Very well told story

I really identified with Richard and his story the era and the secrecy surrounding abuse.

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The story

Loved the personal yet real feeling in the story and the way it is delivered to you as a reader/ listener .

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good story, bad writing, good narration

<s>Reading</s> Listening to this I wanted to do three things:
<u>To <b>Richard</b>:</u> cook him the biggest meal he'd ever eaten in his life, just stuff him so full he couldn't physically fit any more food inside him and had to be carried away from the table I'm serious I'm chaining him to the table till he's begging me please stop no more food
(Ok maybe I got a lil carried away)
<u>To <b>Arnold</b>, the miserable bastard:</u>🔪🔪🔪 🩸🩸🩸💀💀💀
<u>To <b>Pearl</b>, the feckless wench:</u> 👋🏻👋🏻👋🏻💥💥💥🤕🤕🤕 (those are slaps btw)

Honestly, Pearl infuriated me more than Arnold, who was just a straight up psychopath. She wasn't taking in a poor orphan out of the kindness of her heart, she was intentionally, knowingly, deliberately, introducing another victim into her little domestic abuse entrapment drama tableau morbide. And for what? Just because misery loves company? Just so she could feel less alone? Just so she could fulfill her Mother Theresa/Florence Nightingale fantasies whilst maintaining the facade of a normal happy suburban nuclear family?

I can only assume she knew so absolutely fucking nowt about children and parenting she thought a growing young boy could survive on the same starvation diet as a menopausal middle-aged weight-watching housewife.

The quality of the writing was of the very worst kind, even for nonfiction. It is all too obvious the writer belongs to that class of past-century working or middle class boomer male who has not a literary bone in his body. The prose is actually startling in its utter lack of imagination. Cliché piled clumsily on cliché. Credit to the narrator for giving it the best go he could.

One thing I couldn't help noting was the total absence of sex. Was it ever explained, for instance, why Pearl and Arnold had to adopt, rather than having children of their own? Were they unable to conceive? Or perhaps it's better to imagine Arnold's undenterness precluded the intimacies usual between husband and wife. More puzzling is the total lack of mention, during Richard's teenage years, of the usual things that accompany puberty. No bodily changes, crushes, infatuations, porn, masturbation... Nary a ball-hair or a boner in sight. It's possible he was asexual. Or too traumatised to develop 'normally' in that direction. Or simply he preferred not to discuss it, which is of course a perfectly respectable choice and one he is fully entitled to make. But then, even later on, much later on, no girlfriend or wife materialised. He only mentioned how his trust issues prevented him forming relationships. But then what about this 'friend', Malcolm, who he was living with and who did so much for him, and seemed to go everywhere with him? Was he perhaps his lover or 'life partner'? If so, I can understand him wanting to conceal the fact. If he felt so bad about being a bastard, one can only imagine how he would feel about being a bugger!

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The courage and tenacity of man.

I loved every word of this tragic man's life and admire him for putting his pain and eventual recovery on paper.

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Inspirational

Well written, thank you for sharing, your story will give all who hear it, hope and encouragement.

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Beautifully written

I loved this well written book I couldn't stop listening.
I felt sad for Richard.

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Sad but well told

Such a sad history for the author. and told quite pragmatically. Good listen, worth the credit

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A real tear jerker

Such a sad story. Made me cry often at the cruelty and unfair treatment of poor ‘Richard’. Did not expect it to end the way it did! Great read

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Well told

Great story even though it was very sad, couldn’t stop listening. Highly recommend this book.

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Such a sad true story

To dear Richard, you are an amazing kind, gentle and brave person 🌹❤️ stay strong and safe

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