A review by readingwithgee_
The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum
5.0
I haven't been very well this month so I haven't had the energy or motivation to pick up a single book.. That is until my dad started telling me about a young girl called Sylvia Likens who tragically died in Indiana US in 1965 after being brutally tortured to the point of her death by a woman called Gertrude who was taking care of her and her sister, Gertrude's children and shockingly some of the neighbourhood kids. I then went researching and found that there was a book written based on this story and low and behold, I already had it in my wishlist so I picked bought it straight away and read it in 2 hours.
This book tells Sylvia's tale from the perspective of a next door neighbour, the names are changed and there are quite a few differences but my goodness, what an emotional, impactful book! I don't cry often at books but this one got me. Well, the original story left me absolutely gobsmacked and this book was just the cherry on the cake.
I will say that this book is gruesome! Gruesome and graphic and it's not for the faint hearted, I can see why some people may feel uncomfortable reading it, but I really loved this book all the same, it completely captures what this poor girl went through and even then I think the author stepped back a notch whilst writing.
Again i really loved this book and devoured it in 2.5 hours, It's definitely a twist on anything I've read before and although sad it's definitely one I'll keep close to my heart from now on
Plenty of trigger warnings in this book including graphic child abuse, rape etc
This book tells Sylvia's tale from the perspective of a next door neighbour, the names are changed and there are quite a few differences but my goodness, what an emotional, impactful book! I don't cry often at books but this one got me. Well, the original story left me absolutely gobsmacked and this book was just the cherry on the cake.
I will say that this book is gruesome! Gruesome and graphic and it's not for the faint hearted, I can see why some people may feel uncomfortable reading it, but I really loved this book all the same, it completely captures what this poor girl went through and even then I think the author stepped back a notch whilst writing.
Again i really loved this book and devoured it in 2.5 hours, It's definitely a twist on anything I've read before and although sad it's definitely one I'll keep close to my heart from now on
Plenty of trigger warnings in this book including graphic child abuse, rape etc