The Exes' Revenge by Jo JakemanMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I won an advanced copy of this book from Berkley Pub.
The book deals with domestic violence. I am a survivor. Did reading this bring up memories? Yes but I choose to deal with them. I have come across so many things in life that bring up something I wish I could forget that, for me, riding it out and dealing with them is my personal best option. It may not be another’s so know that the story has the potential to take you back and make your reading decision with what is best for you. You may not want to read this review because I’m going to talk. It has taken ten years to be able to talk about it and, honestly, I still don’t talk about the really bad stuff.
If you go into reading this book thinking it is a mystery, you will be disappointed. The beginning of the book gives that away. Afterward you find out the how of everything. If you want the book to be solidly realistic, this may not be for you. There are parts that are more fantasy that reality but, in fairness, the book is fiction. Fiction. Not fact. I personally thought the unrealistic parts were interesting. Okay they had me daydreaming about my ex and making a few wishes. What I liked about this book is the three women who find out who they are. Survivors. Damaged yet survivors. They come a long way in a short time. Unrealistic maybe but it still made my heart full. Domestic violence steals so much from you. If you haven’t had the experience you may not realize just how much is taken.
Another thing I appreciated is that the author didn’t just leave it as physical. Actually more of it was mental/emotional. The stuff that crushes you. The things that play over and over in your head. I’m only speaking of my experience here. For me this was incredibly difficult. I can remember the times when I couldn’t take it anymore, the verbal assault, and I would be there asking God to just let him hit me. If you find that shocking, you have no idea how painful a verbal assault can be. My ex used his fists and feet. He also used what he could throw, he used knives, a guard dog, guns and the electrical cord with wires exposed, a wet washcloth thrown on them after the cord was plugged in. There were other, worse, things. I tell you this so you understand how deeply words can wound. The thing about verbal abuse is it can be done in a way that you don’t even understand that you are being abused. You might know to walk away if he, (or she - abusers come in both genders), punches you. But if they are just saying things, some that may have bits of truth being twisted, you might not realize that is domestic violence. You are abused and those words will stay with you long after the relationship ends. So when I read a book like this one and the author understands the pain from psychological abuse, I want to cheer. I want to write the author a thank you letter. I want to tell others to read it with a mind open to feeling the characters pain and their shame. Reading this book and seeing Imogen, Naomi and Ruby realize who they are and what they are worth, meant a lot to me. It was encouraging.
The book had me riveted. I picked it up to read every chance I had, reading far into the night. If you are looking for a psychological thriller, and don’t mind a fictional story being a mix of reality and fantasy, I would say read this book.
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