A Child Called 'It': A very moving story (A Child Called 'It' - Dave Pelzer)

Member Name: Yzmarocks

Product:	A Child Called 'It' - Dave Pelzer
Date:	01/09/09 (64 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Raises awareness about child cruelty

Disadvantages: Poorly written

For my summer holidays, I decided to look around for some good, intellectual summer reads (alongside the usual chick flicks) and amongst the books I borrowed from the library was 'A Child Called 'It'' by Dave Pelzer. I had previously heard a few references to the book and made my mind up to read it for myself. After finishing it in one sitting, what was the impact?

Overview

As explained in the blurb on the back cover, Daze Pelzer (the author) was severely abused as a child by his alcoholic mother. Their reationside soured to the point where she no longer treated him as human, merely an 'it'. The dedications also throw a little more light onto the mystery, ending with the simple sentence 'you saved my life'. I feel that this sums up the book in a way - short, dramatic (almost to the point of being melodramatic) and true. In the following review I wish to express my feelings towards how the book is presented and written, any critisisms are not directed in at the story or its legitimacy.

Characters

The main character, during this book (this is the first in a trilogy of Dave Pelzer's life, mapping childhood to teenager), starts aged 4 and continues up to the age of 12. After the acknowledgments come the author's notes explaining that this first book is written from a child's point of view and the language reflects that.

Other characters are made up of his father, Stephen, his four other brother's, Ron, Stan, Russell and Kevin and, mainly, Dave's mother, Catherine. The main interaction is between Dave and his mother, though his father does make quite a few appearances. To say that I didn't relate to Dave would be true, but in this case I feel that this is a good thing; rather I felt emphatic. Also, the characters are original, not necessarily believable - though this may be due to my naivity in not wanting to believe that people like Dave's abusive mother and cowardly father exist in this world.

Story

The story told is a genuine, moving and, at times, very disturbing. The problem I have is with the way that it is told, sometimes contradicting itself - on one hand the mother is starving him and on the other he has a regular and faily substantial lunch - and sometimes so shocking that it is unconvincing.

The story starts somewhat optimistically and then snowballs downhill. About three quarters of the way through, the book finishes and yet the story continues through exerts from the sequals. It is this that made me think that there may have been alterior motives behind releasing the book other than to raise awareness about child abuse.

However, this is certainly a moving book and I was emotional at many points in the book. This was definately not due to the writing, merely the story and the cruelty.

Overall, I would recommend the book to older readers, but would probably advise them to rent a copy rather than have them buy it - its not something that I would choose to read again and again.

Summary: A heart rendering story, but wouldn't read again