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ELIS: Irish call girl
I will start with the unpleasant Elis is a memoir.
Memoirs generally do not have the best reputation. Most are written by people under the mistaken impression that their life is so extraordinary it simply must be shared with the world. They are usually dull, and more likely to send you to sleep than to keep you turning the pages. However, as with everything, there are exceptions. I dare to believe, just as every author does, that this book is one of them.
Elis is an intimate look at the oldest profession, seen through the eyes of someone who was never meant to be there. Based on true events, the story is set in Ireland and reveals a raw, untold reality. It follows a woman caught between two worlds, living a life she never wanted.
Told with brutal honesty, dark humour and emotional clarity, Elis explores what happens when survival forces you into choices you never imagined. To provide for her daughter, the main character begins working as an escort - disgusted with herself, yet determined. Later, she wrote a book about it.
Yes, the woman is me...
It’s not something I’m proud of, but it is something I believe is important to share.
Illustrations add a layer of irony and poignancy, enhancing the emotional depth and offering a visual counterpoint that is both striking and memorable. It is about survival, strength, and the capacity to find humour even in the darkest of times. The story captures both heartbreak and humanity, moving fluidly between tenderness and despair with uncomfortable honesty. This story represents three years of my life. Turning something so deeply negative into something I now dare to call meaningful has changed me. Along the way, I discovered that writing is not just something I do, it is who I am.
So, of course, I continue...
I have received incredibly kind feedback, and I can only hope it might resonate with you as well.
EDITORIAL
Published by Global Comment
This review was originally published on Global Comment, written by Alan Ludlum.
"Elis is a raw, honest, and surprisingly often humorous look at a shady world that is not well understood - offering a glimpse into a shadowy world, with lessons that resonate deeply."
Published by Story Circle
"I'll say this Elis is an absolutely incredible book. Funnily enough, you'll find yourself laughing a lot when you read this book as well. Anna is very funny in how she describes the people she met, the places she has been to, and the situations she found herself in. That she is able to treat some of the awful experiences she had to deal with in a joking way is inspiring. The book is very well written, and there are some lovely pictures that she has drawn to help tell her story."
Memoirs generally do not have the best reputation. Most are written by people under the mistaken impression that their life is so extraordinary it simply must be shared with the world. They are usually dull, and more likely to send you to sleep than to keep you turning the pages. However, as with everything, there are exceptions. I dare to believe, just as every author does, that this book is one of them.
Elis is an intimate look at the oldest profession, seen through the eyes of someone who was never meant to be there. Based on true events, the story is set in Ireland and reveals a raw, untold reality. It follows a woman caught between two worlds, living a life she never wanted.
Told with brutal honesty, dark humour and emotional clarity, Elis explores what happens when survival forces you into choices you never imagined. To provide for her daughter, the main character begins working as an escort - disgusted with herself, yet determined. Later, she wrote a book about it.
Yes, the woman is me...
It’s not something I’m proud of, but it is something I believe is important to share.
Illustrations add a layer of irony and poignancy, enhancing the emotional depth and offering a visual counterpoint that is both striking and memorable. It is about survival, strength, and the capacity to find humour even in the darkest of times. The story captures both heartbreak and humanity, moving fluidly between tenderness and despair with uncomfortable honesty. This story represents three years of my life. Turning something so deeply negative into something I now dare to call meaningful has changed me. Along the way, I discovered that writing is not just something I do, it is who I am.
So, of course, I continue...
I have received incredibly kind feedback, and I can only hope it might resonate with you as well.
EDITORIAL
Published by Global Comment
This review was originally published on Global Comment, written by Alan Ludlum.
"Elis is a raw, honest, and surprisingly often humorous look at a shady world that is not well understood - offering a glimpse into a shadowy world, with lessons that resonate deeply."
