Review by Booklist Review
What was it like to be treated by Larry Nassar, the now-infamous molester? Confusing. Like her supportive parents and coach, Haines, who trained at an elite Michigan gym and later competed for the University of Minnesota, trusted the USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University physician. Wrongly so. The not-so-good doctor told her he could lessen the pain from a tight hamstring through internal massage. She believed in him and continued to see him for back problems, only later realizing she was a quiet target for his personal pleasure. She scrolled through an early statement from a victim who described her treatments and felt her initial denial morph into anger. Now Haines, Survivor 195, whose parents read her statement in front of Nassar in court in January 2018, channels her emotions into healing. In this remarkably mature memoir, the 23-year-old also addresses the problems that accrue when a single individual holds so much power, and she shares her appreciation for all that she learned from gymnastics: balance, coordination, a strong work ethic, perseverance, and courage.--Karen Springen Copyright 2019 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
After surviving the most notorious sexual predator in sports history, former gymnast Haines tells her life story and takes us behind the scenes of a sport in which most athletes retire at a young age. Her childhood love of gymnastics led to a college scholarship and success on the national level. As a young teenager, though, Haines came under the treatment of Larry Nassar. How Nassar gained her trust, sabotaged her self-confidence, and exploited her identity as a gymnast is shared, as is Haines's inspirational recovery and courageous final courtroom statement to her abuser. Written with great personal dignity, this memoir stands as a new-generation counterpart to Joan Ryan's landmark exposé Little Girls in Pretty Boxes; a cautionary, ultimately hopeful story of deep betrayal and enduring personal strength. VERDICT Now retired after a successful gymnastics career, Haines reveals not only her experiences as an elite young athlete but also the devastating effects of the serial abuse that she suffered in plain sight. Transcending sports, this is an introspective and motivating account is highly recommended for all public library collections.-Janet Davis, Darien P.L., CT © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
