Out of the Shadows: Fred West's Daughter Tells Her Harrowing Story of Survival

Reviews

The Sleepy Reader

If you're looking for a powerful read full of grit, determination, love, and hope then look no further than Out Of The Shadows! The honest yet hopeful tone creates an intimate connection between writer and reader that makes this book impossible to put down until you reach its final page.

The first part of the book is particularly gripping, as Anne Marie West lays out the details of her horrific childhood experience. Despite all this trauma, Anne Marie somehow finds it in herself to retain hope and love for those around her. All in all, Out of the Shadows by Anne Marie West is an incredibly thought-provoking read that will leave you inspired and motivated by its message of resilience and courage in spite of overwhelming odds.

As this book is now getting older (and more difficult to find a copy of that doesn’t cost a fortune! She is now building a new life with her best friend (her partner) and her two children.

The second half of Out of the Shadows follows Anne Marie’s transition into adulthood as she confronts her abusers, learns to trust again, and eventually finds happiness in a new life. Anne Marie West is the eldest daughter of Fred West, daughter of his third victim, Rena Costello and half-sister of his or Rose West’s youngest victim, Charmaine West. ) I wonder how Anne Marie West is getting on with things now and how her life continues to improve. She writes with raw honesty about how she was taken away from her mother, abused by multiple people throughout her childhood, and eventually escaped at fifteen.

It also must have been terribly difficult to put down on paper having had to relive her horrors. It’s an incredible demonstration of strength and courage that will leave readers feeling motivated to conquer their own struggles. She grew up in the house of horrors in Gloucester and was abused terrible by the pair. This section of the book is particularly inspiring as we see Anne Marie reclaim control over her own story and build a better future for herself.

There are some points where the pacing feels slightly rushed – especially during the initial recounting of events – but overall, this serves to make the narrative even more powerful as we feel swept up in Anna Marie’s intense emotions during these moments. I felt the writing improved in the second half of the book, Anne Marie West appears to have calmed herself and seems more confident and surer of herself as she expresses how her life has been since leaving home and her first husband. Anne Marie’s writing style is simple yet effective; it does not attempt to be flashy or overly poetic but rather captures the reader’s attention with its straightforwardness and sincerity.