New Life Behind Closed Eyes - Unholy

Advantages: a compelling read, but awful to read
Disadvantages: none

...I purchased this book from The Book People. I realised that it was written by Martine McCutcheon's mother so I wanted to find out more. Behind Closed Doors is the story of child abuse. Abuse suffered by three girls at the hand of their father. Their mother does nothing to protect them, neither does anybody else. Jenny, Kim and Laurence are the three Ponting children. The other kids taunt them with cries of "smelly ponting" and sing about them to the tune of the Adams Family theme. The kids are dirty and malnourished. The parents do not wash them or feed them. The father does not work as he has "fits" usually brought on by a trip to the job centre. The mother can only earn money by sleeping with the men that her husband brings home to her. The only ray of sunshine in the kids lives is that of their Auntie, who adores... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: very easy to read, hard to put down!
Disadvantages: some parts are very distressing to read

...written by Jenny Tomlin (Martine McCutcheons mum) this books tells the story of Jennys abusive childhood along with her siblings. They grew up in the east end of London and were regularly subjected to violent beatings and sexual abuse from their father. Their mother who also suffered at her husbands hands failed her children in so many ways. Prostituting herself just to feed her greedy husbands desire for booze & fags while neglecting to feed her own children. They were forced to eat out of bins just to survive. This book was a real eye opener. Its hard to believe how 2 parents could be so cruel to their children. But whats more amazing is how 3 young children were able to look out for one another and slowly but surely come through the violence. A really heartbreaking story, could hardly put it down. Am now looking forward to... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: brilliant read
Disadvantages: N/A

...Behind closed doors I picked up this book in asdas and as I stood their and read the back I was shocked I didn't even relies it was Martine mcluchins mum until someone at my sons school pointed it out to me. Jenny Tomlin as she is known now was born in London in 1956 she has a brother Laurence who was 5 and sister Kim who was 2 her memories of an early age of are of the morning where she woke to her mum and dad having sex and the to the kitchen to sometimes having a breakfast of bread and weak tea or nothing their mum suffered beatings if their dad didn't have his tea or his fags but it didn't stop at her the kids suffered as well for no apparent reason at all. Since their mum was busy making sure their dad was happy the house work didn't get done so they lived in a really dirty home they were often sent out in the morning... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful