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I'm No Monster: The Horrifying True Story of Josef Fritzl
The true crime story that made international Josef Fritzl held his daughter captive as a sex slave, and fathered seven children with her, creating a hidden family no one knew about-not even Fritzl's own wife.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 14, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
June 12, 2012
This simplistic, sensational account of the tragic story of Elizabeth Fritzl, who was imprisoned and abused by her father for twenty-four years, seems to have been written without the cooperation or consent of Elizabeth Fritzl herself, who is still alive. This I find utterly abhorrent. I often am insulted by books which recount atrocities with such smug, simplified, intellectually lazy psychoanalysis, but to write one of those while the individuals concerned are still living? That is unequivocally wrong.
This is Elizabeth Fritzl's story, to tell or not tell as she chooses. No one else should make money from her experience.
This is Elizabeth Fritzl's story, to tell or not tell as she chooses. No one else should make money from her experience.
November 3, 2018
That the book was written as well as possible considering how difficult is the subject matter! And in as much chronological order as possible too. Plus it covers early, each years of Josef Fritzl's life beyond and in as many aspects as are town/school/workplace witnessed for the years before Elisabeth's captivity. It covers one particular guy friendship too that lasted 30 to 40 years.
Yes, this incest story should be told. And retold if need be. And not kept secret because it is only the victim's to tell or else all others should "overlook". That is my opinion in as much as most manners of privacy and protection are honored as much as humanly possible in the process? And I believe this account succeeded in doing just that. Yes, it should not ever be a non-recognized crime situation only because the victim or victims refuse to voice or initiate a publication detailing the reality. People need to know that this kind of situation can be possible and of such length and semi-"legal" fostering, adoption too. (What social services inquiry here? Unbelievable that in 3 cases the "authorities" gave decree!) For that one elemental primary reason alone it should be told. Some people deny STILL that it could happen.
Austria's process of law for "degree" of crime and the consequence of law for sentencing in this case? I'm too flabbergasted to explain or confront what I think about that scale of evaluations/sentences for the consequences of his first entry and rape "conviction" by itself - let alone the one he serves now. While in retirement and looking at a lovely forest and Alpine meadow.
No, this kind of arrangement being possible for 24 years- nearly 3 decades counting the time BEFORE she was chained? That's no justice whatsoever for Josef Fritzl.
And now no one should be "embarrassed" by the fact that it happened without much notice at all? It seems that the town's "opinion" also dwells along those same kinds of tracks. Because he was such a nice guy and held great job integrity?
No photos here of the principles except 1 of Fritzl at his sentencing and that old and tiny facial of Elisabeth on the hardcover. And they do explain and describe appearances in photos the author can view and that were witness or school mate owned.
Another call out to the bravery of USA's Elizabeth Smart in clearly opening to the public in aftermath phase- her own publication. A role model that can be endlessly set for those poor captives to follow. This Elisabeth had 15 different diaries. How so very difficult for her children to have no experience of the "the light".
Yes, this incest story should be told. And retold if need be. And not kept secret because it is only the victim's to tell or else all others should "overlook". That is my opinion in as much as most manners of privacy and protection are honored as much as humanly possible in the process? And I believe this account succeeded in doing just that. Yes, it should not ever be a non-recognized crime situation only because the victim or victims refuse to voice or initiate a publication detailing the reality. People need to know that this kind of situation can be possible and of such length and semi-"legal" fostering, adoption too. (What social services inquiry here? Unbelievable that in 3 cases the "authorities" gave decree!) For that one elemental primary reason alone it should be told. Some people deny STILL that it could happen.
Austria's process of law for "degree" of crime and the consequence of law for sentencing in this case? I'm too flabbergasted to explain or confront what I think about that scale of evaluations/sentences for the consequences of his first entry and rape "conviction" by itself - let alone the one he serves now. While in retirement and looking at a lovely forest and Alpine meadow.
