Starred review from March 1, 2020
It was a well-known story that captured headlines around the world: An unconscious woman was sexually assaulted on the Stanford University campus. Media described the attacker as a one-time Olympic swimming hopeful. A jury found him guilty. The victim's impact statement went viral. The judge sentenced the rapist to six months in jail, sparking public outrage. Through it all the victim was known as Emily Doe. Here Miller steps forward to reclaim the narrative. She goes beyond the headlines of what Brock Turner did on that night in January 2015 to show who she was before and what she endured after the attack and subsequent trial that exhibited white privilege, victim blaming, and the injustice of the justice system. Miller's memoir takes listeners back to witness the moments leading up to her assault, the immediate aftermath, and the years leading to her decision to come forward with her story. VERDICT Her writing will draw readers in, but it's her narration--ranging from vulnerable to defiant to hopeful--that will keep listeners captivated until the very last word--Gladys Alcedo, Wallingford, CT
Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
March 23, 2020
Miller’s inspiring memoir grew out of her writing her victim impact statement for the sentencing of Brock Turner, a 19-year-old Stanford University swimmer who was convicted of raping her. An unconscious Miller was assaulted by Turner behind a dumpster outside a Stanford party in 2015, when she was 22 and visiting her sister, who was a student there. After laying out these facts, Miller recalls growing up in Palo Alto in a mixed-race family, her fledgling career as an illustrator, and her aspirations as a writer. The story that follows, of Miller waking up in a San Jose hospital with pine cones in her hair and an incomplete memory of the night before, is masterfully crafted by juxtaposing the details of physical evidence and accounts from witnesses with Miller’s growing awareness that her life as she knew it was over (“It is utter confusion paired with knowing”). Miller describes the toll the trial takes on her and her family, and her desire to go back to her life before the assault. After writing her victim statement, which she published to an overwhelmingly positive reception on BuzzFeed, she begins to connect her previous interest in writing with her new identity as a survivor. This harrowing memoir is a convincing testament to the healing power of writing.