Dave Pelzer; A Child Called 'It' review

A Child Called 'It' is the first in a set of three books about the life of Dave Pelzer, a man who survived the third worst case of child abuse in California's history. The book details the first years of his life, up to when he is finally rescued by a combination of his school teachers, nurse, and the local authorities. Throughout the book constant attacks are described - from starvation to forced burning atop the kitchen stove - which could turn anyone's stomach. A Child Called 'It' is a partial auto-biography, which tells of the author's struggle to survive the tyranny of his mother's rule.

Without calling into question the truthfulness of this tale, I can safely say that it is worth a read if you want a look into how an abuse victim would think - how they constantly search for a means by which to please their abuser. Whether or not Pelzer is entirely truthful in every detail of this account is irrelevant, as is proven by courts, much of the incidents contained within did occur. Judgement should be reserved until all three books are read, though at first read this book is harrowing, and horrific. I found the book to be intriguing from the perspective that it's interesting to see how Pelzer's mind worked during the time in which he was abused.

/ [Duke Devlin]

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