Tiger, Tiger: A Memoir - Margaux Fragoso

I have mixed feelings about the proliferation of tragic biographies. This newish sub-genre is a bit like the reverse of a true crime biography. Like Steve Salerno’s definition of self-help styles, empowerment and victimization, the true crime biography caters to a perverse idea about empowerment whilst the tragic biography focuses on the victim. In one breath I have the utmost respect for an individual who can turn legitimately terrible things in their lives into something positive. However, there is something distasteful about the idea of a whole genre dedicated to stories about abused ... more

Before reading Tiger Tiger I had strong opinions on the subject matter - child abuse. What I expected to be a horrific tale of child molestation read more like a juvenile love story. Although it contains disturbing details of events which took place, and the feelings they evoked within a young child, it was difficult not to sympathize with both Margaux and Peter as the story progressed. Of course I was shocked by the actions of an elderly man towards a troubled yet trusting young girl, but found the way in which Margaux portrayed it from her point of view gave Peter an innocent demeanor. Not ... more