Review of A Beautiful Tragedy

[Precious Anavheoba]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Beautiful Tragedy" by Retta Timmons.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Oretta Caleetha Timmons suffers horrible rape at such a young age and goes through many recurring issues resulting from this hideous crime done against her. She grows through a world of sexual molestation after sexual molestation. This leaves her scarred and open to perversions, manipulation, and setbacks in life. Upon reaching her teens, she is a completely broken and degraded individual with no clear direction in life, no self-esteem, and no will to say 'no' to any form of molestation. Walk with Retta as she tells her tale of survival from sexual captivity, lust, and brokenness. A Beautiful Tragedy by Retta Timmons is definitely the book to read!

Indeed, it is a touching memoir. There is so much to learn from the author's life, experiences, and healing process. The title alone is a fine oxymoron, which indicates that the author is quite intelligent and that there is a robust story within. Being a literary-inclined person, I was immediately drawn to it. Timmons makes it clear that rape or any other kind of sexual abuse has a spiritual side to it. She provides both physical and spiritual solutions, which she adopted in getting her healing.

One other thing the author points out is the quick judgement most people make upon seeing a young girl acting or dressing all sexually and loose. I am glad she makes it known that it is better to show empathy by asking what happened to the young girl and providing her with the help that she needs. Such a young girl might just have been abused with no one to help her, just like she was. She also goes further to speak on the concepts of forgiveness, rejection, lust, and perversion. 

The inclusion of practical questions and a space to write out answers at the end of each chapter can help those in need of healing from molestation of any kind. Timmons definitely served a balanced diet by including other information about how to recognise when abuse is taking place, what parents must do to keep their children safe from paedophiles, and the dangerous (spiritual) implications of some forms of sexual abuse. The book is properly organised, and the page numbering makes it easy to follow through the reading. It also ensures that reference-making is easy. 

There were no photos in the book, although I would have preferred to see photographs of certain times in the author's life. Times like when she was on set, on the runway, in the recording studio, with the good people that helped her, and while she was a child, would have come in handy. It would have endeared her more to me. It would also be good to create a deeper bond between her and those who look up to her in their journeys of recovery from abuse. They will feel much closer to her. This, however, did not mean that the story was not relatable. The only downside to this book is the number of errors it contains. The author can give it up for another round of professional editing to ensure every single mistake is erased.

I found up to nine errors while reading. Some were minor, and some were major. For this reason, I have deducted one star from the rating. This book, therefore, has four out of five stars. Every victim of abuse, young or old, must read this book. Parents must also read this book if they want to prevent anyone, especially relatives, from molesting their children. 

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A Beautiful Tragedy
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[Hazel Mae Bagarinao]

The combination of word titles is amazing - A Beautiful Tragedy. The author perfectly chose a beautiful title for her beautifully inspiring story. Rape is traumatic especially since Oretta had experienced this at such a young age. How she handles her life after sexual molestation is quite challenging, as how majorly affects her well-being. This is a heart-gripping story. I'd like to read this. Thanks for your amazing review!

[Glaze_09]

Nothing is constant in this world, only CHANGE. So do the fear in taking that change! The life of Oretta has never been normal since her younger years. Everyone has a bad side story. Everyone has a secret. We all got hurt and mistreated. But we must know that in every pain, there is power! It's up to us if we chose to live on the darkest side or move forward and look at the brighter side. In the story, Oretta uses her pain as a life-living testimony to help others how to choose the right direction in life.

[Jeff Kanda]

The cover with a picture of a buterfly makes me think of metamorphosis. I think in the end, the character became successful. I am looking forward to reading this book. Thanks for the detailed review!

[Jay David Randall]

It is indeed terrible that some individuals suffer from rape incidents. I also enjoy reading this review. It was given in explicit details.

[Sheena Ansay]

The buterfly image on the cover makes me think of metamorphosis. I believe the character was successful in the end. I'm eager to start reading this book.

[Blessing Chi Peculiar]

One of the things I hate in life is abuse. I was touched why the way this little girl was raped. I will love to read this book for more knowledge.

[Flourish Sunday]

Oh, I'm touched by the Timmons' rape. It is dis hearting to see young ladies been abuse in this way. I enjoyed and I will love to read the book. Good job.

[Chris Don Nwaka]

This book is a must-read for every reader because the author discusses the recent happenings in the book. looking at the world today rape has become a norm. I shed tears as I read how Oretta Caleetha was raped in this book. Good job.

[Chris Rich Nwaka]

Rape has become the common thing in this generation but some government has not done anything about it. Timmons rape in this book touched me. I must read this book. Good job.

[Mercy Udeokeke]

Oretta seems to have gone through horrible experiences. Being raped leaves an emotional trauma in a woman. I wonder her she would scale through this.

[Samuel Songs]

The reviewer's description of the book's content makes it sound like a powerful and impactful story.bThe reviewer's appreciation of the author's intelligence and the oxymoronic title might be an indication of the book's literary merit.

[Arrow Shot]

The book's emphasis on both physical and spiritual healing approaches is intriguing and adds a unique perspective to the issue of sexual abuse.bThe reviewer's admiration of the author's emphasis on empathy rather than judgment towards young girls' sexual behavior highlights the book's value in fostering understanding and compassion.

[Amy Toria]

There is need for photographs in the book to create a deeper bond between the author and her readers shows the book's potential to connect with readers emotionally. Also, the mention of errors in the book is an important critique that can be taken into consideration for future editions.

[Madam Tori]

I'm curious about the book's emphasis on spiritual healing approaches in addition to physical ones, which can provide a unique perspective on the issue of sexual abuse. I enjoyed reading your review of this book.