Title: Secret Slave: Kidnapped and abused for 13 years. This is my story of survival
Author: Anna Ruston
First published December 29, 2016
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Rating: 4.22
Overview
‘You belong to me now.’ These were the words that changed Anna Ruston’s life forever. With a troubled family background, Anna felt like she didn’t belong anywhere.
That is until a friendly taxi driver offered her a place to stay with his family. Anna thought it was the kindness of a stranger, but it turned out to be the beginning of a living nightmare.
For thirteen long years, Anna was held captive by a sadistic and abusive pedophile who subjected her to unspeakable acts of violence and degradation. Despite the acceptance of his family, Anna never gave up hope of being rescued.
When salvation finally arrived, Anna’s body and mind were shattered, but her spirit remained unbroken. In this heart-wrenching and inspiring memoir, Anna shares her story of survival and how she managed to rise above the darkness and reclaim her life.
About the Author
The author of a new book goes by the name Anna Ruston, though it is a pseudonym. According to Ruston, who says she had a difficult upbringing, she was enticed into a man’s home at the age of 15.
However, her claims cannot be independently confirmed. Ruston states that she met her captor, a man named Malik, at a taxi stand where she worked.
Ruston, now 44 years old and a mother of four, wrote the book in part to help her cope with her past, but she has not yet informed the police. To protect privacy, all names have been altered, and no location has been revealed.
Editoral Review
Secret Slave: Kidnapped and abused for 13 years. This is my story of survival, by Anna Ruston, is a heart-wrenching memoir published on December 29, 2016.
As the title suggests, it is a personal account of a young girl who was kidnapped at the age of 15, abused for 13 years and held captive by a sadistic individual. Through her strength and determination, Anna Ruston survived the ordeal and escaped from her captor.
The book falls under the genre of memoirs and true crime, and the writing style is direct, raw and honest, revealing the horrific experiences that Anna went through during her captivity. The themes explored in the book include physical and emotional abuse, psychological trauma, survival, and hope.
The memoir takes the reader through Annas journey from her kidnapping to her liberation. She delineates the horrors that she endured in captivity.
The story is set in a small town in England and the narrative is told in the first person. The characters in the book include Anna herself, her kidnapper, and the individuals who aided in her rescue.
The central conflict is the struggle for survival for Anna, who endures severe physical and emotional abuse, as well as psychological trauma, at the hands of her captor. Secret Slave has cultural and historical significance as it sheds light on the issue of human trafficking, an issue that has been prevalent globally for decades.
This book illuminates the plight of the victims of trafficking, their hopes, dreams, and their struggles for survival. Anna Ruston’s writing is intense and moving, with the ability to evoke strong emotions from the reader.
She vividly recounts her experiences, with unbridled honesty, and the reader can attest to the gruesome events that took place during her captivity. The author’s character development is remarkable as she presents herself as a strong, resilient, and determined young woman, who refused to give up hope, even in the bleakest moments of her life.
The pacing of the book is slow, particularly in the first few chapters when Anna narrates her childhood. However, the narrative picks up pace once she is kidnapped and held captive.
Rustons writing style might be too graphic and disturbing for some readers, and therefore the reader’s discretion is advised. Secret Slave stands out in its genre due to its candid and unapologetic portrayal of the captivity and abuse of a young girl.
The book is comparable to other works in its genre, such as Room by Emma Donoghue and A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard. While these books explore the horrors of captivity and abuse, Secret Slave stands out for the author’s tenacity and resilience.
The only limitation of the book might be that it focuses entirely on Annas story, without shedding light on the bigger picture of human trafficking. However, the book’s impact is not just in narrating a specific story of human trafficking but in giving voice to the plight of its entire victim population.
Overall, Secret Slave is a compelling and emotional memoir that’s bound to move its readers. Its strengths lie in its vivid portrayal of Anna Ruston’s strength and determination to survive.
The book gives a firsthand account of the horrors of human trafficking and the difficulties faced by survivors. The book is recommended for audiences who are interested in memoirs, true crime, and social justice.
It merits a rating of 4.5/5.
