The Abortion Who Refused to Die by Terry Jo.

This is a difficult one to review but let’s give it a go. First, the title leaves you in no doubt about what you’re getting. This book can give the Dave Peltzer novels a run for their money. If you like graphic, harrowing accounts of the most awful abuse and neglect you can imagine—and then tenfold it, this one’s for you. It contains every trigger known to man, and won’t be to everybody’s taste. But underneath the filth, and shame, and feeling so, so sorry for those poor children, the story has a flow and a certain gentle charm.

This one isn’t a cosy mystery that’s for sure.

It tells the story of Terry Jo and her endless run of siblings and how they survived an awful childhood at the hands of their mother and stepfather. The mother tells her at every opportunity how much she hates her. But these poor kids weren’t just abused by the people who were supposed to love them. They were brow-beaten by the entire town.

Buses drove past their house and the people inside laughed and jeered calling them names and bullying them—entire busloads of people, and not all kids either! And when it wasn’t buses, it was carloads of people driving by, throwing things in the garden, heckling and bullying them. And when it wasn’t buses or cars—it was people on foot, in gangs in pairs and singly. Everybody in the world picked on these children when they passed the house.

They moved house and busloads still drove past their home with all the people jeering—it had more footfall than Disneyland.

See, now I’m one of those awful people—I’m bad and I know it. You tell me the most terrible story about an abused child and I say, “Aw, those poor kids,”  But tell me about an abused animal and get out of my way because I’m coming through with murder in mind. The stepfather was a monster in every way imaginable, but when he hurt the animals …whoa, hold me down.

And then there is a tiny glimmer of hope, somebody gives the little girl some books. Yes, thank you, God.

The account is harrowing but the writing has a very simple charm to it. It doesn’t try to be big or clever—there is a lady, who was once that little girl and she has to get that story out of her—or die. Every day they hoped for better. And you can’t keep hoping forever with no result.

Imagine the worst life possible. Then tell yourself it isn’t true and it can’t be right. Then know that there are people in this world that do live those childhoods and they either survive it or they don’t. It’s a literary rough diamond with a message of hope. Does she end up with a good life and happy? Read it and find out.

An awful, compelling story that keeps making you turn the page to see what happens, and if some good comes to these poor kids.

I recommend this book.

I’m not religious, but if there is one, God bless Terry Jo.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