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Enlightening,
February 3, 2005
The
book clearly explains an observation and corrected an opinion. It explained the mentality of both the abused and abuser. And
how their mental state controls their decisions and actions. My earlier opinion was that people in abusive conditions should
attack it as agressively as possible or flee the environment at the first opportunity.
However, the book reveals how
people in abusive conditions must balance that negative condition with the positive conditions of their life, such as, love
for siblings, maintaining friendships, and holding on to their areas of control and freedom. Oh yes, the author showed how
a person's history adds to the wisdom of today's decisions. |
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Survivors Share Universals, September 4, 2004
I read Strawberry
Field while waiting for Hurricane Frances. And I
finished it before the hurricane even made landfall! I thought the ending was excellent and the title perfect. I admire Susan
Borges for writing this novel, which I believe is autobiographical at least to some degree. If it is not, she has a tremendous
imagination. There are some similarities to my own childhood and to my memoir, which will be published in the next few months.
This made me identify closely with Carolyn. While Susan Borges is a lawyer, I am a volunteer CASA/GAL child advocate. It was
that experience that led me to write my story...to help children going through neglect and abuse now. Susan Borges' novel
will help today's children. I applaude her for writing it. And I hope it is available in middle school and high school libraries
and read by teachers, counselors, and court officials.
A must-have for Counselor , Juvenile Officer
or Teacher, February 29, 2004
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Reviewer: |
Jane Cook (Los Angeles, CA
United States) |
I
have read perhaps hundreds of books, and "Stawberry Field" is one of the best. It brings to life on the page a spirit that
simply refused to be broken, and by the end of the book, one understands very well the way this brave little girl saved herself
and her essential goodness. You see the many simple choices she made, instinctively and unfailingly, for the postive. It leaves
you with a feeling of hope and affirmation.
I particularly liked the way Carolyn's sister was charactertized, how their
everyday love and kindness for each other was able to counteract some of the hideousness of their father's degeneracy, and
the great gift this was for Carolyn.
Another
of this book's great strengths is its plain style. In the deftest simplicity of expresson, Ms. Borges depicts the forces that
break families over years and generations. One sees all the ways people took their inherited character, and made it better,
or worse by their choices. It renders this an excellent book for a teacher or counselor have on hand when one is on the receiving
end of a "Nothing is wrong", as Miss Ruillet was. The child protection system in this society is worse than useless, and most
abused children must find their own way. This book can be a light in the tunnel for them; as it offers simply stated ways
to cope.
I
hope Ms. Borges write a sequel. I would love to see the journey of Carolyn to being Judge Lowell, of her sisters, and of all
the people she meets on the way, for that would be an inspiring story, too. I didn't want "Strawberry Field" to end.
Strawberry Field - A wonderful book. Take
a deep breath !, February 11, 2004
This
is such a moving portrait of the strength of the human spirit. What I found most amazing was not only the child's victorious
survival of unspeakable neglect and abuse, but her stubborn refusal, then and now, to be sabotaged by the weight of self-pity.
In the same way she recounts her material hardships (shelter, food and clothing that was sporadic and minimal at best), I
interpret her acknowledgment of her entire situation as if to say, "Well, this is what I have to work with, so it'll just
have to do ... FOR NOW." Her graceful acceptance of what WAS never clouded her expectations of what could and should be. I
cannot imagine anyone who will not learn from this book, and be better for having read it.
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what was she waiting for?, February 23, 2004
With
her debut novel, Susan Borges brings us center-stage to the trials of young Carolyn. Before experiencing 'Strawberry Field',
you may be of the opinion that impeccable breeding, privilege or guidance are necessary for prosperity; you may have believed
that youth with such advantages over their contemporaries have a better chance of success. After reading this book, I predict
that you will look deeper into the eyes of every young girl you encounter. And deeper still into the faces of accomplished
adults around you . . . what have they prevailed through?
This
is the story of the human spirit seeking light where darkness is most evident, and insisting that this life is one of possibility
& promise. It will forever change your ideas about hardship, persistence, and the power of determination. Recommended
read!
Strawberry Field - Excellent, February 8, 2004
I loved this book. It is a marvelously written novel about
one little girl's triumphant victory over the harshest of childhood misfortunes including abuse, abandonment, and poverty.
It is told mostly in flashback through the eyes of the family court judge who lived and survived these ordeals, and is now
an instrument in the lives of other neglected, abandoned children. It is a compelling and fascinating story, but it is not
a downer. It is an uplifting story of optimism and self-reliance, told with such clarity of language, the reader feels every
emotion experienced by the characters, so beautifully drawn, they leap off the pages. The spunk and spirit of the main character
alone, makes you pull for her every step of the way. I highly recommend this novel.
STRAWBERRY FIELD, January 23, 2004
This novel is absolutely compelling, and when I started,
I could not put it down until finished. It chronicles the thoughts of a family court judge faced with the awesome responsibility
of the placement in three child custody disputes. But that is only the first chapter. The judge then flashes back on the lives
of her own parents and then of her own life from age four to fifteen. Hers was a life of a total lack of family stability,
of abandonment, of neglect, and of sexual abuse. Guided by her faith, the love of an older sister, and some adult interventions,
this little girl copes with, finally escapes from, and rises above her horrific childhood. Flashing forward to her judicial
duties, she then knows the decisions she must make.
I
truly feel that this book will be an inspiration and a beacon to child care workers, educators, foster parents, and victims
of sexual abuse. It is MUST reading.
Touching, Compelling and Mature, February 8, 2004
As
I passed the halfway mark, I would stop after every chapter to reflect and absorb the emotion of the author. I found Strawberry
Field very touching, compelling and mature. The descriptive choice of words is very vivid and detailed as it draws you into
the struggle of life for the girl. She shows a wisdom beyond her years blended with the questioning of a child. Her strength
and survival are an inspiration, as she rises from victim in life to victor of life! I recommend this book to all readers.
Don't Stop Reading, February 8, 2004
Strawberry Field starts out a little slow, but don't stop reading because very quickly it will grab you. It
is the beautifully told story of how children suffer when families split apart, and one family in particular. It tells how
sisterly love, kind people, and an unconquerable spirit help one very young girl survive a childhood of cruelty, poverty and
isolation. This book is expertly written, and the story so compelling, you don't want it to end. I do not read many books,
but this one was recommended to me, and is one of the best I've read in a very long time. For a relatively short novel, it
tells a great big story.
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