While my daughter drove me to the airport, I decided I would take some time to do some catching up. The first review I thought I would do is Deena Remiel's Freedom In Chains. Knowing this is not something that is her normal genre of writing, I braced myself for it. I knew a bit of what the story was about by reading her posts on Facebook. What I hadn't braced myself for was how wonderfully written this story would be. It's not a book that will take you forever to read. It's not something that will leave you in tears (that's not to say that it won't elicit emotions because Deena writes it so well that you feel...oh do you feel).
So, before I begin my review, please, let me begin by saying that there is a HUGE SPOILER ALERT!!!! If you have not read this story (there are no chapters and it doesn't take you long to read it) then you must download it NOW and read it. It is definitely a story that everybody needs to read. A story that HAD to be told. A story that EVERYBODY should know. It's something that happens every day. Something that, sadly enough, not all of us are aware of. It makes you think.....is it the child/teenager/adult walking next to you? Is it the person on the sidewalk arguing with the person they're with? That's not to say that we should become paranoid.....because we shouldn't. We should all just be a little more aware.
Ok. I'm going to remind you SPOILER ALERT!!!! Please, though, read this story! Please! Then, come back here and let us all know what you think. Have you or someone you know been touched by Human Trafficking? I hope not! If so, help us get the word out!
Deena’s opening page grabs your heart and tugs. I initially wanted to read more....wanted more....tell me more. And so, I had to read more. A tale of a young woman that is both heart breaking and inspiring.
Haven’t even gotten through the first page in my Kindle, I’m fighting back the tears as Deena portrays the horrible feelings this child is having -- without going through detail by detail what the child has gone through. You are given an idea, enough of one that you know this child needs love. Needs help. Needs something other than what she has. Your heart cries out “She needs ME! I want her! I want to help her!” These are the emotions Deena pulls from your soul....and I haven’t even finished the story.
As I read on, the child, at the age of 14, finally feels what it’s like to smile....”what an odd feeling” I think to myself, “not to know how to smile”. The simple pleasures in life. We take so many of those for granted. Funny how we do that. As I’m reading Deena’s book, Freedom In Chains, “Freedom” tucks things that she notices into little boxes in her memories as “sweet things”, such as the smell of a flower shop. Again, such simple pleasures that we take for granted.
For my mother’s birthday she received flowers from my sister. Every day I walked into the house I smelled those flowers and marveled at the smell. I cannot imagine not knowing that lovely smell. My stomach turns, knowing the pain and the excitement of the rush of feelings going through “Freedom’s” thoughts and heart.
FOUND: My heart breaks! NOOOO! I scream in my head! Please! Let this be a dream! He can’t have found her so quickly. She has only had a taste of sweet freedom. Please. Please. Someone help her! No....not a dream. Reality. He’s found her. My heart is aching. I want to save her. I want to shelter her in my arms and whisper to her that it will be okay. We will heal your wounds with love and showing her that she IS cherished; cherished in a healthy, natural way. Not some way that is sick and vile! I’m still just barely through half the book. I want to cry. I feel exhilarated. I want to cry some more. Deena’s words are thought provoking. In all of Deena’s works, she’s always entrapped me with her words but this.....this is different. This is....well, this is...moving, heart clenching, and FREEDOM!
Beaten, chained by her ankle, being whipped, cigarettes being put to her skin and knowing that she can hear the skin burn and her trying not to cry out in fear that she will be punished more and then her final reminder.....she is there for one purpose; her only purpose.
Finally, Freedom has a bit more FREEDOM! She’s set about on a purpose. One that her parents are reluctant to allow but, by law, has to be done.....SCHOOL! People who MAY believe her. Sadly....no. What is wrong with this system? It makes me angry! It makes me want to become an advocate! It makes me want to open my home to every wayward, abused child out there and show them what real love is like. Can this be done? Can they really be helped?
Freedom is allowed no moments alone. “HE” is there at the end of the school day. To have a child, something so precious. Something so many people want and something so many people are longing to have, yet these parents are selling this child to anybody and everybody to be used as they wish and for what??? Drug money! DRUGS! It makes me ill. I don’t want to read any more but I can’t stop myself because Deena words describe this so perfectly that there are no specific details but you know what sick things happen to this brave little soul. I appreciate Deena’s thoughtfulness and her diplomacy. There are so many other ways to tell a story than to give a blow-by-blow, play-by-play of what happened to someone.
In my opinion, the way Deena words this story, brings out more feeling and more awareness of the plight of human trafficking than being brutally honest and open about EXACTLY what happens to these children (and adults). Now....on with the review.
THE SEARCH: Finally, after being malnourished enough to be able to release herself from her chains, this beautiful soul is able to escape and reaches out to someone on the computer after researching while “HE” is out.
FOUND: Finding the number of a savior. She writes the number down and puts it in her pocket. As always, she is sure to return things the way she found them.....punishment will be waiting if she doesn’t (I’m sure).
JUST IN TIME: Run! Run! Run back and chain yourself. “He” has friends! Please Freedom! Please don’t cause problems where they can hurt you more than they already will. Find that sacred place inside yourself and go there just one more time.
-- Do you see how Deena has my pulse racing and my heart aching? I am officially naming her “The Word Weaver”. She captures me in every story. Of all her stories. I have to stay that this one has grabbed me, kept me, and makes me want to grab these babies and show them the love they deserve. She’s done this with words alone! No photos, no embellishments, no overt sexual acts. Nothing except suggestions of what Freedom has gone through. In my opinion, Deena Remiel is a true and multitalented story-teller. Someone who needs, deep within her soul, to share with you these wonderful tales....be they true stories (with names protected to protect these innocent souls so afraid of their own shadows), fiction that lifts you up to believe, truly believe, that there really is a goodness in people that all you have to do is look!
THE CALL: Her true freedom! Her true day of birth. The day she was rescued and shown what true caring really was. I’m sure her recovery will always be a work in progress but she is probably growing with leaps and bounds. How could you not with such loving people in your life???
If you want to help save all of those individuals caught in the web of human trafficking or just want to be more informed, please check out the following websites.
This book is a short read. I read it as I wrote this review. I’ll read it again.....and again....and again. Proceeds from this short story will be donated to millionkids.org. Please, tell your friends, your family and everybody you know. Take your “Blinders Off” and see what could be happening right under your nose.
I personally want to thank Deena for penning such a touching story. I am and will always be a changed person because of it. Watching those around me (for the signs that say “something isn’t right here”). If someone had intervened when Freedom was put into the car the first time she escaped, there is no telling what kind of hell she could have been saved from. However, what is important....she is free now.....and I am a better person for having read this story.
Please, visit Deena's blog: www.deenaremiel.com
In closing, my friends, this story will bring out every emotion you have, sadness, hurt, anger, joy, elation, and in the end you will be happy that you learned how one person (one in so many of the thousands of people go that go through this) fought and fought to save herself and actually won her FREEDOM!
Thank you Deena! Thank you for sharing Freedom's story! Thank you for getting together with these wonderful people that help make these things happen!
Remember Goddesses, it only takes one second, one good deed, one smile, one kind word. You never know what kind of empowerment you may be giving to someone who needs it.
This story is definitely getting our yummy 4 Cupcakes!!
Keep Reading Goddesses!
My granddaughter full of chocolate icing! I haven't a clue what that face is for but I'm sure there HAD to be a reason....lol
