Finding Me: A Decade of Darkness, a Life Reclaimed

I received the audio version of this book for Early Reviewers. Although it was hard to listen to at times, I ended up being drawn to the story and to the bravery of this woman. Ms. Knight was a victim of abuse and neglect as a child and then, after becoming a mother, was abducted and held prisoner for over 10 years in Cleveland. The story was shocking and terrible. It is hard not to admire her courage in the face of such evil. I hope that she sticks with therapy as a way to make sense of the events of her life and I wish her well.

A captivating read (no pun intended, I'm serious, but wow), I read the whole thing in just a few hours, I couldn't put it down.

It was painful/uncomfortable to witness the moment when her childhood of victimization began to manifest through making poor decisions as an adult. I'm not blaming her for this, because I've experienced something to a lesser degree too so I sympathize.

That last fateful day of her freedom as she's walking for hours, wandering around on a hot day fueled by only a Pop Tart, after declining a ride from Social Services. It pains the reader to walk that journey with her, when as an audience we're thinking, "Where are your priorities right now? What were you thinking to depend on some dysfunctional family member to show more give you a ride to an extremely important Social Services appointment? And then, why did you turn back home, still asking at the Family Dollar store for directions to the appt you already knew you were late to, and no longer anywhere near?"

Anyway I sympathize with the confusion during that scene because I often behave just like this too. Extraordinary life stressors + isolation + lacking basic needs = disorganized thinking, not planning properly, confusion, and outside observers thinking we're idiots. Childhood abuse is hell, and it really warps the adult mind. Of course it doesn't serve us to make excuses for ourselves, and all we can do is keep working on healing & thinking clearly & acting wisely & carefully.

One more thing: I read every last morsel of this book...and in her acknowledgements at the end, she thanks HARVEY WEINSTEIN, among others. Harvey Weinstein?? I'd love to hear how he was involved in this story!!! Apparently Ariel Castro lived out Weinstein's fantasy to some degree ='(

Five stars for a well-written book. ZERO STARS for Harvey Weinstein. show less

Michelle Knight is one of the strongest and most beautiful people I have ever read about. Her story is the first in-depth perspective I have had with the Cleveland Kidnappings. There is no denying the fact that it is a very difficult read- Michelle has lived not just a decade (as the title suggests), but a lifetime of darkness. The abuse and suffering she has experienced would break most people, yet she survived and became a voice for so many. She has retained a purity, honesty, and determination that is nothing short of miraculous. I am so grateful that there are people like Michelle who can bring a light into the darkness.

As a side note: Some may feel that her book is not written well, (I had no problem reading through it quickly), show more and would like it to be heavily edited. My opinion is that we need to keep in mind that these books are not written by writers, they are written by people who are sharing a personal experience, and when they are heavily edited, they lose their rawness and true voice. Also, I would hate for anyone to be denied the chance to share their story for fear it would be rejected on the basis of poor grammar. show less

I received this book on CD through the Library Thing Early Reviewers. I listened to it in the car on my daily commute and so I finished it within a week. It has taken me longer to absorb the story and feel ready to review it.

I find this review difficult to write as I don't want to make any judgements on the retelling of this devastating story. Michelle is not a writer and she has discussed her lack of education in the book. She is telling her story so that others can know what really happened to her, in her early life and later, when kidnapped by Ariel Castro.

The book tells the story of Michelle's youth. She loved her family but was neglected by her parents. She was unable to attend school regularly. Her family used her as a caretaker show more for her siblings. She left home and was homeless for a period of time. She had a baby as a teenager and was unable to provide a good home...due to her circumstances. This story was sad and then it was only worse after she met Ariel Castro and mistakenly went to his home.

The public story is out there and much publicity -- I did not forget many of the details before I began this book...

Michelle did us a service by telling her story... thank you, Michelle. It must have been so difficult to go over these events again in such detail.

The next time I see anything that looks incorrect in my neighborhood, I will remember Michelle's story. I won't be embarassed if I report it to the police or feel like I am ratting on someone. I will think of Michelle locked in that house for years by a maniac.... no one reporting anything... his family not noticing.... his friends even practicing music in the house... And what about his fellow school bus drivers? Didn't anyone notice this guy was insane?

I asked alot of questions to myself when I was listening to the story. What would your life be like if you grew up in different circumstances? What would you life be like is someone reported Castro -- or at least listened to his wife's description of abuse?

I wish Michelle has a good life and she will be ready at some point to meet her son. When I finished listening, there was only hope at the end of the story. show less

What a courageous strong woman! To go through what she has gone through not only after being abducted but even the childhood she survived. Michelle Knight has taken a horrific nightmare and come out still being able to see the positives in her life. I expected to be reading a book about the suffering and struggle which this woman went through (which is why it sat on my ereader for a long time before I finally decided to read it), which it did have but it was also about a young woman with such a will to live for her son. Through the darkness she prays, writes, draws and talks to her son and somehow on the verge of death is rescued and picks herself up and moves on.

I was astonished by the news reports when Michelle Knight was liberated from captivity in Cleveland. I had looked forward to hearing Michelle’s story and when I saw that she had a book coming out, I immediately made sure my library purchased the book. Reading this account through Michelle’s words was horrific, heartbreaking, awe inspiring, and ultimately a story of survival when dealing with monsters.
Michelle Knight was taken and held hostage by Ariel Castro for over a decade. Blockaded in a house in Cleveland, Michelle was held with two others and suffered unimaginable abuse at the hands of her captor. Sexual, mental and physical abuse was a daily occurrence.
I felt as if the book was written in a conversational style that show more really worked for me. While horrific, I could feel Michelle’s spirit. While graphic in places, the book wasn’t nearly as graphic as I’m sure it could have been. In the end, Michelle seems to have accepted that bad things happen but isn’t about to let it shape her future life. Trying to better herself, Michelle is going to school, meeting new people and isn’t going to let her past effect who she is going to become.
Not for the weak of heart, Finding Me is an amazing story of survival. A fast read, Michelle’s story touched my heart in a way that I can’t really explain. Painful to read, Michelle is now a story of hope. show less

I received the audiobook through the ER program and I thought that the narrator, Maria Cabezas, did a wonderful job with what must have been a difficult story to perform.

Michelle Knight, in this memoir written with Michelle Burford, shows remarkable resiliency and strength of character. She had already had a difficult life when Ariel Castro abducted her, and through an 11 year-ordeal she kept herself going with her faith in God and love for her son Joey.

Knight knew Castro -- she was friends with his daughter and he used that to gain her trust -- but once in the house she copes as best she can by manipulating him. In the book Knight refuses to call Castro by name, referring to him only as "Dude,'' and makes careful note of his habits and show more environment.

This memoir shows a young woman with an indomitable spirit and a love for life. She's determined to make the best of whatever she's given to deal with; let's hope Knight has an easier, and happier road ahead. show less