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A review by melaniemalsch
The Kindness of Strangers by Katrina Kittle
challenging
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
This was sooooooo tough and awful but I could not put it down. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book centered on child sexual abuse. I think the author accomplished her purpose and examined the subject very well. I’m glad I read it, if I choose to rate it I’d give 4 stars but I don’t think it’s right to give it a rating.
One qualm I had is there were several instances where I thought she could have used more knowledge of how to talk about a few of the minor topics, like race, for example (this may have been a symptom of this being written in the 2000s).
That said, I certainly think she was overall appropriately sensitive and very knowledgeable when it came to the main topic of abuse and handled it realistically— the reactions, the questions, the recovery. The characters were sensitive but also clunky and awkward about it too, not knowing how to handle something so shocking.
I think as readers it’s easy to have similar reactions to this kind of book as some of the characters had in the story. “Why is she writing about this?” “I feel bad for reading about this” “this seems too far-fetched” “how could someone do something like that?” The difficulty of understanding can so easily turn into disbelief that it does happen in real life and I think that was the point that was made very well.
I also thought the exploration of being there for someone who has gone through something incomprehensible was very important. No one knows how to navigate that kind of thing but the choice to stay and give space and listen and try is what matters.
Worth the read, with caution and understanding
One qualm I had is there were several instances where I thought she could have used more knowledge of how to talk about a few of the minor topics, like race, for example (this may have been a symptom of this being written in the 2000s).
That said, I certainly think she was overall appropriately sensitive and very knowledgeable when it came to the main topic of abuse and handled it realistically— the reactions, the questions, the recovery. The characters were sensitive but also clunky and awkward about it too, not knowing how to handle something so shocking.
I think as readers it’s easy to have similar reactions to this kind of book as some of the characters had in the story. “Why is she writing about this?” “I feel bad for reading about this” “this seems too far-fetched” “how could someone do something like that?” The difficulty of understanding can so easily turn into disbelief that it does happen in real life and I think that was the point that was made very well.
I also thought the exploration of being there for someone who has gone through something incomprehensible was very important. No one knows how to navigate that kind of thing but the choice to stay and give space and listen and try is what matters.
Worth the read, with caution and understanding
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Sexual violence