My life

I am a 45 yr old woman , who to this day has never been able to put pen to paper and write my story , although I have wanted to throughout countless times in my life. This book has brought about my sad and lonely childhood memories, as if it was written from the depths of my soul , I to suffered in much the same way as the Author, our childhood and adult life are mirror images of one another. I praise Taylor for having the strength to push through and become the woman she has! Even though I become a mother of 5 children and have vowed to never let them see the sadness or live the way I had lived , I lost myself completely as I have devoted my life to my children! I still haven't the strength to confront my mother , I am still yearning for her love and acceptance, I struggle daily with my past , and have never had one person to count on throughout my life:(
I would love to one day speak with the author , as she has given me a tiny bit of hope that maybe someday I can do as she has done and move on. I know this is just a review regarding her book , and she will probably never get a chance to read this, however I would like her to know she is not alone , and I too know all to well what she has endured! My best wishes to her and her family ! May she always have the strength and love within to make it in this crazy life .

57 people found this helpful

Very sexually graphic and begins feeling contrived

Having worked with damaged children, I enjoy reading others' accounts of their trials and successes. I guess I should have read some of the reviews of this book first.

While I can handle graphic sexual details (I heard many from the children I worked with) I soon found the book's sexual scenes to be more gratuitous than documentary, almost like reading a modern "erotic" romance novel, not the type of book I had wanted to read.

As the book's damaged child aged, I began to find the plot to be rather shallow and contrived. And the sexual depictions to be more and more gratuitous.

I finally stopped listening to the book with 6 1/2 hours left to go. I could not stand any more.

20 people found this helpful

A letdown

It started off engaging going on horrific. I wanted to hear about her childhood and find out when does someone finally come to the rescue. but instead just like that her tormentor is gone and I found myself listening to her experience with her first boyfriend, blah, blah, blah... Yawn
All in all a waste of credit! Skip! Opt for something else that catches your attention!

14 people found this helpful

A Wast of my Time

What would have made My Prison Without Bars better?

I have no serious doubt that the author suffered a horrendously traumatic, abusive childhood. Child abuse is a particular interest of mine (I have a Master's in Counseling) but this was the worst case I have ever heard of. However, then she goes on, hour after hour, recounting the series of ludicrously abusive, vicious, humiliating relationships for the next decade or so. It came to the point where I finally thought, "She is making these up - no one could possibly run into this many psychopaths, both male and female." IF they were even true, not just a literary devise, she could have given a brief synopsis of the results of being conditioned to accept dysfunctional relationships, and spared hour after hour of repetitive details of her ill-fated sex life.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

The ending was a total blank. All I know is that she was still married to a jerk who cheated on her - repeatedly - then saw the light after she was brutally beaten and raped by (and murdered) the jealous son of her original assailant. Left me completely hanging.

Which character – as performed by Em Eldridge – was your favorite?

NONE! However, I would like to compliment the reader for her ability to remain animated and credible through the reading of this awful, and pointlessly lengthy, book.

What character would you cut from My Prison Without Bars?

Taylor, the one the whole book was about, and all of her lovers, rapists, abusers, in-laws, relatives, etc. In short, the whole book.

Any additional comments?

For every guy she dated over the years after her escape from her step father, she gave a full - and repetitive - recounting of his tongue forcing its way into her mouth, the incredible tingle and heat moving down from her chest to her "girl parts," him pulling on her nipples, then forcing himself, or trying to force himself, on her, followed in one way or another by a horrible betrayal. She seems to think she invented sex and orgasm. In addition to the story stretching credulity, she is a terrible writer. She mis-uses or over-uses many common words and colloquialisms, such as "testicular fortitude" instead of "intestinal fortitude." Nearly every man she met had "cerulian eyes" or, later in the book, "onyx eyes." I simply think her goal was to write a soft-core porn novel under the guise of non-fiction. Much as I sympathize with victims of child abuse, I think a large proportion of this book was simply invented in her over-active imagination. Sorry, Taylor.

10 people found this helpful

A Horrible Childhood

Where does My Prison Without Bars rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's good, not great. The story has the ability to move one emotionally. The torture that this woman went through as a child is sickening and deplorable. The story was a touch too long and the graphic content could/should have been toned down.

Would you recommend My Prison Without Bars to your friends? Why or why not?

No. It's just too graphic and a little repetitive. After hour 12, it began to get a bit tedious.

What does Em Eldridge bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Em did an excellent reading. Her voice was soothing and soft. I never became bored with her and she kept up the tempo perfectly.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The abuse was scalding, but we didn't need to hear every instance of it. A couple of times was fine, but the graphic nature of the attacks was lost after the 5th, 6th, and 7th go around. It had a more shocking effect in it's first descriptions.

Any additional comments?

5 stars for the narrator based on her excellent reading.
3 stars for the story because it was too repetitive and didn't need to be so graphic. It is a strong 3 stars and should not be considered a negative criticism.
4 stars total. Strong subject matter that could have been better, but is still solid.

8 people found this helpful

hard to hear then boring.

The start of this book is grafic horror, i almost stopped listing to it many times. I have never heard a book that made my body repelle in anguish. Then the majority of the rest of the book was the mundane life of a woman who needed counseling. Written well, but really just stories and accounts that ment nothing to the main idea of the book.

7 people found this helpful

The story should have ended long before it did

The beginning of this story was heart wrenching. It was so sad to hear everything that this little girl went through. But, I have to say, by the end, I was very weary of hearing how she allowed herself to be victimized all the way to the end. Instead of dealing with her demons, she explores the reader to feel pity. She over uses words & phrases. Quite frankly, I was disappointed in the editing. Didn't anyone else hear that this was written, as if by a Jr High girl, who is trying to make herself sound faultless & turns into a hero? One aspect thst angered me to the hilt was that even though her mother allowed her monster to come back into their lives & admitted what she knew, she would allow her young daughters to stay with this woman. Really? Then, you're not a whole lot better. I was very relieved to finish. The author & editor would be great in the field of Soap Opera writing.

4 people found this helpful

Interesting but seems unreal

The story was well told and equally performed. You could distinguish the characters and you could feel the emotion.

However, it seemed too graphic. I think the story could've been told without all the graphic details. It was very important to thoroughly know the main character but I didn't need to hear the graphic details of her first real romance and and details of her sexual conquest with him. The story did not seem like it was real. I still have serious doubts that all these things happened to this one girl. It seemed to be an autobiography but it is hard to believe that this one girl could be so perfect. Apparently she was sang beautifully, she was an athlete, she had great grades, she could hold two jobs and still graduate with honors oh and not to mention that she was absolutely beautiful. It all seemed exaggerated.

4 people found this helpful

eff no

you take trauma and make it sound fun which is sick; and painful; and before any real pain. No woman who has experienced this pain can hear you over your desire to write. Hope you feel accepted. and right. And good in your world. Hope you feel the way you need. Honestly, you make money off that. THAT. The hurt that can not be fixed.... you have a money story.

3 people found this helpful

Varakai says:

Why is this even a book? It goes from this woman's graphic horrific childhood to a slow crawl through the (explicit, yet boring) details of her rocky romantic life. Couldn't finish it. Yikes!

3 people found this helpful