brushed off. Teachers, doctors, counselors all failed Shannon, her mom, and her siblings. They suffered years of abuse. Not to mention the nameless victims her father brutally murdered right in front of his daughter.
To be honest, the storytelling of this book wasn’t the best it could have been. The author jumped around in the timeline of events, leaving me as a reader slightly confused on the chronology of things. I also wanted more from the epilogue on how she was doing now and on if her father continued to stalk her throughout adulthood. I hope she eventually got the psychological help she obviously needed.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
TW: rape, violence, murder/death, abuse, animal cruelty, sexual abuse, miscarriage
Honestly, this book was so uncomfortable to read. Shannon O’Leary documents her life in this book, a life in which she and her family were tormented by her abusive father for years. Her father and his multiple personalities killed family pets, abused her mother, sexually abused her, and forced her to watch as he murdered people in the Australian bush, where no one would find any evidence to condemn him.
This book made me so angry at the police’s complete lack of any sort of motivation to protect Shannon and her family. They turned to authorities multiple times just to be brushed off. Teachers, doctors, counselors all failed Shannon, her mom, and her siblings. They suffered years of abuse. Not to mention the nameless victims her father brutally murdered right in front of his daughter.
To be honest, the storytelling of this book wasn’t the best it could have been. The author jumped around in the timeline of events, leaving me as a reader slightly confused on the chronology of things. I also wanted more from the epilogue on how she was doing now and on if her father continued to stalk her throughout adulthood. I hope she eventually got the psychological help she obviously needed.