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brittanyraeann's review
3.0
This book is a sequel to The Blood on my Hands - a true telling of Shannon's childhood growing up with a serial killer father in Australia. The first book is one that I couldn't put down. It's something we can't fathom, living with a serial killer, especially with that being a parent. The book picks up where the previous ends and we learn how Shannon grew into her adulthood, with her violent and terrifying childhood still in close footsteps behind her. Her story is one you'll definitely want to read. It's difficult, gut-wrenching, and so powerful.
Shannon's story is such a triumph and it is phenomenal to see all of the achievements she has obtained after living a life of such terror. Her story gives me hope for us all, that we are strong enough to overcome even the wort imaginable circumstances.
Shannon's story is such a triumph and it is phenomenal to see all of the achievements she has obtained after living a life of such terror. Her story gives me hope for us all, that we are strong enough to overcome even the wort imaginable circumstances.
keeperofpages's review against another edition
4.0
In my review of this books predecessor, The Blood on my Hands, one of the things I mentioned was how I would have liked to read more about O’Leary’s adult life, how she overcame the terror rained down on her and her family by her father, how she coped in the aftermath. It seems I wasn’t alone in this want, as O’Leary introduced her new book stating, “what came next?” was the question many readers asked. Out of the Fire and into the Pan is the answer to that question – it picks up directly where book one left off.
Written in a very similar writing style to its predecessor, this book places you next to O’Leary as she navigates the world as an adult. I purposely say next to, because the abuse O’Leary suffered at the hands of her father was so extreme, so brutal, that it’s almost impossible to feel as O’Leary felt, however, she does bring you as close as she can. It is not easy reading, and nor should it be, due to the content.
What struck me while I was reading this book was all that O’Leary accomplished despite the threat of her father being ever present. Do you ever think of someone and wish they could see how strong they are, how brave, to not only exist, but carve out a life for themselves despite all they’ve been through. As you read this book, you’ll wish O’Leary was able to see that about herself, her strength, and you’ll keep hoping for happier times for her. And there were happier times, my typing fingers are itching to say a happy ending, but can you ever move on completely, can you ever completely forget? O’Leary does experience success in her professional life, and personal life, blessed with five children.
As O’Leary details her life, you’ll clearly see the knock-on effect of her childhood trauma. How it impacted her future actions, how they wreaked havoc with her mental health.
“I constantly lost sight of what was good for me because anything was better than what I had before.”
Despite all that’s written above, this book is hard to review – like with book one, it is a book so honest, so raw in its emotion, such a personal account, this book just is. From a reader-interest perspective, this book may be of interest to those who work in certain fields, such as mental health or psychology, who want to gain an insight into how trauma in childhood impacts a person’s adult life.
Out of the Fire and into the Pan likely won’t win any awards for poetic writing or fluidity, but it should win awards for honesty, for the author’s ability to reflect on the painful experiences in her life. For in this honesty, O’Leary demands you pay attention, this is her voice, and this is her story. Reading The Blood on my Hands is highly recommended before picking up this sequel due to it being a continuation of events.
*My thanks to Book Publicity Services for providing me with a copy of this book*
Written in a very similar writing style to its predecessor, this book places you next to O’Leary as she navigates the world as an adult. I purposely say next to, because the abuse O’Leary suffered at the hands of her father was so extreme, so brutal, that it’s almost impossible to feel as O’Leary felt, however, she does bring you as close as she can. It is not easy reading, and nor should it be, due to the content.
What struck me while I was reading this book was all that O’Leary accomplished despite the threat of her father being ever present. Do you ever think of someone and wish they could see how strong they are, how brave, to not only exist, but carve out a life for themselves despite all they’ve been through. As you read this book, you’ll wish O’Leary was able to see that about herself, her strength, and you’ll keep hoping for happier times for her. And there were happier times, my typing fingers are itching to say a happy ending, but can you ever move on completely, can you ever completely forget? O’Leary does experience success in her professional life, and personal life, blessed with five children.
As O’Leary details her life, you’ll clearly see the knock-on effect of her childhood trauma. How it impacted her future actions, how they wreaked havoc with her mental health.
“I constantly lost sight of what was good for me because anything was better than what I had before.”
Despite all that’s written above, this book is hard to review – like with book one, it is a book so honest, so raw in its emotion, such a personal account, this book just is. From a reader-interest perspective, this book may be of interest to those who work in certain fields, such as mental health or psychology, who want to gain an insight into how trauma in childhood impacts a person’s adult life.
Out of the Fire and into the Pan likely won’t win any awards for poetic writing or fluidity, but it should win awards for honesty, for the author’s ability to reflect on the painful experiences in her life. For in this honesty, O’Leary demands you pay attention, this is her voice, and this is her story. Reading The Blood on my Hands is highly recommended before picking up this sequel due to it being a continuation of events.
*My thanks to Book Publicity Services for providing me with a copy of this book*
alexandramilne's review
3.0
Read my other book reviews at booksibled.wordpress.com
I was sent these two books in exchange for an honest review.
These are dark, dark books. For the majority of the people I know I probably wouldn’t recommend them because so many of my friends and family read for escapism and the joy of it. I often had to put these books aside and convince myself to continue but not because they’re bad. It takes a certain amount of stregth of mind to keep reading through descriptions of kidnap, murder, domestic violence and child abuse. These books are so heavy and if that’s not something you want to read, even if you normally enjoy true crime, then that is totally valid.
But for people who are interested in how a family can survive after going through hell, how a girl can rebuild her life and how the mind can react to protect a person who has been through terrible trauma then these may be the books for you.
