Sophie Hayes

I picked this up as part of a 2 for £7 deal at local supermarket, I only really bought it because I wanted The Sisters Brothers and I'm a sucker for a special offer. I quite like a bit of true crime and although this doesn't really fit into that category I have read 2 similar books in the past and I shall be refering to these at times as well.

The other books are Slave Girl by Sarah Forsyth and 3,096 Days by Natascha Kampusch. This book has a closer tie to Slave Girl story wise but is far better written and feels most honest. She looks at the reasons she made certain decisions and tries to explain why she didn't try to run at certain times and how she feels she fell into the trap she did. She is also very keen to stress that she wasn't from a poor background and that trafficking can happen to anyone if they are not careful.

In the same way as 3,096 Days I found this to be very quick read and towards the end of the book I was constantly wondering when she would get away and what would happen next. This isn't down to the way it's written (its not sensationalist) but the fact that you are willing her to safety at every step.

As bad as it sounds Slave Girl came across to me as if it was over told in places. That is not to take away from the struggles but looking at reviews once I read it it seems others felt the same way. Trafficked does not feel like this, the story takes place over a shortish time frame and is laid bare as is.

I think this is a great book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed 3,096 Days.… (meer)

I picked up this book to read from net-galley because though I know, in the vaguest possible terms, that things like trafficking and the sex trade do exist, it's so distant from my life that I don't really *know* what goes on.

Sophie starts off her book by telling us about her childhood with an abusive father and a mother she worships. She has a few adult relationships and meets a man, Kas, who she views with innocence. I found it hard to believe that she honestly never saw any signs of his insaneness prior to his kidnapping her, but certainly know that this does happen every day.

While Sophie's story is heartbreaking, and I can't even imagine her pain or how difficult it must have been for her to write of her story, it wasn't as emotional as I expected - which isn't necessarily a bad thing. She brings a story often ignored into media's attention (and that's one of the reasons why I read and am reviewing this book, to help educate people).

While a difficult story matter, this book was a very quick read.

… (meer)

I didn't really know what to expect when this book popped up on a recommendation list for me but intrigued I purchased and read. Written by Sophie its diarises a time in her life where she was used, abused, violated, removed from her family and forced into prostitution. I found it very sad, how these actions can happen right under the nose of people and police is a dreadful thought. It made me think about many things, the vulnerability of people and the pure evil that wanders our streets.

Sophie Hayes is a strong woman, stronger than she realises and I hope that one day she'll see what her readers see rather than the broken woman she's been forced to believe she is.… (meer)

Not even sure when I finished it. Hate it when I forget to update my goodreads shelf. Especially because it has been more than a week and my brains are not working as they should be, with remembering stuff.



What I do know is that at first I thought "O no, not another book author who writes about being abused". I've read too many of those. So glad I was wrong. Not very far into it I could not put it down.

I did understand her fear and not being able to run way. That must also have been because she was abused by her dad, but that guy also had her passport and she was scared stiff less.



Now I wonder there was one thing
I questioned. That if I remember correctly, after all she went through, she did have a relationship with a guy from the same ethnicity as the guy who did all this to her.
My experience (Yes alas) is that once something bad happens, you have a hard time trusting people that look like your assaulter.

This is a scary story and yes like so many others, I also thought that only happened to girls from Asia or far away countries.

Recommend this book because it sucks you in and it is hard to put down.
Beware!

… (meer)