Trust

The stories in this book are as varied as the women who have written them. One theme is continuous through them all. That theme is trust. In the first part of the novel, stories based on abuse by fathers, all these women should have been able to trust their own fathers as small children. Many of them did. However, these fathers abused this trust by touching their daughters in ways that left them scarred both physically and emotionally for the rest of their lives. Fathers are supposed to be supportive, affectionate, and strong. These fathers were corrupt, angry, and abusive. Many of these fathers hid their abuse in the guise of love, leaving their daughters confused and unable to trust again.

In the second part of the book, the women who tell their stories were abused by other relatives beside their fathers. Maya Angelou suffered at the hands...