Shannon tries to piece together her childhood with the snippits of early memory that she feels she can trust. It often brings forth the question of the reliability of a narrator in a memoir and the way children and sexual assault victims are so often disbelieved to the point that they begin to doubt their own memories. Her memories of her mother and animals seem to be the strongest with the fear and confusion of her fathers actions often blurring the edges of her stories. It can be a little confusing but in a lot of ways I feel like that adds to the sense of fear the book instills in the reader.
The second book in the series focuses on Shannon rebuilding her life after her mother and siblings escape her father. It covers his attempts to stalk them wherever they move, her moving out and starting work, her fathers death and the difficulty she has in forming healthy relationships after years of systematic abuse from her father and mistreatment by boyfriends.
By the end of the books you have a strong sense of Shannon’s determination to not only survive but to thrive. In a lot of ways it’s heartwarming to know she survived so much and made it through to a happier, healthier place. However it’s hard to move past the appauling things she has internalised over the years and the process of getting all of that out on paper, while cathartic for Shannon, may be triggering to others. So, I can only recommend it with the heaviest of warnings.
P.S. An unsettling memoir series including triggering recollections of sexual abuse, domestic violence and a culture of fear but an inspiring story of piecing yourself back together and surviving trauma.
I was sent these two books in exchange for an honest review.
These are dark, dark books. For the majority of the people I know I probably wouldn’t recommend them because so many of my friends and family read for escapism and the joy of it. I often had to put these books aside and convince myself to continue but not because they’re bad. It takes a certain amount of stregth of mind to keep reading through descriptions of kidnap, murder, domestic violence and child abuse. These books are so heavy and if that’s not something you want to read, even if you normally enjoy true crime, then that is totally valid.
But for people who are interested in how a family can survive after going through hell, how a girl can rebuild her life and how the mind can react to protect a person who has been through terrible trauma then these may be the books for you.
Shannon tries to piece together her childhood with the snippits of early memory that she feels she can trust. It often brings forth the question of the reliability of a narrator in a memoir and the way children and sexual assault victims are so often disbelieved to the point that they begin to doubt their own memories. Her memories of her mother and animals seem to be the strongest with the fear and confusion of her fathers actions often blurring the edges of her stories. It can be a little confusing but in a lot of ways I feel like that adds to the sense of fear the book instills in the reader.
The second book in the series focuses on Shannon rebuilding her life after her mother and siblings escape her father. It covers his attempts to stalk them wherever they move, her moving out and starting work, her fathers death and the difficulty she has in forming healthy relationships after years of systematic abuse from her father and mistreatment by boyfriends.
By the end of the books you have a strong sense of Shannon’s determination to not only survive but to thrive. In a lot of ways it’s heartwarming to know she survived so much and made it through to a happier, healthier place. However it’s hard to move past the appauling things she has internalised over the years and the process of getting all of that out on paper, while cathartic for Shannon, may be triggering to others. So, I can only recommend it with the heaviest of warnings.
P.S. An unsettling memoir series including triggering recollections of sexual abuse, domestic violence and a culture of fear but an inspiring story of piecing yourself back together and surviving trauma.
brittneyreadsbooks's review
2.0
Another autobiography, another note that this review is solely based on my experience & feelings while reading this book, not the ‘story’ itself.
I was really looking forward to this one. Those of you who have read my review of The Blood on My Hands might remember that one of the things I wanted most from that book was to know more about the author as an adult, as a survivor. Out of the Fire and Into the Pan promises to give the reader exactly that.
Oh, how I was disappointed.
O’Leary takes her reader on a journey of self-discovery. She shares with us how she has navigated her trauma, and how her mother and brother are navigating theirs. Initially unexplained fears and anxieties in her adult life are linked back to the actions of her father, serving as harsh reminders that some scars will never heal.
Unfortunately, she does this in a way that just did not work for me. The writing in the first book didn’t gel with me, the writing in this one actually angered me. Disconnected, choppy, repetitive and inconsistent; by the end I was skimming the last 50 or so pages, completely out of patience with it all.
O’Leary wrote that she had kept diaries, memories and other items relating to her father. This book reads as though she is flitting from diary entry to memory and back, all the while trying to elaborate and create a cohesive outline. It just doesn’t work and is too hard to keep up with.
I cannot imagine the strength and bravery needed to not only survive this childhood, but to become strong enough to also find your place in the world. My deepest respects go to the author for these acts of bravery, and I have no doubt the process of putting pen to paper was a cathartic and necessary one. I only wish that more thought was put into the proofreading/editing side of things.
I was really looking forward to this one. Those of you who have read my review of The Blood on My Hands might remember that one of the things I wanted most from that book was to know more about the author as an adult, as a survivor. Out of the Fire and Into the Pan promises to give the reader exactly that.
Oh, how I was disappointed.
O’Leary takes her reader on a journey of self-discovery. She shares with us how she has navigated her trauma, and how her mother and brother are navigating theirs. Initially unexplained fears and anxieties in her adult life are linked back to the actions of her father, serving as harsh reminders that some scars will never heal.
Unfortunately, she does this in a way that just did not work for me. The writing in the first book didn’t gel with me, the writing in this one actually angered me. Disconnected, choppy, repetitive and inconsistent; by the end I was skimming the last 50 or so pages, completely out of patience with it all.
O’Leary wrote that she had kept diaries, memories and other items relating to her father. This book reads as though she is flitting from diary entry to memory and back, all the while trying to elaborate and create a cohesive outline. It just doesn’t work and is too hard to keep up with.
I cannot imagine the strength and bravery needed to not only survive this childhood, but to become strong enough to also find your place in the world. My deepest respects go to the author for these acts of bravery, and I have no doubt the process of putting pen to paper was a cathartic and necessary one. I only wish that more thought was put into the proofreading/editing side of things.
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