Laura Wiess, Such a Pretty Girl

Such a Pretty Girl

Laura Wiess

Pocket, January 2007, $12.00

ISBN: 1416521836

The State convicted her father for nine years for molesting children, including his daughter Meredith Shale. However, New Jersey does not care about the feelings of a fifteen year old, as they release her dad Charles after only three years. Meredith's mom Sharon refuses to face the truth about her spouse, or how their offspring fears him. Charles is known to the cops, the schools, and on the New Jersey Sex Offender Internet Registry. His teenage daughter knows his return means being a pariah, as the sins of the father are placed by everyone, including those so-called liberal do-gooders, on the child.

Meredith keeps her distance, though Sharon tries to turn them into a regular TV family. However, the frightened teen realizes that Charles still desires her. She knows the government and the right to life crowd will do nothing for her, as the law is on Charles' side, and since she is alivę though in hell, she does not matter to those who swear to protect the unborn only. Her only hope lies with an alcoholic wheelchair bound neighbor or her grandmother. However, when she learns that her dysfunctional parents want another child, Meredith decides to end the terror.

SUCH A PRETTY GIRL is not an easy novel to read, as readers will feel Meredith's nightmare. She suffers directly from her father, and via neglect from her mother and the community. The state cannot protect her, and even Megan's Law that places her dad as a sexual predator on the Internet causes her more harm from a society that chooses to ignore her plight. However, what makes the tale haunting without being a made for TV victim's movie, are there are no easy answers leading to Meredith's decision that she will not take this any more. Readers will wonder what to do about a teen forced to be an adult when no one is there for her.