summaryMonica

The book I’ve read is called ‘’ugly’’ by Constance Briscoe, a book based on a true story about a loveless and difficult childhood!

The story takes place in the 1960’s in London. In the book Constance is known as Clare a girl who got beaten, bullied and abused. She lived with her family, and was one of six children. It all started when she began to wet her bed every night without being able to control it.

Her mother was to blame for Clare’s cruel and terrible childhood. She couldn’t handle the bedwetting and started to penalize Clare for it. It was normal for Clare to wake up almost every night because of terrible aches caused by her mother punching her, and some nights she could wake up because her mother came in and stole her blanket in the middle of the night. Every morning her mother inspected for wet spots in her bed. Then she often hit Clare with objects or took her only toy away from her. When the following night arrived Clare was forced to sleep in last night’s wet bedclothes which were cold and smelled to high heaven.

To make matters worse the abuse didn’t stop there. The emotional misused continued. She was often called ‘’black bitch’’, Clear (instead of Clare) and ‘’ugly’’. Her mother also told her that she felt remorse for not having an abortion when she got pregnant with Clare.

Believe it or not, but things got worse by years. Early in the 1960’s her parents went through a divorce and after a while her mother got a new boyfriend which then became Clare and her sibling’s new stepfather. He took part in all the abuse as well. One time the abuse ended in court and then Clare’s stepfather was forced to avoid any contact with Clare over the year. If he didn’t corporate he would be committed to prison.

A turning point in the book comes with a school trip. One barrister called Michael finds out that Clare wants to be a barrister herself. He doesn’t only give her great compliments but he even gives her pupilage.

After a while Clare’s mother, Eastman and some of Clare’s siblings moved to a smaller house and abandoned Clare and her two sisters all alone in the old house. Their mother told them that it wouldn’t be enough room for them in their new house. Different from Clare, her two sisters were invited to dinner at their mother’s house every weekend. In the weekdays were they all alone.

Despite the upward slopes in her life, Clare reached high levels at school. She got into New Castle University. During her application to New Castle University Clare found out that her real name was Constance Beverly Briscoe, not Clare Briscoe. There was some unfinished business to do before Clare could start her new life as Constance. She had to see her mother. Then she finally stood up against her mother and told her that she would never ever talk to her again. She also told her that she had never liked her and that it would stay that way forever. The last thing she saw of her mother was when she stole her diaries from her and ran away not looking back.

In 1982 she graduated with Honours as a Bachelor of Law and in 1983 she qualified as a barrister, having completed one year at the Inns of Court School of Law. Later she wrote to Michael asking when she could start her pupilage. The word’s she got in return was “Dear Constance, Come as soon as you like.”

Later on it turns out that Constance develops problems with herself because of the terrible abuse during her childhood. She got stuck with a terrible feeling that she was really ugly.

Despite her terrible childhood Constance found the courage to survive and got a well deserved happy ending in her life!

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