Published by Story Circle
"I'll say this Elis is an absolutely incredible book. Funnily enough, you'll find yourself laughing a lot when you read this book as well. Anna is very funny in how she describes the people she met, the places she has been to, and the situations she found herself in. That she is able to treat some of the awful experiences she had to deal with in a joking way is inspiring. The book is very well written, and there are some lovely pictures that she has drawn to help tell her story."
298 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 13, 2024
2 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
Anna Rajmon
3 books4 followersMy name is Anna, and I'm the author of the memoir "Elis." Writing is my true passion. I'm also a devoted reader and illustrator with a passion for dark humour, sarcasm, and unconventional perspectives. I find inspiration in nature and cherish the beauty of small things!
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 11, 2024
Elis is a raw and honest memoir of one women's strength in overcoming many obstacles and hardships. Elis is unapologetic. The author knows who she is and isn't afraid to speak her mind. This transparency makes for a story that is truly moving. I laughed and I cried as I turned the pages. The use of dark humour mixed with witty metaphors and descriptions makes for a truly enjoyable yet thought provoking read. Humour is often how one deals with trauma and this is evident throughout the book. I was moved by how much love Anna has for the world and the people in it after all she has been through. Elis is an inspirational memoir debut of strength, love and resilience which makes us question our own prejudice and helps to combat the stigma around sex work.
October 27, 2024
This is an eye-opening and emotional memoir of author Anna Rajmon. This woman has been through some absolutely harrowing experiences. Struggling financially for some time, the single mom makes the life-altering decision to work in the red light industry in order to support her daughter. During her life, the author falls in and out of toxic relationships and deals with many struggles relating to her profession. Unfortunately, she experiences various forms of abuse, which is mentioned in thorough detail in this book. She ends up in very dangerous situations several times while doing her job. Through Anna’s detailed writing style, she gives us insight to the struggles she has faced and the impact of her profession on her personal life, family and her mental health. Fortunately in the end, she manages to get out of the industry that she has been trapped in for so long. After reading this, I am amazed by how strong this woman is to have survived such a difficult life, and enduring the horrific treatment from some of her clients.
September 8, 2024
This is a tremendous book which fully deserves a large audience.
It is extremely harrowing to read what Anna Rajmon, the clever, likeable, and sensitive narrator of this tome, had to endure as she navigated her way through the seedy underworld of Ireland's sex trade. Many of the stories she recounts will leave you genuinely distraught on her behalf.
However, her story is told with such sharp, sarcastic wit you will find yourself at times crying, at times laughing, and at times crying and laughing simultaneously. The illustrations which she includes in the book serve to highlight key moments in her narrative and underline the point of her overall message.
She warns young women thinking of entering this trade of what sort of life awaits them, and the dangers inherent within it. The impact it will have, Rajmon notes gravely, is lifelong: "The parts of you that it takes away, you will never be able to replace."
But beyond this target market, many will benefit from reading Rajmon's book, as she refutes many myths and misconceptions people have about the sex trade in general, and shows what a thoroughly callous business it truly is.
To sum up, this is an intelligent, well-written memoir filled with insight and dark humour which merits serious attention. As I said in my original Amazon review: I cannot recommend it highly enough.
It is extremely harrowing to read what Anna Rajmon, the clever, likeable, and sensitive narrator of this tome, had to endure as she navigated her way through the seedy underworld of Ireland's sex trade. Many of the stories she recounts will leave you genuinely distraught on her behalf.
However, her story is told with such sharp, sarcastic wit you will find yourself at times crying, at times laughing, and at times crying and laughing simultaneously. The illustrations which she includes in the book serve to highlight key moments in her narrative and underline the point of her overall message.
She warns young women thinking of entering this trade of what sort of life awaits them, and the dangers inherent within it. The impact it will have, Rajmon notes gravely, is lifelong: "The parts of you that it takes away, you will never be able to replace."
But beyond this target market, many will benefit from reading Rajmon's book, as she refutes many myths and misconceptions people have about the sex trade in general, and shows what a thoroughly callous business it truly is.
