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A review by sarahs_bookish_life
The Second Captive by Maggie James
4.0
The Second Captive is a story that is told in two parts. The first half is told to us through Beth and Dominic whilst Beth is being held prisoner. The second half is told through Beth and her mum, Ursula, after Beth escapes.
Stockholm syndrome is certainly a fascinating topic and I think the author does a great job in helping the reader try to understand why someone being held captive would develop feelings for their captor.
Beth is just a young naive woman, who at eighteen, is really just starting to live her life when she is taken and kept in a basement. She goes through so many emotions of anger, hate, sadness, loneliness etc. She misses her family very much and her only companion now is Dominic, the man who took her.
Dominic, I had really mixed feelings for. I didn't want to like him or have empathy for him. Whilst I certainly didn't like him, I did start to feel empathy for him. Anyone who does what he does, usually comes from a troubled background and Dominic's is certainly no different, so in a way I could kind of understand why he was doing what he did even though it certainly isn't acceptable.
Ursula I certainly had every empathy for. Having your daughter disappear into thin air then turn up on the doorstop a couple of years later, I could very much feel her joy and pain. There is also a lot of frustration there as Beth does not want to divulge where she's been and for a mother to know her daughter has probably been through a horrible experience but to not know exactly what or how to help, well it made for some emotional reading.
The Second Captive is a story very much about relationships and the bonds that tie us. I enjoyed the insight from so many perspectives as it makes for some interesting reading. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and looking forward to reading more by the author.
Stockholm syndrome is certainly a fascinating topic and I think the author does a great job in helping the reader try to understand why someone being held captive would develop feelings for their captor.
Beth is just a young naive woman, who at eighteen, is really just starting to live her life when she is taken and kept in a basement. She goes through so many emotions of anger, hate, sadness, loneliness etc. She misses her family very much and her only companion now is Dominic, the man who took her.
Dominic, I had really mixed feelings for. I didn't want to like him or have empathy for him. Whilst I certainly didn't like him, I did start to feel empathy for him. Anyone who does what he does, usually comes from a troubled background and Dominic's is certainly no different, so in a way I could kind of understand why he was doing what he did even though it certainly isn't acceptable.
Ursula I certainly had every empathy for. Having your daughter disappear into thin air then turn up on the doorstop a couple of years later, I could very much feel her joy and pain. There is also a lot of frustration there as Beth does not want to divulge where she's been and for a mother to know her daughter has probably been through a horrible experience but to not know exactly what or how to help, well it made for some emotional reading.
The Second Captive is a story very much about relationships and the bonds that tie us. I enjoyed the insight from so many perspectives as it makes for some interesting reading. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and looking forward to reading more by the author.