Author Chanel Miller has an open, honest, sarcastic, humorous, down-to-earth writing style that brings a unique voice to not only her story, but the many stories shared by sexual assault victims who may not have the words to express their experiences. Her's is a literary voice we didn't even know we were missing, but we are sure glad it is now here.
Formerly referred to as Emily Doe, Know My Name details her life during the four years after her assault by Brock Turner, a first year Stanford student with a promising professional swimming career. Though the case was followed closely by the media, the public had very little, if any, knowledge about the victim.
"You will find society asking you for the happy ending, saying come back when you're better, when what you say can make us feel good, when you have something more uplifting, affirming. This ugliness was something I never asked for, it was dropped on me, and for a long time I worried it made me ugly too... But when I wrote the ugly and painful parts into a statement, an incredible thing happened. The world did not plug up its ears, it opened itself to me." -Chanel Miller
In fourteen well written, deeply moving and highly entertaining chapters, Miller chronicles both the journey of Emily Doe, her public facing alter ego and her true self following the assault. We the readers get a glimpse of what her life was like before this defining life event any why, unlike some sexual assault victims, the privilege of having a loving familial support system helped face her attacker through, and even beyond prosecution.
Fair Warning: Those that have experienced sexual assault take a risk of being either triggered or absolved by reading some of the experiences described in this book.
Happy Reading my Friends,
xoxoxoxoxoxox
ROTR