A Child Called "It"

Caffeinated Book Dragon reviewed A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer

Damned difficult read, but an enlightening exploration of abuse, "public secrets", & a child's memory

3 stars

Content warning aspects of abuse mentioned and considered controversial/debated possible

I lifted this from my initial review back in 2017:

Damned difficult read, but it opens up eyes to how secrets are made and kept regarding abuse, and the questions the abused has.

I understand people's reluctance to believe Mr. Pelzer's story and have seen dozens of remarks meant to refute the physical possibility of some of the torturous abuse. I think those who've read (or more likely, those who haven't and have made a knee-jerk judgment of the book) have to be reminded of what Mr. Pelzer said in his intro. He's largely remembering this from the point of view of himself as a child. So when someone wants to bring up facts about how devastating chlorine gas and ammonia and freezing water are, I remember that he's remembering this as a child. It's not like there's a measuring cup to show how much of what chemical was used (or how much water was used to dilute it) and I doubt there was a thermometer to indicate the water was truly "freezing" point and that's how he knew. It was freezing to him and he reacted negatively to the behavior while the instigator smiled, laughed, or threatened.

That's abuse no matter how you freaking slice it.

So yes, I believe him, that this is how he felt and he was confused and trying to find a logical explanation for the behavior of two selfish drunks (one with some hefty psych problems, I'm sure). There's a lot of the child grasping at straws while trying to survive, and I think the point was well made. Other works on abuse are written with an almost clinical detachment at times--this is an exploration of a survivor, trying to understand this new world he is part of.

Yes, it is a hard read. What makes it harder is knowing that even today, thousands of children are being harshly abused, neglected, or murdered by adults they love and should trust. I think this book is a helluva reminder of what it was like in the days before child abuse was talked about, when kids could show abuse happening and nobody know how to react (or believe it hearing it 2ndhand) and it's a voice that survived when an untold number of others likely did not.

Graham Downs reviewed A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer

Review of 'A Child Called "It"' on 'Goodreads'

A pretty graphic story. I can't decide whether its true or not, though. I've read that some people swear it is, and others think it's pure fiction. I think that there are enough inconsistencies In it that it might be fabricated, and accounts of people doing things that seem out of character. On the other hand, I can imagine enough human depravity that it just might be true!

True or not, this story is a testament to not only how sick and draved people can be, but also how strong and resilient the human spirit can be. True or not, I think it needed to e written, and I hope people take it to heart and decide to never ever allow themselves to sink to these levels, and to stand up and say something if they know someone who has!