I’ve been reading this book slowly over the last month. It’s definitely not one to rush through.
One night in January 2015, Brock Turner assaulted Chanel Miller at a Stanford campus party. Brock was arrested and later sentenced to 6 months in county jail, but Chanel—known then as Emily Doe—found herself navigating the painful aftermath of trauma as well as a broken court system. Her victim impact statement went viral on Buzzfeed, reaching 11 million views in 4 days and eventually becoming the catalyst for California law change. It also spurred thousands of people to vote to recall the judge involved.
This book is a slug to the stomach, but it’s also a book of hope. Chanel doesn’t sugar-coat the up-and-down healing process, but she sends powerful messages to victims everywhere:
You’re not alone.
It’s not your fault.
You can have a voice.
And you can reclaim your identity.
Chosen as the Best Book of 2019 by The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, TIME, Elle, Glamour, Parade, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, and BookRiot, this incredible memoir speaks to the strength and courage of survivors and to the healing power of writing.
If you’ve read this book, I’d love to know your thoughts.
If you haven’t read it, I HIGHLY recommend.
Thank you, Chanel, for sharing your story with the world.
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