No, this kind of arrangement being possible for 24 years- nearly 3 decades counting the time BEFORE she was chained? That's no justice whatsoever for Josef Fritzl.
And now no one should be "embarrassed" by the fact that it happened without much notice at all? It seems that the town's "opinion" also dwells along those same kinds of tracks. Because he was such a nice guy and held great job integrity?
No photos here of the principles except 1 of Fritzl at his sentencing and that old and tiny facial of Elisabeth on the hardcover. And they do explain and describe appearances in photos the author can view and that were witness or school mate owned.
Another call out to the bravery of USA's Elizabeth Smart in clearly opening to the public in aftermath phase- her own publication. A role model that can be endlessly set for those poor captives to follow. This Elisabeth had 15 different diaries. How so very difficult for her children to have no experience of the "the light".
May 5, 2010
I was struck by a couple of the things that the book seemed to be trying to accomplish. One was to contextualize the environment in which Josef Fritzl grew up and how such an environment could have been a contributing factor to his later horrific acts; spending much of his early childhood in a bunker during the second world war in fear of raids and coming to associate the cellar as a place of haven and safety. Stephanie Marsh links this insight to later statements made by Fritzl that he was 'no monster' and lends credibility to the image he had of himself (though clearly delusional) that was a benevolent father figure. Marsh also goes back further into Fritzl's genealogy and uncovers how just a few generations previous, his ancestors had been involved in something semi-similar by taking in servant girls, raping them, getting them pregnant, and then discarding them to then raise the children as their own.
The author's portrayal of the home life in which his wife and children were threatened if they disobeyed any of his whims and how he set himself up as a domineering patriarch is very convincing in the argument that the mother, Rosemarie, had no idea of what was going on 10 feet below the house. Somehow I still doubt it--I have a hard time swallowing that someone could be quite that naive for that long a time, especially given the later forensic work on the dungeon that revealed how soundproof it italic text: wasn't. But I was impressed by how convincing an argument Marsh made.
The other thing I found interesting in the book was how much of an effort seemed to be made by the Austrian authorities (and politicians, etc) to portray the story as an isolated incident, especially given the Natascha Kampusch story that had broken two years before the Fitzl case. I'm not sure how much of the author's 'villainization' of the Austrian authorities is warranted, but there were some very good points made about the lack of further inquiry at several points in the 24 year abduction, and the lack of any legal action against any of the social workers who were in and out of the Fritzl home over the years is telling.
All in all, a fairly well written book about a morbidly fascinating case. But definitely not recommended for the faint of heart.
January 6, 2013
The brutality, the savagery that this man committed on his own daughter is horrifying. What is absolutely unbelievable is that no one suspected anything like this from this man. No one even tried to look for the daughter after he kidnapped her and held her in the cellar for 24 years. What I would have liked the authors to have included was the Austrian way of thinking during this time particularly their view on rape since any rape convictions were wiped off the perpetrators' records after several years. Their view of rape is different than we view rape in today's world. Rape was so commonplace during WWII, people in Austria at that time did not see it as a monstrosity as it is today.
April 26, 2011
After reading Room, I decided to learn more about the real-life story that book was based on. Yikes. It's a disturbing story. Very thought provoking, as I wondered how I would react in a similar situation. I'm still not sure what I'd do. And more than ever, I'm grateful for amazing parents!
February 20, 2017
It's horrifying that this girl (his own daughter) was raped by her dad! I couldn't put this book down.
March 4, 2018
Although some of the details are best guesses as to what was done/said. This was an interesting read into the unbelievable determination of a mother.
July 18, 2024
BROTHER YOU ARE A MONSTER
Read
March 7, 2014The place: Vienna
The year: 2008
The story: incomprehensible and appalling
For over 20 years, Elisabeth was kept locked up in the basement of her family's house. Her father beat and sexually assaulted her repeatedly. Over the years, she gave birth all alone in a dark, unventilated basement to several babies as a consequence of the rapes. Through it all, she survived to tell the tale.
