Trigger Warning: Readers should be advised that WHAT THEY COULDN’T TAKE contains detailed descriptions of sexual abuse, familial sex trafficking, self-harm, and various forms of physical and psychological trauma. It is a profound exploration of the author’s personal experience of surviving these extreme circumstances. This content may be distressing and triggering, particularly for those who have experienced trauma, sexual violence, or exploitation.

There are forms of evil so extreme they defy the imagination. In her harrowing memoir, WHAT THEY COULDN’T TAKE, Adira James brings one such manifestation to light, recounting her personal experiences with familial sex trafficking—a seldom-discussed form of human trafficking in which the perpetrators are the victim’s parents, guardians, or other family members.

From the ages of two to twelve, James suffered horrendous mental, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse at the hands of her parents, who trafficked her to a pedophile ring out of their family home. James recounts her ordeal with brutal candor, exposing the vile actions of those who should have been her protectors—her parents and other family members—and the depraved men she was sold to. It is a harsh testimony of an underworld that exists among our own homes, hidden in plain sight.

Through evocative, heart-rending flashbacks—accompanied by childhood notes and drawings—James bears witness to her unimaginable torment, which did not end when she finally broke free from her abusers. James suffers the aftereffects of her trauma throughout adulthood, including substance abuse, PTSD, eating disorders, self-mutilation, suicidal ideation, and numerous other mental and physical health problems. But James does more than simply recount a litany of atrocities; she strives to illuminate the contours of her traumatic experiences in a way that humanizes rather than objectifies her.

James’s memoir is a beautifully composed testament to her indomitable spirit and resilience, but she isn’t content to write an inspirational story of triumph. More than a survivor’s tale, WHAT THEY COULDN’T TAKE is an enlightening resource in the battle against child sex trafficking and a clarion call for awareness, intervention, and change. It’s an invaluable contribution to a worldwide fight against an issue that, for far too long, has remained in the shadows.

More than a survivor’s tale, WHAT THEY COULDN’T TAKE by Adira James is an enlightening resource in the battle against child sex trafficking and a clarion call for awareness, intervention, and change.

~Edward Sung for IndieReader