Precious – Sapphire


 

 

Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Vintage; 1 Mti edition (October 20, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0307474844
ISBN-13: 978-0307474841

 

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Synopsis

Precious is the story of breaking down walls. It is a story about poverty, innocence, ignorance, strength, and triumph. Precious is a teenage girl. All of her life she’s been let down by every adult that crosses her path. Despite her extremely twisted childhood, she yearns to overcome this. One day she’s given that chance.

Review

This was a very fast read. While the language was a bit rough to get into at first, eventually it came together and seemed to add to the realism of the story. There was extremly strong language, which may turn off some readers. However, I felt that in this case, that it wasn’t gratuitous. The character would not have seemed real without it. There are graphic descriptions of incestuous rape. It definitely was not a fun story. It’s very sad that people go through this daily. I personally think this book might be helpful to incest survivors, or even those who feel like the deck is stacked against them. Sometimes a person isn’t wanting permanent support, but just wants a helping hand. I want to recommend this book, but it’s hard. Have you ever seen one of those movies where it was very well put together, well acted, but yet the storyline was so heart wrenching that you felt it was wrong to say you liked it. Precious is that kind of book. I can’t say I liked it. I hated the situation she was in. Yet, I loved the fact that despite getting knocked down, she kept going, pushing against the wall that held her back.

From RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Net work):

15% of sexual assault and rape victims are under age 12.3
29% are age 12-17.
44% are under age 18.3
Girls ages 16-19 are 4 times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault.
7% of girls in grades 5-8 and 12% of girls in grades 9-12 said they had been sexually abused.4
3% of boys grades 5-8 and 5% of boys in grades 9-12 said they had been sexually abused.

Victims of sexual assault are:

3 times more likely to suffer from depression.
6 times more likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
13 times more likely to abuse alcohol.
26 times more likely to abuse drugs.
4 times more likely to contemplate suicide.

If you or someone you know needs help, here is one place you can begin: http://www.rainn.org/get-help

We’re going to be giving away our copy of Precious. If you would like the opportunity to read it, leave a comment below. Also, if you aren’t a follower, and could become a follower (sign up on the right), it would be appreciated. Drawing will be held on January 19th, 2009.

You can discuss it here or share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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5 Responses to “Precious – Sapphire”

  1. Tina L. Hill Says:

    I will most likely read the book simply for the reason that there is nothing better then a person striving to make their lives a better place. It’s not always easy, and sometimes it’s one step forward and two steps back, but the point of life is to always strive to make yourself and the world around you a better place, no matter what your circumstances.

  2. Deanna Scott Says:

    I watched the actress who played Precious on the Oprah show. The clips of the film were compelling and the story line would be one so many people in our country will relate to. Looking forward to reading it.

  3. Candace Priddy Says:

    I am really interested in how the book is written after watching the film. The movie was very moving and I just have to believe the book is above and beyond as reading a great story is a wonderful way to spend a weekend day or top off the night!

  4. Sharon Walling Says:

    I’ve seen a lot about this book. This is reality. It happens in the real world. I’ve been wanting to read this book since I first heard about it. I want to see the movie also, but I don’t like seeing a movie before I read the book.

    Thanks for the chance.

    sharon54220@gmail.com

  5. Dee Says:

    I just finished reading Precious. It is not for the faint of heart. It is gritty, raw and in your face.

    It’s a story about hope and the courage it takes to walk through blind doorways and living on the other side. It’s about despair and pain and getting past the past.

    The writing style is unusual, but fits with the characters and story line. As you follow this young girl through her tragic life, you’ll no doubt have a new perspective of your own.

    A great read, but not for those romance-comedy types.

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