To sum up, this is an intelligent, well-written memoir filled with insight and dark humour which merits serious attention. As I said in my original Amazon review: I cannot recommend it highly enough.
December 21, 2024
I’ll say this up-front: Elis is an absolutely incredible book.
This memoir tells the tale of a single mom who got caught up in toxic relationships and ended up going into sex work to make ends meet. The author, Anna, suffered the sorts of things many of us should be thankful to never encounter in our lives. She doesn’t mince words or try to glamorize the life she led, and that makes her story a very honest and emotional one. When you pick up this book, prepare yourself for an emotional roller-coaster, because there are scenes here that will really get to you.
Funnily enough, you’ll find yourself laughing a lot when you read this book as well. Anna is very funny in how she describes the people she met, the places she has been to, and the situations she found herself in. That she is able to treat some of the awful experiences she had to deal with in a joking way is inspiring. This is a really strong woman—she’s very open about the fact that she was treated badly, but she vows to carry on and enjoy her life with her family now that she got out of sex work. You can’t help but admire the determination that she shows, even when she admits to the pain that she carries within her as a result of her experiences.
The book is very well written, and there are some lovely pictures that she has drawn to help tell her story. But while the great writing, the humor, and the pictures do help bring some levity to Anna’s story, the story itself is overall a very heavy one, and the situations that Anna found herself in are ones that many women could too easily find themselves in.
Even though she is a smart woman with professional work experience, Anna Rajmon found herself in sex work because her financial situation forced her to find additional means to support her family. No woman, whether they choose to go into sex work or not, deserves to go through what happened to Anna. The horrible treatment that she suffered from her clients is unforgiveable, and it is something that many women who find themselves in sex work endure as a daily occurrence.
It must have taken a lot of courage for Anna to write this book and share her story with the world. We all should read it, and learn from it. What happened to Anna could happen to any woman—your sister, your daughter, your friend, anyone. The greater awareness that Elis will bring to your view of the world is one of the many benefits you will get from reading the book, for while Anna’s experiences happened in Ireland and the Czech Republic, they are experiences that can happen anywhere.
I wish Anna Rajmon the very best of luck, and hope that she has a lovely life with her family. She deserves it, and she also deserves our thanks. Because in writing Elis, she has provided us with a clear window into a world which a lot of us either don’t know about or misunderstand completely. Her memoir is a great corrective to any misunderstandings around sex work. Very highly recommended.
This review was originally published at Story Circle Book Reviews. The link to the original review is https://www.storycircle.org/book_revi...
This memoir tells the tale of a single mom who got caught up in toxic relationships and ended up going into sex work to make ends meet. The author, Anna, suffered the sorts of things many of us should be thankful to never encounter in our lives. She doesn’t mince words or try to glamorize the life she led, and that makes her story a very honest and emotional one. When you pick up this book, prepare yourself for an emotional roller-coaster, because there are scenes here that will really get to you.
Funnily enough, you’ll find yourself laughing a lot when you read this book as well. Anna is very funny in how she describes the people she met, the places she has been to, and the situations she found herself in. That she is able to treat some of the awful experiences she had to deal with in a joking way is inspiring. This is a really strong woman—she’s very open about the fact that she was treated badly, but she vows to carry on and enjoy her life with her family now that she got out of sex work. You can’t help but admire the determination that she shows, even when she admits to the pain that she carries within her as a result of her experiences.
The book is very well written, and there are some lovely pictures that she has drawn to help tell her story. But while the great writing, the humor, and the pictures do help bring some levity to Anna’s story, the story itself is overall a very heavy one, and the situations that Anna found herself in are ones that many women could too easily find themselves in.
Even though she is a smart woman with professional work experience, Anna Rajmon found herself in sex work because her financial situation forced her to find additional means to support her family. No woman, whether they choose to go into sex work or not, deserves to go through what happened to Anna. The horrible treatment that she suffered from her clients is unforgiveable, and it is something that many women who find themselves in sex work endure as a daily occurrence.
