Hope: A Memoir of Survival in Cleveland

Teens who were fascinated by Michelle Knight's Finding Me: A Decade of Darkness, a Life Reclaimed (Weinstein, 2014) will eagerly read Berry and DeJesus's story of their kidnapping and 10-year ordeal with sociopath Ariel Castro. What is unique about the duos' memoir is the different experiences of the two young women held captive (along with Knight) in the same house, sometimes even chained to the same bed. There were years when they were unaware of each other's existence and years when they had limited to no contact. Berry, in particular, kept extensive diaries that are published here, giving readers keen insight into the daily routine in the house. While the girls were pitted against one another, the birth of Berry's baby (fathered by her captor) changed the dynamic in significant ways. Her feelings for Castro the rapist and Castro the loving father of her child brought confusion and anguish. DeJesus writes, "Jocelyn is the only happy person in this house, and I love her." Also unique is the fact that Berry escaped. The dramatic telling of her fear as she walked out of a room she had been conditioned to stay in, as well as her courageous rebellion against her captor is extraordinary.