A Child Called It

[goodreads]

Title: A Child Called "It"
Author: Dave Pelzer
Genre: non-fiction
Rating: unrateable
# pages: 152
Date read: January, 2007

Summary: Dave Pelzer was the second of five boys. His father was a fireman and, according to David, his mother was originally a loving, kind and caring mother.

The book states that around the time that the author turned five, things within the family slowly began to change. While his father was away at work often, his mother became an alcoholic. The author's mother has claimed that Dave was so badly behaved that he required punishment. The summer before Dave started kindergarten his mother reportedly beat him, dislocating his shoulder. The book goes on to describe a period of mixed emotions over the following few years with the increasingly abusive and damaging behaviour from Ms Roerva gradually ostracizing Dave from the rest of the family.

The book describes the worsening abuse which Dave suffered at the hand of his mother and her alcoholism. Among the many incidents discussed is that Ms. Roerva attempted to burn Dave on a cooker when he was eight years old. By this point he was no longer considered as part of the family and lived in the basement denied basic contact, play or food. Ms. Roerva has stated that she did not want Dave to interact with "her family" demonstrating the lack of regard in which he was held.

Over time the depth of the abuse worsened. Dave claims he was forced to sit in the Prisoner of War position (head bent backwards facing sky and sitting on hands). His mother stopped using his name and began referring to him first as "The Boy" and finally "It". The punishments are reported to have evolved into 'sick games' in which Ms. Roerva made her son suffer.

Incidents cited in the book include; making him drink ammonia, cleaning the bathroom with ammonia mixed with chlorine bleach resulting in a near fatal outcome, inducing vomit followed by forced ingestion, smashing his face against the mirror while screaming "I'm a bad boy", lying in the bathtub naked with freezing water for hours, stabbing, rubbing his face in his brother's dirty diaper/nappy, making him eat dog's faeces and starvation. (From Wikipedia)

Review: I did not like this book. But that's okay. You're not supposed to like it. It's a horrible, horrible book. A trainwreck of a book. I wanted to look away, but just couldn't. I know it's the first part in a trilogy, but I doubt I'm going to read the other two books. It was too, too depressing.

Actually, the person I got most angry with was the father. The mother was obviously sick and needed help. There's no other explanation for the awful things she subjected her son to. But what's the father's excuse? He just stood by and did nothing? No, that's not true - he stood by and did nothing... and THEN he abandoned the family. I don't get it. Nowhere in the book was it stated that he seemed afraid of his wife, so why did he allow her to treat their son so horribly? You don't just stand by and let your SO practically kill your son, you just don't!

There were two things I would have liked to know: 1) What made David different from the rest of his brothers? Why was he the one who was treated so horribly? If his mother had had some kind of reason, just something that set him apart, it would at least be part of an explanation even if it's no excuse, but it seemed totally random. I guess it was... after all, sick people often don't need reasons for doing as they do. 2) What happened to his mother afterwards? Did she get some kind of help? Were her other boys taken away from her too? The book ended in a cliff-hanger fashion which annoyed me. Too many loose ends.

I don't recommend it. Most of you would never treat a child like that anyway, and if you would, no amount of reading about it would change your opinion that you're in the 'right'. The only time I would encourage reading it is if you know somebody you fear may be subjected to child abuse, or if you want to be convinced that you should become a foster parent.

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Comments

[aurillia.livejournal.com]

I've heard about this book somewhere, I think when the second one came out, but I'd forgotten all about it until I read your review. It does sound horrible, and the same questions surfaced in my mind as I was reading the synopsis. Stories like this need to serve a purpose in the telling, otherwise there's something voyeuristic about them, or simply no point. Did you feel that there was meaning to the telling? From the sound of all your questions and your own impression, or after-taste, I doesn't seem that there is. What I mean is, I hope he wasn't trying to make money by sensationalising his own experiences.

Your thoughts?

[bogormen.livejournal.com]

It's a good question. If he wrote the first one and meant it to stand alone, then I don't see there being much purpose in telling, other than, perhaps, his need to get it out. But if it was the intention from the very start to write all three books, then the two latter may explain the purpose of the first one? I'm not sure, and from reading the summaries of them, I don't really think I miss out on much by not reading them.

[lost-wounded-14.livejournal.com]

hi, I found your recommendations on bookshare. I've read "A Child Called It" and I thought it was a wonderfully written book. I will try to tie up the loose ends for you:
1) the mother had no excuse or sick "reason" to do that to him. He has often sruggled with "why" too.
2)His mother never received help, nor did she want help. His father died and she wrote his eulogy, and said that he had 4 loving boys, instead of 5 (obviously leaving out Dave). I think she died of a heart attack. I'm not really sure. She never said she was sorry for anything that she did to him. (and truly meant it)
Her other children were never abused like Dave was.
3)

[bogormen.livejournal.com]

Hi!

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post, I really appreciate that you tied up the loose ends for me. I simply do not understand how Dave's mother could have escaped punishment/forced help for her actions. It's appalling.

[(Anonymous)]

David's younger brother Richard was severely abused once David was taken out of the house. He was never taken away though, and had to endure the abuse until he was 18

[lost-wounded-14.livejournal.com]

Ah, I saw that the other day in a book section of a store... I haven't read that book yet, but Dave Pelzer always said that it was just him. I guess now he knows.

A child called "It"

[(Anonymous)]

This is a book about truimph of the human spirit. It is a horrible book and I have heard people say he has made money on these? This is a very important subject, and this book is a great way to inform people about the repercussions of child abuse. I think the person who says he wrote this for money is ignorant and self conceded. I believe he wrote this to inform the reader, and to let them know that there is still hope for those who have gone through these terrible ordeals.
I am a teacher and have dealt with child abuse through out my career. And I have dealt with a case that is closely related to David's same predicament. And this book enlightened me and helped me help this child in her healing process. I wish more people would take the time and consideration to write more books on this nature.

Re: A child called "It"

[bogormen.livejournal.com]

My biggest problem with the book was the way it ended - there was no resolution. I'd have preferred the book to be twice as long and include his later life as well.

I know he wrote sequels, but I was made so sick to the heart by the first book, that I'd never pick up one of the sequels - had they all been one book instead, I'd have read all of it despite the length and probably liked it more.

As it was we heard of a guy who was treated horribly and that was it. No conclusion of any kind.

A Child Called "IT"

[(Anonymous)]

I though a child called it was a very good book aside from all the beatings. i think that dave has changed so many kids lives. i'm happy he has been saved