It must have taken a lot of courage for Anna to write this book and share her story with the world. We all should read it, and learn from it. What happened to Anna could happen to any woman—your sister, your daughter, your friend, anyone. The greater awareness that Elis will bring to your view of the world is one of the many benefits you will get from reading the book, for while Anna’s experiences happened in Ireland and the Czech Republic, they are experiences that can happen anywhere.
I wish Anna Rajmon the very best of luck, and hope that she has a lovely life with her family. She deserves it, and she also deserves our thanks. Because in writing Elis, she has provided us with a clear window into a world which a lot of us either don’t know about or misunderstand completely. Her memoir is a great corrective to any misunderstandings around sex work. Very highly recommended.
This review was originally published at Story Circle Book Reviews. The link to the original review is https://www.storycircle.org/book_revi...
January 13, 2025
Based on. Her experiences working within the violent and ruthless sex trades in the Czech Republic and Ireland. Anna's story is one that is raw, brutally honest, emotional, compelling, vivid, heartbreaking, and inspirational at the same time. Shining a much needed spotlight onto and providing a rare voice and insight into the depravity, violence, cruelty, danger, and inequality faced by the often vulnerable girls who find themselves drawn into and unable to get out of a trade that is dangerously unregulated, overlooked and surrounded by misconception and stigma. Hiding in plain sight. Making it even easier for those who seek to take advantage of those who are vulnerable and who feel like they have no other choice. Going into it with hioes and dreams of making enough money in order to try to better their lives. Only to find that it's a vicious cycle they are often unable to break away from.
Anna pulls no punches in her vivid and harrowing recollections of her life leading up to time within and life after her time as a sex worker. Showing how it can affect anyone at any time. Highlighting the danger and impact that it has on those involved, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Questioning whether it's worth the money. Which is more often than not, greatly and unfairly impacted by the ruthless individuals who seek to take advantage for their own gain.
Her humour, sarcasm, and illustrations provide a deeper and more dimensional connection with her readers. Whilst also highlighting the strength, courage, resilience, hope, and kindness of strangers that still exist within those that fall victim to the greed of others.
Anna's is an important story that should be read and told far and wide. Especially to those who govern and implement law. In the hope of creating conversation, awareness and elicit much needed change in order to protect those who are vulnerable and punish those who take advantage for personal gain. An inspirational story that has made me more determined to always support and elevate the voices and stories that deserve to be heard and supported.
Anna pulls no punches in her vivid and harrowing recollections of her life leading up to time within and life after her time as a sex worker. Showing how it can affect anyone at any time. Highlighting the danger and impact that it has on those involved, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Questioning whether it's worth the money. Which is more often than not, greatly and unfairly impacted by the ruthless individuals who seek to take advantage for their own gain.
Her humour, sarcasm, and illustrations provide a deeper and more dimensional connection with her readers. Whilst also highlighting the strength, courage, resilience, hope, and kindness of strangers that still exist within those that fall victim to the greed of others.
Anna's is an important story that should be read and told far and wide. Especially to those who govern and implement law. In the hope of creating conversation, awareness and elicit much needed change in order to protect those who are vulnerable and punish those who take advantage for personal gain. An inspirational story that has made me more determined to always support and elevate the voices and stories that deserve to be heard and supported.
September 2, 2024
I purchased "Elis," and it absolutely captivated me. The memoir, based on a true story, draws readers into the life of a young woman navigating love, motherhood, and the dark underbelly of the sex industry. Anna takes us through her journey from childhood in the Czech Republic to the complexities of adult life. Her raw storytelling is deeply emotional and human, enveloping me in a wave of emotions. This book is an unforgettable read, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a powerful and authentic story.
February 18, 2026
Very good and poignant. However became repetitive and purpose slipped away. Not to take anything away from experience of author though who has experienced exceptional trauma and strength .
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews