Perfect Victim: The True Story of "The Girl in the Box" by the D.A. That Prosecuted Her Captor 
asked by h2o on November 24, 2006 4:05 PM
Some may find it unbelievable that a 20-year-old Oregon woman could be enslaved by a sexual sadist for seven years--that even after being able to move freely during the day, she would allow him to lock her into a wooden box every night. Perhaps it's a minor failing of this book that the authors do not elaborate on the psychology that made her such a "perfect victim." In other respects, though, the story is well told, with an impressive accumulation of details: the woman's capture, the tortures she endured, the brainwashing techniques, the fiendish contraptions her captor constructed, the slave contract he made her sign, and the increasingly strained relations within the peculiar family that included master, slave, wife, and child, all inside a single-wide trailer. As well-known attorney and author Vincent Bugliosi writes, "A gripping and disturbing story of the secret life of apparently normal people. At once, horrific and engrossing."
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I read this book years ago and it is so powerful I have never forgotten it. I'll think of her now and again and remember what hell she was subjected to, wondering how she is doing and how she ever kept her mind. One to the most personally impactful books I have ever read. It reminds about books I have read about concentration camp surviors, they never leave me, nor do I think they should. When it is freezing outside and I run to the car through the cold hardly able to bear the few minutes to get the hearter cranked up and the memory of so many stories will pop into my mind. Trying to imagine how the survivors felt arriving in Auzchvitz(I know I butched the spelling), marching through the snow naked, no coat during the intake process and arriving at the administration building at 610PM. Since the building closed at 6PM they had to stand and wait outside in the cold, no protection for the office to open the following morning.
Our minds can't really grasp the horror victims such as the women in this book and others in extreme situation endure. It just tears your heart out.
Our minds can't really grasp the horror victims such as the women in this book and others in extreme situation endure. It just tears your heart out.
reviewed by drvale on November 26, 2006 4:30 AM
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I read it in 3 days! This book is EXCELLENT and HORRIFYING! What thie woman went through had to be more painful than anything most people could endure. Forcing her to live through all of his torture, just sick! Every page in this book is interesting, and believe me you won't put it down! I was up till 4 this morning finishing it!
reviewed by drvale on November 27, 2006 12:51 AM
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Colleen's story is one that few, if any, reading this would ever understand. She is kidnapped, tortured, beaten, humiliated, and it only gets worse.
I don't know if people fully appreciate how long days must have been for her. I could only speculate what living in her "box" would be like for an hour or maybe a day. To have endured such horrible conditions for seven years is something none of us can comprehend.
I couldn't stop reading this book, only because this was a true story, and not because it was by any means well written. The author interjects her own life far beyond what is nessasary to tell Coleen's sad tale. I find it almost insulting to Coleen and the horrible ordeal that she went through. The writer foreshadows the events of the trial with the skill of a high school creative writing class and whines about enduring single motherhood as a lawyer: Not in the same dimension of trouble as seven years brutal captivity. Hire a nanny and go see your shrink.
Despite the author's inept ability to tell the story, most anyone would like to read this book because you will bond with Coleen early in the first chapter. An odd tale that ultimately will disturb you and keep your attention.
I don't know if people fully appreciate how long days must have been for her. I could only speculate what living in her "box" would be like for an hour or maybe a day. To have endured such horrible conditions for seven years is something none of us can comprehend.
I couldn't stop reading this book, only because this was a true story, and not because it was by any means well written. The author interjects her own life far beyond what is nessasary to tell Coleen's sad tale. I find it almost insulting to Coleen and the horrible ordeal that she went through. The writer foreshadows the events of the trial with the skill of a high school creative writing class and whines about enduring single motherhood as a lawyer: Not in the same dimension of trouble as seven years brutal captivity. Hire a nanny and go see your shrink.
Despite the author's inept ability to tell the story, most anyone would like to read this book because you will bond with Coleen early in the first chapter. An odd tale that ultimately will disturb you and keep your attention.
reviewed by samoan on November 27, 2006 10:20 AM
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An unbelievable and true story that unfortunately is the result of a sadomasochistic monster's fantasies. It is hard to tell the difference between fiction and reality when you browse the details of Colleen Stan's ordeal. I strongly sympathise with the victim, and the book arouses my utter anger at her tormentors and the callousness of some legal practitioners in plea-bargaining. However, there are a few points that the book fails to reveal - Janice Hooker's testimony which is not entirely true, her claim that "Colleen was submissive" is to cover her skin, Janice's personality and the author's tendency to defend Janice (I suppose it's because of her female gender). Janice IS a monster aiding and abetting a MACHOMONSTER and I hope Colleen Stan reads this review. I'm female, so don't accuse me of sexism. There are also insufficient medical details that Colleen's torture and sensory deprivation affect her reactions and health - e.g. the fact she didn't flinch when burnt is due to death of neurons in her breasts NOT courage as it is impossible in this case; the hangings+whippings+dunkings all contribute to mental torture and enslavement. Also the brainwashing details are straight from Dr. Hatcher's description, but they are not in depth. I find the references to McGuire's personal background as irrelevant, and I doubt that Janice's daughters can be lovely girls, hopefully not monsters like their parents. I'll make sure no nephew of mine ends up with those girls since such parents are incapable of teaching them what morality is. As for those who still think of Colleen's role as a willing participant, I suggest they go and see a shrink to improve their IQ. To Colleen, I wish her the best of health, happiness, no more nightmares, and my unconditional friendship though I'm in Australia and am Vietnamese.
reviewed by scoobie on November 28, 2006 5:57 PM