This novel is described as being a heart rending story and it most certainly is. I haven’t even got words to convey all the emotions I felt reading this book. On the back cover it tells us that the dark and disturbing subject matter of this book will raise eyebrows and it does. At the same time, it makes us more aware of what may be going on around us in people or families who seem perfectly normal on the outside. People we felt sure we knew and even cared about. Things are not always as they seem. This novel takes us through a young boy’s struggles with wha’ts happened to him and his journey towards healing. It also brings us close to the struggles of the family helping him who have no idea how to deal with the situation but do their best. This book touched me on so many levels. The subject material horrified me yet as this story goes on and you see the strength and love of the people involved and the will of this boy to survive-you see that healing can take place even in the worst of circumstances and it gives you hope. The novel gives us insights into a world we’d rather ignore and pretend doesn’t exist and for this I think it’s a great story to bring about more awareness to people. Maybe from reading some of the things portrayed in this novel, another child somewhere can be saved. I hope so. I would highly recommend this novel.