Thank God Stefanie Marsh left out the most horrifying details of how Josef sexually treated his daughter - the reader can only imagine what that must have been like. What Marsh DID convey was still pretty horrific.
I picked up this book because I wanted to know how a wife and the rest of the family could not know that Elisabeth was locked up in the cellar for over twenty years - having baby after baby and all of them, children included, locked up downstairs. Those children never knew what it was like to be outside, to feel the sun on their skin, to feel and smell a rainfall, to hear the wind blow. They knew what grass looked like because they had a tiny television in the cellar, but they didn't know what it felt like. One particular scene is heartbreaking: Occasionally, Josef would "treat" them all to something and one day he came downstairs with a bucket of snow. The children were beside themselves with excitement. I had to put the book down for a while after reading that.
If you don't believe in the death penalty, you may change your mind once you've read this story. Unfortunately, Josef didn't get sentenced to death. He's enjoying a relatively easy existence in prison where, by law, his rights are protected. And he is treated humanely, something that Elisabeth never got at his hands.
The year: 2008
The story: incomprehensible and appalling
For over 20 years, Elisabeth was kept locked up in the basement of her family's house. Her father beat and sexually assaulted her repeatedly. Over the years, she gave birth all alone in a dark, unventilated basement to several babies as a consequence of the rapes. Through it all, she survived to tell the tale.
Thank God Stefanie Marsh left out the most horrifying details of how Josef sexually treated his daughter - the reader can only imagine what that must have been like. What Marsh DID convey was still pretty horrific.
I picked up this book because I wanted to know how a wife and the rest of the family could not know that Elisabeth was locked up in the cellar for over twenty years - having baby after baby and all of them, children included, locked up downstairs. Those children never knew what it was like to be outside, to feel the sun on their skin, to feel and smell a rainfall, to hear the wind blow. They knew what grass looked like because they had a tiny television in the cellar, but they didn't know what it felt like. One particular scene is heartbreaking: Occasionally, Josef would "treat" them all to something and one day he came downstairs with a bucket of snow. The children were beside themselves with excitement. I had to put the book down for a while after reading that.
If you don't believe in the death penalty, you may change your mind once you've read this story. Unfortunately, Josef didn't get sentenced to death. He's enjoying a relatively easy existence in prison where, by law, his rights are protected. And he is treated humanely, something that Elisabeth never got at his hands.
March 27, 2010
Incredible story, and sickening that such things can happen.
Not as well written as it could have been.
wikipedia has a brief outline of this story and many similar ones.
Here are some links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef_Fr... Austria
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvarez_... Columbia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidnappi... USA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydia_Go... France
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongelli... Italy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moe_ince... Australia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natascha... Austria
In all but the last case the girl was imprisoned for more than 20 years.
Natascha was imprisoned for 8 years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moe_ince... England
Two daughters were raped over a period of 25 years and had 7 children by their father, They weren't keep in a dungeon like the others.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category...
Yet more horrific stories.
Not as well written as it could have been.
wikipedia has a brief outline of this story and many similar ones.
Here are some links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef_Fr... Austria
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvarez_... Columbia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidnappi... USA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydia_Go... France
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongelli... Italy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moe_ince... Australia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natascha... Austria
In all but the last case the girl was imprisoned for more than 20 years.
Natascha was imprisoned for 8 years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moe_ince... England
Two daughters were raped over a period of 25 years and had 7 children by their father, They weren't keep in a dungeon like the others.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category...
Yet more horrific stories.
March 25, 2010
Spoiler alert . . .
This was morbidly fascinating, but clarified for me what was going on with that poor daughter and how her father justified his actions. I personally think it's beyond sad that he kept her in a windowless environment all those years and is himself allowed a view of a lovely forest for his incarceration.
