Hope

July 6, 2015
Berry was an average teenager working at Burger King when she was abducted by Ariel Castro in 2003. She and DeJesus, whom Castro kidnapped in 2004, were held captive (along with Michelle Knight) in Castro's barricaded home in Cleveland, Ohio, for many years. He subjected them to daily emotional and sexual abuse until they escaped with the aid of neighbors in 2013. Based on interviews with the women and Amanda's journals (written on everything from notebook paper to napkins and fast food takeout bags), Berry and DeJesus bravely recount that decade with the aid of Pulitzer-winning reporters Jordan and Sullivan. Shackled to their beds and forced to endure multiple daily rapes, the women developed a deep bond that eventually morphed into an odd family of sorts when Berry gave birth to a baby girl in December 2006. Jordan and Sullivan bring depth and tension to the narrative, recounting numerous frustrating dead ends and close calls in the police investigations before reaching the emotional peak of the book: the women's escape and Castro's capture. The bravery and resolve that Berry and DeJesus convey in this well-crafted memoir is both astonishing and inspiring.

On May 6, 2013, electrifying headlines revealed news of the escape of three young women who had been missing for more than 10 years and presumed dead but were in fact held captive by Ariel Castro, a depraved Cleveland school bus driver. Jordan and Sullivan, Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post journalists (The Prison Angel: Mother Antonia's Journey from Beverly Hills to a Life of Service in a Mexican Jail, 2005) weave together a compelling chronicle of Berry and DeJesus' harrowing experiences in captivity, told in their own words and in a journal that Berry kept on scraps of paper. Berry tells how she was walking home after completing work when she made the tragic blunder of accepting a ride from Castro. Because he was the father of a former co-worker, she agreed to his making a brief stop at his house along the way. Once in the house, he overpowered and raped her and chained her to a bed in a room without windows. The date was April 21, 2003, the day before her 17th birthday. Only gradually did she realize that another victim (Michelle Knight) was also being held captive. In April 2004, 14-year-old DeJesus suffered the same fate. Jordan and Sullivan give an account of the continuing efforts of the police-prodded by their families-to discover their whereabouts. Berry relates how her relationship with Castro was transformed by the birth of their daughter, Jocelyn, in 2006. He doted on Jocelyn and over time became less vigilant, allowing Berry to escape. She also explores her own mixed feelings on hearing of his suicide in prison: "He kidnapped me, chained me like a dog in his house, and raped me over and over but he was Jocelyn's father. She loves him and he loved her." A nuanced testament to the complexity of the human spirit. COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 1, 2015

Teens who were fascinated by Michelle Knight's Finding Me: A Decade of Darkness, a Life Reclaimed (Weinstein, 2014) will eagerly read Berry and DeJesus's story of their kidnapping and 10-year ordeal with sociopath Ariel Castro. What is unique about the duos' memoir is the different experiences of the two young women held captive (along with Knight) in the same house, sometimes even chained to the same bed. There were years when they were unaware of each other's existence and years when they had limited to no contact. Berry, in particular, kept extensive diaries that are published here, giving readers keen insight into the daily routine in the house. While the girls were pitted against one another, the birth of Berry's baby (fathered by her captor) changed the dynamic in significant ways. Her feelings for Castro the rapist and Castro the loving father of her child brought confusion and anguish. DeJesus writes, "Jocelyn is the only happy person in this house, and I love her." Also unique is the fact that Berry escaped. The dramatic telling of her fear as she walked out of a room she had been conditioned to stay in, as well as her courageous rebellion against her captor is extraordinary. VERDICT An inside look at a horrific ordeal ripped from the headlines that will be devoured by teens.-Amy Cheney, Alameda County Library, CA

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