Reviews

My Story by Chris Stewart, Elizabeth Smart

kateoneil's review

challenging emotional inspiring sad tense

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Kidnapping

torabella216's review

3.0

The writing is surprisingly simplistic and uninteresting. I wish the author had shared more of an authentic reflection. Much of the story felt like the resetting of a narrative. As if the author was trying to convince us that she had not been brainwashed or developed loyalty or Stockholm syndrome towards her captive.

miggyfool's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Excrement, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

stephhborges's review

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

plainjanethebookworm's review

slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Kidnapping

kelseytaylor's review

5.0

Blew through this book in a day. I remember being a kid living in Utah when she was taken, and having to have a conversation with my parents about what I should do if something like this happened to me. I also remember when she was found, and what all the stories and press were saying about it and her. I really appreciated being able to read about it from her raw perspective.

Some of the reviews about this book are, honestly, harsh. People hated it because it was laced with “too much God” for them, which I just find stupid. The book is literally called “My Story” and it’s her experience with abduction, abuse, and her eventually return home—Smart makes it abundantly clear that God was a HUGE factor in what gave her strength and hope to actually make it home. I’m just sayin’ don’t trash on someone else’s faith experiences if you literally picked up a memoir about a person of strong faith.

Honestly the book was simply written (another common criticism about it), which made it easy and quick to read. Personally I feel like the supposed “childlike writing” actually made it easier to see her as the innocent and vulnerable 14 year old girl she was depicting, as opposed to the 25 year-old woman she was while writing it.

I’d definitely recommend this book.

lace_m_3's review

4.0

This book was a quick, interesting read. Elizabeth's story was fascinating and full of hope. I appreciated that it wasn't steeped in all the terrible details but was more matter-of-fact. This girl is truly an inspiration of forgiveness and overcoming tragedy and if you are in to survival stories- I recommend this one!

mundanemacchiatos's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

4.0

autumnbrookew's review

5.0

it took me less than a day to get through this book. i have studied elizabeth’s story multiple times but never through her own words until now. her bravery and courage in such a terrifying and traumatic situation is purely uplifting. i’m thankful that she shares her story with the masses in order to prevent others from suffering in the way that she did.

something i loved is that she repeatedly uses the names of her captors in order to make the readers understand that these monsters were very much real, and that people like them do in fact exist in the world.

frankly_lemon's review

2.0

jesus take the wheel