What a strong woman she is to have delivered all of her children alone, and some of them not knowing whether or not he would ever return. How difficult to be dependent on him for food, information, and any kind of supplies at all. I have to wonder if she knows he had access to give her more room all along and only did toward the end.
This was morbidly fascinating, but clarified for me what was going on with that poor daughter and how her father justified his actions. I personally think it's beyond sad that he kept her in a windowless environment all those years and is himself allowed a view of a lovely forest for his incarceration.
What a strong woman she is to have delivered all of her children alone, and some of them not knowing whether or not he would ever return. How difficult to be dependent on him for food, information, and any kind of supplies at all. I have to wonder if she knows he had access to give her more room all along and only did toward the end.
May 15, 2012
I was given this book by a friend, otherwise I don't know that I'd ever pick it up! The Title...I have no idea where it came from. "I'm No Monster"??? This man was very sick. I suspect that it was written right after the offences came to light, and was published probably right after a guilty verdict. I'd be very interested to see how the victim and her children are NOW coping. He can't explain this away...Not for the faint of heart. Written very matter of factly.
June 22, 2012
Balanced and sympathetic, but does not delve deep enough into what exactly went on in the minds of the primary characters involved. But this is to be expected, as the victims are living under protection. May they live safely and happily.
April 21, 2022
A while ago I read Natascha Kampusch's account of her horrible ordeal. I knew the story of Josef Fritzl and, of course, one cannot gloss over what happened to Elisabeth, the downstairs family and the upstairs family, but this time I wanted to hear a bit more from the other side. I tried giving him a chance, just as the Austrian authorities gave him. The omission is that the authorities gave him a chance repeatedly.
Even though I knew what transpired in the bunker, I wanted to see what Josef thought of himself, how others viewed him. After reading the book, I am convinced he is not a monster. Because with monsters, you can imagine how they look, how they act. It's terrible, but it's within the realm of imagination. However, what he did and how he behaved, was beyond any imagination. I can't help but think how he would enjoy his time abroad, knowing all the while what awaited him at home. Just like his friend Pauli observed, thinking back about the time they spent together in Thailand. How could Fritzl be so full of life, how could he enjoy himself so much abroad and be so carefree and then go back home and torture his families, how can two such extremely different sides to a man reconcile, is beyond my understanding.
A disturbing story, a very disturbed man and I hope the rest of the family are able now to go about their lives. The book loses one star because some pieces of information were pretty repetitive and also because St. Pölten was called St. Pöllen in 90% of the cases where it was mentioned.
Even though I knew what transpired in the bunker, I wanted to see what Josef thought of himself, how others viewed him. After reading the book, I am convinced he is not a monster. Because with monsters, you can imagine how they look, how they act. It's terrible, but it's within the realm of imagination. However, what he did and how he behaved, was beyond any imagination. I can't help but think how he would enjoy his time abroad, knowing all the while what awaited him at home. Just like his friend Pauli observed, thinking back about the time they spent together in Thailand. How could Fritzl be so full of life, how could he enjoy himself so much abroad and be so carefree and then go back home and torture his families, how can two such extremely different sides to a man reconcile, is beyond my understanding.
A disturbing story, a very disturbed man and I hope the rest of the family are able now to go about their lives. The book loses one star because some pieces of information were pretty repetitive and also because St. Pölten was called St. Pöllen in 90% of the cases where it was mentioned.
October 21, 2023
Josef Fritzl was a brilliant engineer who built a basement bunker and held his daughter and four of her children there for a total of twenty-four years. He was the daddy of seven of the kids and by some devious means, moved three of them into the main house.
Joe had survived an horrific childhood in Nazi Austria where his mother beat the living daylights out of him. She spent time in a concentration camp and his father was absent. Oh, and by the way, dad was a Nazi.
After serving time for rape, Fritzl resumed a successful engineering career and built the now infamous multifamily home with a special basement.
