Wednesday, February 27, 2013

BOOK REVIEW: 3,096 Days by Natashca Kampusch

It is hard to say you enjoyed a book about a child’s kidnapping and abuse.  

The book was written by Natascha Kampusch about her time being held captive. 3,096 DAYS IN CAPTIVE! She was kidnapped by Wolfgang Priklopil in 2006 at 10 years old. She was held in a tiny dungeon, beaten, starved and treated like a slave being forced to work and help remodel homes, making her into his version of a ‘perfect’ woman.
3,096 DaysHe kept her in a weakened state- emotionally as well physically. I could not believe how much he beat her. I cringed when I read those part. He made it so she would give up hope. That she would give up the desire to escape. While I was reading it, as I’m sure everyone else who has heard the story. Why wouldn’t you try and run, try and escape?  Especially when Priklopil took her on a ski vacation! Its hard to imagine that you wouldn’t try. But then again, we all say we would make a run for it, but until you are so emotional worn down and brainwashed you just don’t know what to do.

I liked how she discussed the Stockholm Syndrome (google it) and that because she was snatched up when she was 10 he was the only person of contact for her for 8 years.  Of course it seems weird to an outsider that someone should care about the person who tormented them. She mentions how she felt sorry for him that society somehow made him that way. This, I think, was her way of coping. By disassociating the violent acts he did she could somehow manage another day and not give up. (Even though she did try and commit suicide a few times, but really who could blame her. )She also forgave him.  She said it was because she could only get on with her life if she did.

Throughout all of it, she kept the thoughts of her family. She always held a flame of hope no matter how much Priklopil wanted to distinguish it. Because of this when she was actually left alone for a few seconds while cleaning his work van (ironically, the one he kidnapped her in) she ran. 
While she didn't get into to much detail of this; it was interseting to see the fallout of the crime, how the police didn't follow leads in the begginning of the case and to see how she assimilated back into the public eye.
Overall it is a good book. It’s hard to conceptualize at times. It’s hard to imagine someone being able to survive it.  It’s hard to imagine that someone could kidnap a child and keep her for any extended amount of time.  I recommend this book to someone who likes true crime stories.

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