I’m skimming through because I got over 100 pages in, I got through the misogyny (saying that a woman’s mouth was for pleasing a man), I got through the homophobia (saying that a rapist couldn’t ‘control his homosexuality’ by way of explaining why he was a rapist) but I cannot read child pornography.

There are graphic sex scenes involving a 17 year old, firstly a group of lads chat about what they want to do to her and then Horace Greasley actually acts on it, and it is just vile.

Ironically, as I was skimming the rest of the book, I saw that some awful sexual assault happens to a 16 year old and the narrator makes a point of saying ‘She was no older than 16’. How much of a difference is there between a 16 and 17 year old?!! This book is disgusting and infuriating so I cannot make myself read it any longer than I already have.

One thing that really annoys me about the aforementioned misogyny and homophobia is that this book is written by a ghost writer (Ken Scott- who makes a point of letting us know his presence with a foreword saying he wrote the book) and so if this was written in the first person present perspective, the bigotry would make sense as ‘it was a different time’ and the world has changed greatly since then. But because I am all too aware of this ghost writer who wrote this book it really takes me out of it when there’s just an unwarranted bigoted comment that is stated as though it is fact by virtue of it being voiced through this third person narrator.

Anyway, I’ve had enough, this story is incredible and I really wanted to read it but I just can’t continue.

Bigotry is one thing, sexual crimes being professed as love are another.

It was difficult for me to choose what star rating to give this book.

I saw a pic on Pinterest of an Allied soldier standing behind barbed wire, grinning at the SS officers walking by. The caption told of the soldier's name and story. Horace Greasley, escaped over 200 times and returned each time to bring his fellow POWs food.

I immediately looked for more details on his story and saw there was this book about it, got it through the library, started in.

The author said people tell him all the time about "great stories" he should write. Someone told him about Horace, and he thought, I'll talk to the old codger, see what he has to say, humor him. Then was riveted for hours by the story and decided to write it.

Here's where I have questions. Did the author JUST write what Horace told him, like, word for word, or did the author get the story and like most ghost writers, shape it into a book.

Because the writing is AWFUL. I mean.... just brutal.
And the editor needs to be smacked.

By page 9, there were seven typos and two heaving breasts. Literally. "heaving breasts". Ugh.

This book is riddled with typos, which is just fucking lazy. And there is a weird emphasis (obsession?) with the sex scenes. They are written as though an OCD physician was trying to write a romance novel. Far too much "stiffening penis" and "moist vaginal opening" - just.... stop it.

Even the point when a Nazi-sympathizing civilian was overhearing sensitive information while taking a piss, the author felt the need to add the detail of the civilian "pinching the tip of his penis" to slow the flow of urine. WHY do we need these details?

Then there's the blatant homophobia, sexism, misogyny, and racism to contend with. Saying awful things like "the mixed-breed Welshman named Darkie Evans" may be saying one needs to read this within the context of the time period, but saying the Nazi guard raping the male prisoners because he "couldn't control his homosexual urges" is bullshit. That's not how that works, you homophobic asshole. Sorry... homophobic and racist asshole.

The first time Horace has sex with Rose (the love of his life and the reason he started escaping over 200 times).... it's rape. She says, "No. Stop. We'll get caught." and whether that last line means she wants to but is afraid to get caught or not, the first two words make it rape. AND he even says he was raping her.

There are so many problematic points in this story, it's hard to see anyone as a good person. Flapper. Flapper is a good guy. I get that a lot of the problems have to do with war, and there are no winners in war, but still....

It is an incredible story, but not as incredible as the Pinterest pic and the cover of the book make it seem. The escapes were incredibly easy done for entirely selfish reasons that evolved into better, less selfish reasons.

Save yourself the misery of the awful writing, though. Maybe someday they'll make a less problematic movie about him.