Not Her Daughter

What would you do if you saw a child being abused? In this novel, Frey's main character Sarah is faced with this question. Her response is to take the child, a beautiful five-year-old named Emma, and run. The girl's overwhelmed, impatient mother Amy is left wondering if she even wants her daughter to return.

I found this book very intriguing. It made me question my ideas of right and wrong. I would never have thought I would feel empathy toward a kidnapper, but I did while reading this book. I could understand Sarah's motives for wanting to take this beautiful, sweet child away from her horrible family situation. I found myself actually rooting for her. On the flip side, I had very little sympathy for the mother, Amy. While Frey lets the reader see a bit of why Amy is so overwhelmed and unhappy, she does not allow any of Amy's experiences to justify her behavior toward her daughter.

The book is very easy to read. The narration alternates from one woman's perspective to the other's and jumps around in time, but it is never hard to follow. I found it hard to put down because I wanted to know what would happen to the main characters.

The only thing I did not like in the book was one unbelievable and, in my opinion, unnecessary story line connected to Amy's past. I did not find it added anything to the overall plot or character development.

Overall, I think this novel is well-written and highly engaging. I am interested to see what Frey produces next.