Elisabeth was eighteen when dear old dad trapped her in the cellar and she gave birth to seven children. Authorities were told that she had run away from home. Her seven siblings had escaped from their brutal father.
The case made headlines worldwide and the book is a well researched one and I recommend it along with John Glatt's "Secrets in the Cellar."
Joe had survived an horrific childhood in Nazi Austria where his mother beat the living daylights out of him. She spent time in a concentration camp and his father was absent. Oh, and by the way, dad was a Nazi.
After serving time for rape, Fritzl resumed a successful engineering career and built the now infamous multifamily home with a special basement.
Elisabeth was eighteen when dear old dad trapped her in the cellar and she gave birth to seven children. Authorities were told that she had run away from home. Her seven siblings had escaped from their brutal father.
The case made headlines worldwide and the book is a well researched one and I recommend it along with John Glatt's "Secrets in the Cellar."
March 31, 2024
The story of a horrific monster who started as an ill treated boy caught in the cross hairs of an angry selfish mother and raised during one of history’s darkest times.
Was it poor genetics? Raised by a mother whose cruelty knew no boundaries? Or the terrors of being separated from her and partially raised in an orphanage? The terrors forced on a nation during WWII?
A lifetime of atrocities between camps, orphanages and a mother who didn’t care one whit for her only child?
Damaged, unprotected,abused both mentally and physically, Josef Fritzl should never have married; he was created into a monster.
There is a lot of historical information in the pages throughout but the seedier part of crimes seemed to have been glossed over, which for a true crime enthusiast, left the remaining coverage unsatisfied.
Still boggles one’s mind how no one in that home knew or heard what was happening.
Was it poor genetics? Raised by a mother whose cruelty knew no boundaries? Or the terrors of being separated from her and partially raised in an orphanage? The terrors forced on a nation during WWII?
A lifetime of atrocities between camps, orphanages and a mother who didn’t care one whit for her only child?
Damaged, unprotected,abused both mentally and physically, Josef Fritzl should never have married; he was created into a monster.
There is a lot of historical information in the pages throughout but the seedier part of crimes seemed to have been glossed over, which for a true crime enthusiast, left the remaining coverage unsatisfied.
Still boggles one’s mind how no one in that home knew or heard what was happening.
May 24, 2018
this was a shocking but interesting read. not sure how to think about it cause it seems that no one really looked for or give a damn about the main character it was kinda dumb liuck she was found and rescued at all
July 1, 2021
Excuse me sir, but you are a monster. A reprehensible monster. This man kept his daughter locked in a cellar for 24 YEARS AND FATHERED HER SEVEN CHILDREN!!! I mean if that isn’t a monster idk what is. Ghislane Maxwell would consider this man a monster. Truly nuts story.
December 16, 2023
This is a very DARK book. It's about a true story about a father (from Austria) who kept his daughter in a cellar below his house for 24 years. Through this time he fathered 7 children with his daughter. It doesn't get too graphic.
June 26, 2017
This HORRIFYING. I need to stop reading these kind of books.
Spoiler: he IS a MONSTER.
Spoiler: he IS a MONSTER.
March 16, 2019
The forward and the prologue were well written and I was interested to continue reading however from then on it was a lot of filler
October 16, 2021
It's one everyone should read.
February 16, 2023
True story that was very sick. Not well written.
July 17, 2023
a little dry inthe beginning and the author repeats themselves somewhat, but overall well written
March 19, 2010
Picked this up in the "New Books" section at the Urbandale Library. I'd heard about this horrific story in the news, about how a man held his daughter captive in a cellar he carved beneath the family home in Amstetten, Austria. Elisabeth Fritzl lived in the dungeon for 24 years and managed to raise seven children, all fathered by her own father.
It's a disgusting story, and thankfully, the book doesn't go into particulars. It's more of a story about how Austria's look-the-other-way attitude towards violence upon women and Nazi atrocities affected Josef Fritzl. He's a frightening man, made all the more frightening by the total freedom he "enjoyed" in committing numerous crimes against women, including the women in his own family.
