Customer Review
Emily Quinn
4.0 out of 5 stars Moving and inspiring. A brilliant read!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 September 2024
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I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading this, but it soon became clear just how much it would stay with me! An eye-opening account of how one girl moves on from a traumatic childhood of abuse, and how the Children’s Committee takes her under their wing until her eighteenth birthday. And what’s more is that this book is based on the author’s own life.

Raised by Committee is a story of survival after abuse and abandonment. I was moved to tears at times by how horrific actions and a childhood spent in care shaped one young girl’s future. It was a hard read as we witness a girl craving the love and care of her parents, a girl who tries to live a normal life like all her peers, someone who is frustrated at being under the watchful eye of the committee. Despite all this, it’s also a book filled with hope and promise, about an incredible journey of growth and acceptance after years of trauma. Moving and inspiring from the very start.

"handling of topic unparalleled ..."

Carollyne's handling of this topic is unparalleled in my experience. So often in fiction authors give us the build up and incident of incest without showing us the day-to-day survival of it, and the aftermath of telling. Gail's life can never be the same, and as she comes to the realization of this fact, you show her pain and confusion with psychological accuracy and poignant realism.
Jeannine DeLine - Co-Author of 'The Long Black Veil'

"... excellent blend of action, dialogue and exposition."

This is an incredibly well written account of one of the most terrible experiences a young girl has to endure. Carollyne writes in an easy flowing style, with skill and no resource to melodrama or seeking sympathy. She has an excellent blend of action, dialogue and exposition. I particularly liked the interweaving of backstory, which she did seamlessly, without holding up the narrative.
​Sheila Belshaw, author of 'Pinpointt'

Broadhaven Children's Home
[referred to as 'Willowrey Children's Home]

"... very readable!"

An excellent novel, with a breezy style of writing, in short, very readable! I can see the novel being used by Women's Study departments at colleges and universities ... Joe Rosenblatt, award winning poet and recipient of the Governor General Award

"... emotional and riveting read"

It was an emotional and riveting read. I couldn't put the manuscript down!  Pearl Luke, award winning author of 'Burning Ground'.

​ I am in awe of Carollyne's writing style! She has the talent for grabbing hold of the reader's heart and hanging there for dear life!
Liz Hobin, writer

"This book is valuable ...

This is a brave and moving book. Carollyne tells her story with great honesty, helping us to understand something, at least, of the horror of sexual abuse and abandonment. This book is valuable because it is sure to help others in similar positions to recover from their hurt. Carollyne's writing is good, with clear narrative and authentic dialogue.
Gerry McCullough, Author of 'Belfast Girls'

In "Raised by Committee" by Carollyne Haynes, readers are taken on a journey through the 1960's in Devon, England, a time of Beatlemania and the sexual revolution. Against this backdrop, we meet Gail, a young girl who is sent to live in a children's home after being abandoned by her mother and abused by her father. As a ward of the courts, she is in need of moral protection, but what she finds is a roller coaster of emotional turmoil as she struggles to come to terms with her past.

But despite the challenges she faces, Gail is determined to continue her education, and with the help of the Children's Committee, she is able to attend grammar school and even go on to college. Through it all, she learns to find strength within herself and becomes an inspiring young woman, ready to take on the world.

"Raised by Committee" is a powerful memoir that pays tribute to those who care for children who have been cast aside by society. With a captivating and inspirational tone, this book serves as a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of never giving up. Don't miss this heartwarming story – order your copy today and join Gail on her journey of self-discovery.

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