My Story by Elizabeth Smart
I was lent My Story by my boyfriends mom after I let her read Scarred by Sarah Edmondson. I was definitely interested in reading it because I remember the Elizabeth Smart story very well. In 2002, I was 11 years old, only three years younger than Elizabeth, and even at that young age, I was old enough to know that if someone could break into her house and kidnap her, then someone could do it to me as well. This was one of the events that would turn me into a Murderino.
In June of 2002, Brian David Mitchell broke into the Smart household during the night and kidnapped Elizabeth Smart from her bed and held her captive for over nine months. During this time, Elizabeth was raped, threatened, chained, disguised, starved, and so much more. She feared that this would be her life, that she would never get a boyfriend, graduate high school or college, get married, have a family; none of the normal things she had spent her life looking forward to would happen. She survived her time with Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee, by prayer and reminding herself of her family.
Elizabeth's story is very sad and very powerful. Though she is telling her story years after she escaped Mitchell and Barzee, she was only 14 when she experienced these things. I do not know how such a young girl was able to keep everything so together during her time in captivity. I think back to how I responded and acted to things when I was that age, and I have a feeling that Mitchell would have killed me, as much as I hate to say that. I would not have been able to keep my cool as she did. I admire her strength through the entire time she was with them. She attributes her strength to her faith and her guardian angel, her grandfather who passed away days before her abduction. But I also believe her strength comes from within her. You cannot do what she did without being a strong, smart individual.
Frequently in the book, she underlines the fact that she never suffered from Stockholm Syndrome or developed feelings for Mitchell or Barzee. I am sure this is because people have harassed her for not making more attempts at escaping, or saying something the first time an officer questioned her. Each time this happened I was frustrated because I do not see it that way at all. She was a child and she was terrified that if she said or did anything, Mitchell would kill her family. He knew not only where her parents and siblings lived, but where a cousin lived as well because he attempted to abduct her cousin. When someone is brave enough to stalk you beforehand and plan your capture, it is completely plausible that they would go back and kill your family. And, just in case this hasn't been said enough, she was just FOURTEEN. Most of us are lucky enough that we do not have to find out what we would do in that situation, so it is easy to say that we would make a break for it every chance we got, or that we would have said something to the police officer in the library, but we have zero way of knowing. I believe that Elizabeth did exactly the right thing because in the end, she made it home and Mitchell and Barzee were caught.
The book was a good book. I watched the movie version of it that came out a few years ago (Lifetime or something like that, I really don't remember) and it felt like it read exactly like that movie did, which I am pretty sure was based off of the book, so good for the people who made the movie. The writing was a bit simple, but I do not expect more from someone who is not an every day author. Elizabeth Smart has gone on to do great things as an advocate, and she has been able to have every experience she was scared she would not be able to have. While I did tear up during her being reunited with her family, I started bawling when I did some research on everything she has done since. Her mom told her shortly after her return to not let Mitchell and Barzee steal anymore of her time, and she has done just that. Elizabeth Smart is sincerely an amazing woman.
Rating: 8/10
Author: Elizabeth Smart
Genres: Autobiography, Memoir, Non-Fiction, True Crime
Dates Read: December 27-30, 2019
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| (Source: Kelsey Darling) |
Content Warning: This book contains themes of child abduction and rape.
Elizabeth's story is very sad and very powerful. Though she is telling her story years after she escaped Mitchell and Barzee, she was only 14 when she experienced these things. I do not know how such a young girl was able to keep everything so together during her time in captivity. I think back to how I responded and acted to things when I was that age, and I have a feeling that Mitchell would have killed me, as much as I hate to say that. I would not have been able to keep my cool as she did. I admire her strength through the entire time she was with them. She attributes her strength to her faith and her guardian angel, her grandfather who passed away days before her abduction. But I also believe her strength comes from within her. You cannot do what she did without being a strong, smart individual.
Frequently in the book, she underlines the fact that she never suffered from Stockholm Syndrome or developed feelings for Mitchell or Barzee. I am sure this is because people have harassed her for not making more attempts at escaping, or saying something the first time an officer questioned her. Each time this happened I was frustrated because I do not see it that way at all. She was a child and she was terrified that if she said or did anything, Mitchell would kill her family. He knew not only where her parents and siblings lived, but where a cousin lived as well because he attempted to abduct her cousin. When someone is brave enough to stalk you beforehand and plan your capture, it is completely plausible that they would go back and kill your family. And, just in case this hasn't been said enough, she was just FOURTEEN. Most of us are lucky enough that we do not have to find out what we would do in that situation, so it is easy to say that we would make a break for it every chance we got, or that we would have said something to the police officer in the library, but we have zero way of knowing. I believe that Elizabeth did exactly the right thing because in the end, she made it home and Mitchell and Barzee were caught.
"'This is important,...Elizabeth, what this man has done is terrible. There aren't any words that are strong enough to describe how wicken and evil he is! He has taken nine months of your life that you will never get back again. But the best punishment you could ever give him is to be happy. To move forward with your life. To do exactly what you want. Because, yes, this will probably go to tril and some kind of sentencing will be given to him and that wicked woman. But even if that's true, you may never feel like just has been served or that true restitution has been made.
'But you don't need to worry about that. At the end of the day, God is our ultimate judge. He will make up to you every pain and loss that you suffered. And if it turns out that these wicked people are not punished here on Earth, it doesn't matter. His punishments are just. You don't ever have to worry. You don't ever have to think about them again.'
She paused, as if the next words were more important. 'You just be happy, Elizabeth. Just be happy. If you go and feel sorry for yourself, or if you dwell on what has happened, if you hold on to your pain, that is allowing him to steal more of your life away. So don't do that! Don't you let him! There is no way he deserves that. Not one more second of your life. You keep every second for yourself. You keep them and be happy. God will take care of the rest.'" (p. 285-286)
The book was a good book. I watched the movie version of it that came out a few years ago (Lifetime or something like that, I really don't remember) and it felt like it read exactly like that movie did, which I am pretty sure was based off of the book, so good for the people who made the movie. The writing was a bit simple, but I do not expect more from someone who is not an every day author. Elizabeth Smart has gone on to do great things as an advocate, and she has been able to have every experience she was scared she would not be able to have. While I did tear up during her being reunited with her family, I started bawling when I did some research on everything she has done since. Her mom told her shortly after her return to not let Mitchell and Barzee steal anymore of her time, and she has done just that. Elizabeth Smart is sincerely an amazing woman.
Rating: 8/10
Author: Elizabeth Smart
Genres: Autobiography, Memoir, Non-Fiction, True Crime
Dates Read: December 27-30, 2019
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