Ugly - Constance Briscoe > Reviews > A heart-rending but inspirational story

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Advantages:	A great read
Disadvantages:	Unable to put it down !

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

This is the true story of Constance Briscoe - a barrister and part time judge.

Constance tells the story of her loveless childhood with a mother who never wanted her and made sure she never forgot it.

The story starts with Constance (known as Clare throughout the story - she did not discover her real name was Constance until she had applied to University to study Law) attempting suicide at age 11. She then goes on to describe her family - made up of real family, half family and adopted family.

From the start you wonder why her mother chose to have a household of 11 children, especially since many of them for much of the time seem to have been left to their own devices.

Clare suffered mental and physical abuse from as far back as she remembered - beatings, scratches, exposure to paedophiles and starvation to name a few. I am not going into too much detail with the types of abuse she suffered as would not want to try and describe them for fear of underplaying the abject cruelty.

Clare finds herself lucky enough to be helped by a few kind people and it seems the kindness shown is what gives her the strength and bravery to carry on and make something of herself. First Pete - a friendly stallholder at the local market, Eileen who gives Clare a saturday job and Miss K - a friendly teacher who has her own problems but still finds it in her heart to help Clare. It is the relationship between the two that seems to be the everlasting influence throughout this story - the book is dedicated to Miss K.

Despite kindness shown by others and Clare's strong self-determination her mother still tries everything to undermine her daughter, and cause embarrassment, difficulties, pain and suffering. New clothes, money, belongings and necessities are openly stolen by a mother who having enough for herself and other children, still has to take from the child being forced to provide for herself.

Constance Briscoe's story is an inspiration to anyone. How anyone who suffered such traumas manages to have a successful career and marriage of her own is astonishing. This story tears you apart and then puts you back together again a changed person. Whilst the market is currently flooded with real-life trauma childhood stories this story is definitely worth the read, but make sure you have plenty of time as once you start it you will be unable to put it down. I look forward to the sequel "Beyond Ugly".