It's a disgusting story, and thankfully, the book doesn't go into particulars. It's more of a story about how Austria's look-the-other-way attitude towards violence upon women and Nazi atrocities affected Josef Fritzl. He's a frightening man, made all the more frightening by the total freedom he "enjoyed" in committing numerous crimes against women, including the women in his own family.
January 21, 2011
I only gave it three stars because there is not much detail about life in the cellar over those 24 years. I guess we will have to wait for Elisabeth's book to come out for that.
It was well written and I learned a few things I hadn't known from the press. It contains lots of history about the area and Josef's growing up years. All of this helps to see how he came to be the person (monster) he is. Nothing can ever excuse what he did but it's interesting read where he came from.
This book is worth the read for the $2 I paid for it, but it's different from what most true crime readers would expect.
It was well written and I learned a few things I hadn't known from the press. It contains lots of history about the area and Josef's growing up years. All of this helps to see how he came to be the person (monster) he is. Nothing can ever excuse what he did but it's interesting read where he came from.
This book is worth the read for the $2 I paid for it, but it's different from what most true crime readers would expect.
December 15, 2009
This is not a particularly well-written book, but clearly the two journalists at the helm had to throw something together while the story was still relevant.
And anyway, I wasn't expecting a literary masterpiece.
I wanted to read this book because I can't believe that Fritzl got away with imprisoning his own daughter for 24 years, and I wanted the full story. This book provides good info on his childhood and early marriage.
Although this book is not as scary as Helter Skelter, it still gave me nightmares. If you read it, I would recommend doing so during daylight hours.
And anyway, I wasn't expecting a literary masterpiece.
I wanted to read this book because I can't believe that Fritzl got away with imprisoning his own daughter for 24 years, and I wanted the full story. This book provides good info on his childhood and early marriage.
Although this book is not as scary as Helter Skelter, it still gave me nightmares. If you read it, I would recommend doing so during daylight hours.
July 17, 2012
This is the story that inspired Emma Donoghue to write Room. This book is like a car accident. You don't want to look, but you do. Absolutely horrific. I can not believe that people like this exist in the world. And the ones we hear about are only the ones who have been caught.
The book focuses more on Josef Fritzl than the actual events that occurred over the 24 year period that he held his own daughter captive. I am glad I chose to read about the case this way rather than expose myself to the details of the abuse, I learned more than enough...
The book focuses more on Josef Fritzl than the actual events that occurred over the 24 year period that he held his own daughter captive. I am glad I chose to read about the case this way rather than expose myself to the details of the abuse, I learned more than enough...
October 6, 2011
Wow.
Follow up reading "Room" by Emma Donoghue with this book, about Elisabeth Fritzel's experience in the "dungeon".
Terrifying, horrifying, sickening. That someone could do something like this to another person, but their own child...
The story is so disturbing, but the book is really tastefully and well written. An insight into what happened during those 24 years of captivity.
Incredible.
Follow up reading "Room" by Emma Donoghue with this book, about Elisabeth Fritzel's experience in the "dungeon".
Terrifying, horrifying, sickening. That someone could do something like this to another person, but their own child...
The story is so disturbing, but the book is really tastefully and well written. An insight into what happened during those 24 years of captivity.
Incredible.
May 2, 2012
First, I should qualify this review by saying that "True Crime" is definitely not my preferred genre..
That said, I would call this a pretty klunky translation (or poorly written in English) of a story that's way too detailed to keep my attention piqued. I could edit out about 75% of the babbling bulk of this book, and still get the full, shocking gist.
I think this story would be better told in magazine article format.
That said, I would call this a pretty klunky translation (or poorly written in English) of a story that's way too detailed to keep my attention piqued. I could edit out about 75% of the babbling bulk of this book, and still get the full, shocking gist.
I think this story would be better told in magazine article format.
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