Book Review: Grace

Grace

by Richard Paul Evans

I read a few of Evan's books when I was younger and was reintroduced to him by my sister a couple of years ago with his book Finding Noel, another good read. I always enjoy his stories. They aren't too long so I can read them in just a couple of days and they always have great messages, even if they are a little sad at times. Grace is his latest book and he begins with an author's note that really struck me. I wanted to share it here (I'm not giving anything away about his main story by recapping the author's note, so you can read on without worry :)

He recounts the story of Mary Ellen Wilson, who in 1874 was the most talked about child in America for being abused by her foster parents. At the time, there were no laws against child abuse and society denied that it even existed. There were, however, laws against the cruelty to animals. Mary was rescued by Etta Wheeler, a methodist missionary that lived nearby. After several failed attempts to gain protection for Mary, Etta went to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and with its founder argued that as a member of the animal kingdom, Mary was entitled to the same protection as a dog. When brought to testify before the judge, 10 year-old Mary had this to say about the abuse she suffered:

"My father and mother are both dead. I don't know how old I am. I have no recollection of a time when I did not live with the Connollys. .. Mamma has been in the habit of whipping and beating me almost every day. She used to whip me with a twisted whip - a raw hide. The whip always left a black and blue mark on my body. I have now the black and blue marks on my head which were made by mamma, and also a cut on the left side of my forehead which was made by a pair of scissors. She struck me with the scissors and cut me; I have no recollection of ever having been kissed by any one - have never been kissed by mamma. I have never been taken on my mamma's lap and caressed or petted. I never dared to speak to anybody, because if I did I would get whipped.. I do not know for what I was whipped - mamma never said anything to me when she whipped me. I do not want to go back to live with mamma, because she beats me so. I have no recollection ever being on the street in my life" - Mary Ellen, April 10, 1874 in Watkins, 1990. Picture and quote courtesy of American Humane Association via suncanaa.com/stories6

Fortunately, Mary's story had a happy ending. However, it would be nearly a century before society was ready to acknowledge the existence of child abuse. They were further set back when in the early 1900's Sigmund Freud, a renowned psychologist, publicly theorized that his patients' claims of childhood sexual abuse were merely repressed fantasies. But in the 1960's, the medical profession formerly agreed on the existence of child abuse. In the meantime, thousands of children suffered silently because nobody would protect or believe them. Grace is the story of such a child.

Although child abuse is a sad topic, I enjoyed this book. It reminded me of the fact that life is so much bigger than myself. I tend to get caught up in what is going on with me and the challenges that I'm facing, but there are so many people out there that are struggling in so many different ways and I need to be more grateful for the blessings in my life. This book was a good reminder of that.