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zuzubaloo's review against another edition
3.0
Victoria Cilliers briefly covers her life story up until she met her second husband, Emile, and the subsequent life they led up until the fateful day her parachute was tampered with by her husband and her potentially fatal, but wasn't, fall back to Earth.
I've heard Victoria Cilliers' story, probably around when it happened. I remember feeling outraged and shocked - both of the fact that somebody would try to kill their spouse in such a way and that same spouse not willing to believe their spouse would try to kill them. She's right - a lousy husband doesn't make them a killer, but the evidence wasn't in his favour. I still can't fathom how she was willing to overlook not just one attempt on her life but two, and one of those attempts with her children in the house.
Victoria doesn't make it easy to connect to her. I wish she hadn't painted herself as perfect but admitted her flaws. She also kept making up excuses, often ridiculous ones, to herself to explain his lying and cheating behaviour, even when she doubted him - up to the point that despite what she believed, she was willing to blame herself and apologise to keep the peace. I just felt frustrated with her.
I know people, both men and women, often don't leave a dangerous relationship, usually down to shame. What I found frustrating with Victoria was that although she could, most of the time, see what a manipulative, controlling, lying husband Emile was, she was willing to keep sticking her head into the sand because she didn't want to face the alternatives. The shame of what he was doing, raising her children alone, it was just easier to keep living in denial. I think it's because with her first husband, she wasn't so willing to accept the excuses, and that led her to be vulnerable to the excuses with husband number 2 because, as she says, she felt like she gave up too quickly on her first marriage.
It is easy to judge people from the outside looking in and easy to feel emotions after the fact, but it is also hard to imagine how we'd be in such a situation. I hope Victoria continues to seek help because although she survived, she's also a victim, regardless of what she believes. I also hope she and her children are doing well.
I've heard Victoria Cilliers' story, probably around when it happened. I remember feeling outraged and shocked - both of the fact that somebody would try to kill their spouse in such a way and that same spouse not willing to believe their spouse would try to kill them. She's right - a lousy husband doesn't make them a killer, but the evidence wasn't in his favour. I still can't fathom how she was willing to overlook not just one attempt on her life but two, and one of those attempts with her children in the house.
Victoria doesn't make it easy to connect to her. I wish she hadn't painted herself as perfect but admitted her flaws. She also kept making up excuses, often ridiculous ones, to herself to explain his lying and cheating behaviour, even when she doubted him - up to the point that despite what she believed, she was willing to blame herself and apologise to keep the peace. I just felt frustrated with her.
I know people, both men and women, often don't leave a dangerous relationship, usually down to shame. What I found frustrating with Victoria was that although she could, most of the time, see what a manipulative, controlling, lying husband Emile was, she was willing to keep sticking her head into the sand because she didn't want to face the alternatives. The shame of what he was doing, raising her children alone, it was just easier to keep living in denial. I think it's because with her first husband, she wasn't so willing to accept the excuses, and that led her to be vulnerable to the excuses with husband number 2 because, as she says, she felt like she gave up too quickly on her first marriage.
It is easy to judge people from the outside looking in and easy to feel emotions after the fact, but it is also hard to imagine how we'd be in such a situation. I hope Victoria continues to seek help because although she survived, she's also a victim, regardless of what she believes. I also hope she and her children are doing well.
b3ckilou88's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Such a horrible situation.
But a very good read.
To have had to go through years and years of her husbands actions but to then be in such a traumatic situation because of him is truly horrific.
I'm so glad she survived and wad able to live and tell her story.
Remarkable.
But a very good read.
To have had to go through years and years of her husbands actions but to then be in such a traumatic situation because of him is truly horrific.
I'm so glad she survived and wad able to live and tell her story.
Remarkable.
monisha19's review against another edition
3.0
I rate this book 3.5 .. It's a good book. I however couldn't accept the fact that she was protecting the guy despite the fact that he tried to kill
badpunsanduwu's review
The narration is actually quite good tbh, it’s just that I didn’t realise this case is already something I have listened to quite a few times