“Everyone would see that I’d come a long way over the last few years, and maybe they’d stop looking at me like that. Like I was fragile but also frightening.”
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This journey of Pamela and Tina developing a friendship through the worst events of their lives was captivating. I thought Knoll did an incredible job with the acute/immediate symptoms of trauma, as well as the long-term impacts. 

The brutality of the Defendant made me feel ill at times. It was enraging to read the blatant misogyny and dismissiveness of the male authority figures in these women’s lives. 

I loved how Knoll explored this idea, through Pamela, of how something so earth shattering can push you out of your life and make you reevaluate if you were living well and authentically. It was beautiful to watch Pamela come into those realizations. 

I thought Ruth’s chapters were also beautiful, but I found myself anticipating the end and, while happy for her journey, immediately grieving the loss of what could’ve been for her.

I enjoyed reading this with the Reading is Subjective club and can see why it made it onto the New York Times 2023 list ☺️