Those Girls written by Chevy Stevens
What would you do to save your sister? The only answer is anything. In this case, the three Campbell sisters (Dani, Courtney and Jess) are physically and verbally abused by their alcoholic father – calling them names, beating them, leaving them with black eyes, cigarette burns, etc. One day their father goes to kill one of the sisters and another sister has to kill their father in order to save that sister. Then in order to save the sister who killed their father and not be separated again through foster care, all three sisters bury their father, clean up and go on the run together. Their mother died years ago in a car accident.
As the sisters are on the run, their truck ends up breaking down in a town called Cash Creek. The story is set in Canada. The sisters accept help from two brothers (Brian and Gavin Luxton) who end up kidnapping, torturing and raping the three sisters for five days until the three are able to escape. They get help from Allen and his son Owen who help them get out of town and to Vancouver, Canada. In Vancouver they are helped by Patrick (Allen’s friend) and his wife Karen. They set up a new life for themselves with new identities (they are now Dallas, Crystal and Jamie Caldwell). One of the sisters has a baby (Skylar), a product of the rape. The first part of the book is narrated by Jamie and the second part by Skylar (when she is 17 years old).
I skipped over the rape and torture, I just couldn’t, it was too much. I cried a lot throughout this book and I really identified with the oldest sister because when she was unable to protect her younger sisters, I know that she felt like she failed in her job as the oldest. At the end of the book, we hear the story told from the oldest sister’s point of view and she voices that feeling of failure and regret, and I just got it.
The themes I saw:
Sisterhood – The bond of sisters is amazing, you share the same experience growing up, the same trauma from your parents and so your sisters are the only people in the world that understand why you are as messed up as you are.
Love – Killing their dad in order to protect the sister dad was killing, that was love. Covering up dad’s murder so the sister who did it doesn’t go to jail, that was love. Keeping the rapist’s baby and never punishing the baby for it, that was love.
I would recommend this book but be warned that there is rape, torture, violence against women but if you can get passed all that you will find a story about sisterhood, surviving and making the best of your situation.
Olusala Sisters 