I really tried to push through and finish this, but I ended up not listening to any audiobooks because this was holding up the queue. I think the real problem with this, for me, was that it just really _really_ was not what I was expecting based on the blurb. I did not enjoy the story, I felt really bad while listening to it and I had a constant feeling of dread with me as the story progressed. Maybe I could have finished this if I read it another time, but for now I'm giving up on this. ( )

This is a very interesting book regarding human trafficking. When authorities storm the home of Clara and her husband, they are separated. He is taken to jail; she is taken to a place of safety where she can be questioned.
The story goes back and forth between chapters titled Now, and Then.

Usually I don't like books that change direction with each chapter, but this one worked. Clara loves the son of Mama and Papa G. With her marriage to Glen comes additional responsibilities of the various buildings on the compound.

Slowly, she comes to realize that as the caretaker of children and young adults that they are sold to the highest bidder. The children are kept under close supervision. And, punishment is meted violently by Glen when he believes children do not obey. They dare not escape.

Whereas Clara, whose real name is Diana, reused to cooperate with the police and psychologist assigned to her, eventually, she realizes that she was brainwashed, and like all the little girls she oversaw, she too was abducted.

Dealing with this difficult subject, the writer does an excellent job of carefully uncovering the layers of brainwashing. ( )

Coming from a strict religious background i can easily identify with how easy it is to be brainwashed and not realize what is going on around you. the struggles Diana faces are absolutely real and it is heartbreaking to read. The jumping Before and After brings that much more depth to the story and you get to see and for me, understand Diana's mental journey from innocent brainwashed girl to abused frighten wife and finally to a free woman. I teared up in the end because I was so proud of her. ( )

This is a terrific psychological thriller! Lots of discussion points for a book club. ( )

When armed men invade Clara Lawson’s home, they separate her from her husband, Glen, and her daughters. As she led away, Glen cautions her to say nothing. Having learned to do exactly what her husband asks, Clara keeps silent when men and women come to interrogate her, but eventually she comes to question everything she thought she knew and finds herself forced to face the truth of her life.

Alternating between past and present, Clara’s story slowly unfolds as the narrative builds her backstory. Readers will easily intuit the truth; one wonders how Clara can be so unbelievably naïve for so long. Readers are likely to ask how anyone could truly be THAT clueless? Nevertheless, throughout most of the story, it is difficult not to feel some degree of sympathy for Clara and for the situation in which she finds herself.

The power of the narrative comes from its focus on the “training” of the stolen girls and the process by which these abducted victims are “prepared” for the traffickers who will ultimately purchase them. There are no surprises here, no mysteries to unravel; early on, readers will know [even if Clara doesn’t] exactly what is happening. Although it is often difficult to read, the straightforward narrative is at its best when it reveals the horror hiding in plain sight, showing readers the raw and gritty aspects of the harrowing tale. It may not always be easy reading, and Clara may be more than a little frustrating, but it’s an important look at an all-to-real, horrific practice.

Recommended. ( )