The Last Thing To Burn by Will Dean

 

He is her husband. She is his captive.

Her husband calls her Jane. That is not her name.

She lives in a small farm cottage, surrounded by vast, open fields. Everywhere she looks, there is space. But she is trapped. No one knows how she got to the UK: no one knows she is there. Visitors rarely come to the farm; if they do, she is never seen.

Her husband records her every movement during the day. If he doesn't like what he sees, she is punished.

For a long time, escape seemed impossible. But now, something has changed. She has a reason to live and a reason to fight. Now, she is watching him, and waiting …

TRIGGER WARNINGS: physical abuse, sexual abuse, drug abuse, mental abuse, kidnap, captvity

This book had been on my tbr list as soon as I saw it on social media. The blurb sounded amazing and so intriguing, like Room by Emma Donaghue. So when I heard it was selling at a really good price in a local supermarket, and my Dad was heading there one morning, well I had to ask. Him to grab me a copy didn’t I! I picked this up on a Saturday morning when the kids were watching tv in bed. In between a walk, tidying, and having BBQ pulled pork for tea, I finished it by late evening. It’s such a good story and one that keeps you needing to read the next chapter. 

I thought it would be like Room, as I mentioned before, but it was so different. Jane isn’t necessarily locked in, she is in a farm cottage with her ‘husband’ Lenn, fields all around, door not locked. So why is she still there? Well with the thought in her head that if she escapes, her sister will surely be killed or sent to live with Lenn instead of where she is, living her life to pay off their debts, Jane can’t even think of leaving yet. That is the lock on the door for her. 

Jane, who’s real name is Thanh Tao, and her sister Kym-Lyn, were brought from their home to work and pay off their families debts, then they were free to return. Thanh Tao receives letters from her sister, she is living a good life, working and making money to pay off their debts. These letters are a lifeline to her sister.

I honestly couldn’t put this down and needed to know what was going to happen to Thanh Tao, was anyone going to come and help, would her sister eventually pay off the debts and they could both be free to go home? It gets in your head and makes you feel so many feelings reading it. There are huge triggers in the book which I mentioned earlier, so make sure you are aware of these.

If you haven’t already read this I would highly recommend it.