How far would you go to defend yourself… from your own mother?
Tiffany is a seventeen year old girl who’s caught in a battle for existence. As she tries to claim rights to her own life and mind, her abusive mother struggles to maintain control. Pouring her hatred for the world onto her daughter, Tiffany suffers under her mother’s guise of concern as her mother convinces everyone that Tiffany’s … everyone that Tiffany’s wounds are self-inflicted.
Fighting to prove she’s not mentally unstable and seeking escape from her mother’s tyranny, Tiffany must make the ultimate choice as to who lives and who dies. Is her redemption and vindication worth the price of her soul?
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Hidden Family Dysfunction – Powerful Story
The story line of A Prisoner Within, by J. M. Northup, is by far the best book I’ve read on the lives of the modern-day dysfunctional family. The story is so true to life, I found myself experiencing emotions I haven’t felt for a long, long time. I have known of some dysfunctional families and the one Northup has created epitomizes these people and types of habits and secrets.
The mother figure in the story is definitely one character I detested from the beginning. She is pure evil; her actions and hate so intense and blatant I could feel how vile she was. This story is a perfect example of how parental abuse confuses a child. Children know only love unless taught otherwise.
The author’s characterization of the abused teenage daughter is impeccably rendered. We get to see the true-to-life emotions of a daughter who clings to loving her mother but remains in a state of utter confusion by the abuse and hate heaped on her for no known reason. Northup did a magnificent job of showing us how this girl clung to her sanity. Yet, the long-suffering begins to take a toll as her emotional stability is being stripped away.
Then there is the wimp of a step-dad, again, about as realistically portray as I’ve ever read. I kept asking myself, “How does Northup do this? How can she understand so much about the infinitesimal depths human nature?” I honestly enjoyed what he did at the end of the story and, despite him taking a stand to control the abuse, his shocking comeuppance was well-deserved.
This fiction story is so real, so life-like it has stirred my deepest emotions. If you’ve never understood the meaning of “dysfunctional family” this story will clear it up for you. The author has created a plot that could be true of anyone, even your neighbor, well hidden from the public eye, as were these characters’ lives.
J.M. Northup’s ability to give life to words and stories seems to know no end. I’m following her through all her books. Her understanding of the human condition in any situation, down to the most abysmal detail, is nothing short of amazing. For this story, for the writing in it, to experience J.M. Northup’s phenomenal story telling ability, this is a MUST READ.
I’m not sure how to start my review for this one. It’s hard to say I enjoyed it because the subject matter was tough to read, and it’s wrong to say I enjoyed someone else’s misery.
What I will say is that it was absolutely riveting, and I couldn’t stop reading this sad, tragic story. Tiffany is abused by her mother and each time she is taken to ER, everyone takes her mother’s side because she was so good at convincing the authorities Tiffany did it to herself.
Why did no one see what was happening? For me, I would have enjoyed the story more if there was someone in her corner. Someone who was trying to help her instead of the poor girl being all alone.
All the way through I was hoping something would happen at the end to redeem her, for people to see she wasn’t deranged or mental.
There was a satisfactory ending. All the ends were tied up with a spectacular climax. But, I wanted more, I wanted another few chapters telling us about what happened to her afterwards; for her to see life could be good and she could be happy.
This was a gripping, very strong and a recommended read. J. M. Northup is a great author. She’s a multi genre writer, and understands her subject well. I’ve read Tally, and this was an outstanding book, so totally different from A Prisoner Within. I know if I choose another one of her books I’m going to get another thrilling, entertaining, and totally different read.
Ms Northup is a prolific writer an these are some of her books. Find her here.
It will stick with you. I purchased this book seven month ago. Before I knew what happened, I was sucked in and couldn’t put it down. I read the book overnight desperate to know what was next. Months later this hauntingly realistic story still calls.