Stolen Beauty

by Amy Madden

Amy Madden’s Stolen Beauty, the harrowing story of a young girl being sexually, emotionally and physically abused by her stepfather starts out as a straight-forward memoir but turns into much more as she inserts information helpful to those looking for and reporting abuse and those who have been victim to these cruel acts.

The sexual scenes between Amy and her stepfather are revolting, but they have to be told so the reader and those protecting young children can see what is at stake for the children at risk.

As expected, the events with her stepfather had a great bearing on
Amy’s life, and she made some mistakes. Nevertheless, she was always working to come to grips with her problems. She had to come to the point where she could love herself and not blame herself for what happened when she was just a child.

The story is riveting, but the insights that Madden offers on the subject of child abuse and healing are equally important. The two elements make for a chilling yet informational read. The book should be read by all those who are counted on to protect the young.