Devil's Child
Jerry Coyne
Jan 2012 · Hachette UK
4.9star
16 reviewsreport
Ebook
164
Pages
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About this ebook
Deserted by his mother and abandoned by his father at just three months old, Jerry Coyne was sent to live in a Catholic children's home run by nuns of the order of the Sisters of Nazareth. Life soon settled into a rhythm and then, one day, the beatings started. Harsh, vicious punishments became part of everyday life for the bemused little boy as the nuns attempted to beat the Devil out of him. Jerry began to hide behind bad behaviour and at the age of 12, his defiance resulted in him being sent to a boarding for boys with behavioural problems. Life then got worse when his housemaster, the man whose job it was to take care of him, began a regime of mental, physical and sexual abuse. Years of self-hatred and guilt led to Jerry suffering from a severe stammer and, eventually, he tried to hang himself. This was the turning point and, after finally finding the courage to go to the authorities, Jerry and numerous other victims came forward and were instrumental in the conviction and imprisonment of their abuser. Devil's Child is the devastating true story of a childhood destroyed by abuse and of a young man's struggle to try to come to terms with the past and believe in the future.
Ratings and reviews
4.9
16 reviews
jane
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June 15, 2019
I have seen video interviews of people who have been abused as children before, but couldn`t bear to read about it. I`m glad I did, I stayed up all night to do so, because Jerry`s story is told in an honest, straightforward way and he deserves to be listened to, it`s a reminder of the power of the human spirit and the power of love. Should be mandatory reading for anyone in the `caring` professions.
Chris Dainty
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May 26, 2014
Read this book in a day, couldn't put it down. fantastic read but very shocking and sad.
1 person found this review helpful
Sarah Smith
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July 15, 2015
Horrific, sad and brave.
About the author
Jerry Coyne is forty-six and lives in Nottingham, where he works as a bricklayer. His greatest hope is that, one day, he`ll be able to leave the memories of his childhood behind him.
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