Daddy's Apprentice : Incest, Corruption, and Betrayal: A Survivor's Story

Rating:
Summary: Appreciating Daddy's Apprentice
Review: Sandy Wilson's "Daddy's Apprentice" is an account that deserves serious attention. One of the many profound issues that this work addresses is that of the devices employed by abusers to intimidate their victims into silent compliance. The courage summoned by the author to reveal her secrets broke the fundamental bonds of her father's control. The themes of guilt, fear, and accountability are brilliantly woven between the lines of this text. The storyline is exciting and fast-paced, while deeper personal and social issues are subtly explored. The reader is not bombarded with the explicit details or the extent of the sexual abuse, however, the issues of power, violation, guilt, and perpetual dread are apparent. Meanwhile, the notion of "pigeon-holing," which is only mentioned directly towards the end of this memoir, is ever-present throughout this book. Sandy accepts a society that views her as "white-trash" and by this, our society not only minimizes, but compounds her sufferring. Nonetheless, the author does not depict herself as a martyr, a helpless female, or a heroine. She addresses her situation honestly, and reccounts her experiences without prejudice. This work not only lends understanding to a very sensitive subject for every reader, but empowers those who can identify with Sandy's struggle. As this is a true story, it cannot be neatly packaged up and shipped out. Therefore, the unanswered questions, the jagged edges, linger with the reader and offer a sense of wonderment at the vague line between what can be seen and what lurks in the shadows beyond. I invite those who pick up this book to examine such themes as co-dependency, enablement, the depth of trust and the depth of fear, isolation (personally and geographically), stereotyping, and the ease at which we can be manipulated by others. Sandy's gift to the public in sharing her story must be noticed and appreciated.

Rating:
Summary: Appreciating Daddy's Apprentice
Review: Sandy Wilson's "Daddy's Apprentice" is an account that deserves serious attention. One of the many profound issues that this work addresses is that of the devices employed by abusers to intimidate their victims into silent compliance. The courage summoned by the author to reveal her secrets broke the fundamental bonds of her father's control. The themes of guilt, fear, and accountability are brilliantly woven between the lines of this text. The storyline is exciting and fast-paced, while deeper personal and social issues are subtly explored. The reader is not bombarded with the explicit details or the extent of the sexual abuse, however, the issues of power, violation, guilt, and perpetual dread are apparent. Meanwhile, the notion of "pigeon-holing," which is only mentioned directly towards the end of this memoir, is ever-present throughout this book. Sandy accepts a society that views her as "white-trash" and by this, our society not only minimizes, but compounds her sufferring. Nonetheless, the author does not depict herself as a martyr, a helpless female, or a heroine. She addresses her situation honestly, and reccounts her experiences without prejudice. This work not only lends understanding to a very sensitive subject for every reader, but empowers those who can identify with Sandy's struggle. As this is a true story, it cannot be neatly packaged up and shipped out. Therefore, the unanswered questions, the jagged edges, linger with the reader and offer a sense of wonderment at the vague line between what can be seen and what lurks in the shadows beyond. I invite those who pick up this book to examine such themes as co-dependency, enablement, the depth of trust and the depth of fear, isolation (personally and geographically), stereotyping, and the ease at which we can be manipulated by others. Sandy's gift to the public in sharing her story must be noticed and appreciated.