Book Review: Breaking the Silence by Nancy King

Secrets. Lies. Silences. Stories told by parents and their families to protect themselves. A father who defends his wife despite her damage to their daughter’s health and welfare. A mother, shielded by her husband, who perpetuates murderous acts of violence against the daughter, and keeps secret her husband’s sexual “play” with the young girl. And yet … Nancy King, determined to learn the truth of her childhood and the heartbreaking effects it has had on her adult life, uncovers the secrets. Sees through the lies. Breaks the silence. Empowered by the stories she told herself as a child, she learns to use stories as part of her work as a university professor teaching theater, drama, world literature, and creative expression. Gradually, with the help of body work and therapy, she finds her voice. Says no to abuse and abusers. Reclaims herself and life. Writes a memoir. She climbs mountains. Weaves tapestries. Writes books. Makes friends. Creates a meaningful life. This is her story.

 

Review by Carmen Otto: Breaking the Silence is a book about a woman who grew up believing she was never good enough and believed everything her mother told her. Her father never stood up for Nancy and always took her mother’s side even though he saw the abuse Nancy’s mother put her through. As Nancy grows up, she decides to learn the truth about her childhood, all the lies she was told and the abuse she got put through as a child. She goes to see a therapist to help her through the trauma she had been through as a child. She starts to hike and write stories to help her through the abuse that she suffered as a child. As she ages, she learns that she should have stood up to her mother because as a child all of the emotional and physical trauma she put Nancy through made Nancy’s grown-up life a roller coaster. 

 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it is about how a woman copes after being mentally and physically abused most of her life and as she gets older, she finds refuge in hiking and writing stories. At some parts I could really connect with Nancy because she is amazing at making new friends and is a great listener, she listens to everyone else's problems all while dealing with her own. I would recommend this book to anyone who grew up feeling like they were never good enough and want to become confident in who they truly are. I give this book 5 stars.

Carmen is a high school freshman from Wisconsin! She lives and works on her family’s dairy farm. Carmen is a reader, swimmer and horse lover who enjoys laughing and being silly with her friends!