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Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Audiobook (2025), Nominee for Readers' Favorite Memoir (2025)Untitled 3120 is an upcoming title from Penguin Press.
544 pages, Paperback
First published October 21, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,571 reviews
October 21, 2025
May Virginia's disgusting monster of a father never know a day of peace. May Virginia's despicable mother never know a day not filled with pain. May Forest never know anything other than suffering and anguish. You're all horrible vermin and it's important that you all understand: it's an unequivocal fact that "God" weeps in regret over your creations. Fuck ya'll to hell.
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November 11, 2025it takes a brave woman to go against such a powerful man (coward, POS, i could go on and on and on) and Virginia is just that. this takes you into the rooms where these horrendous acts took place, so please check TWs. my heart breaks for her and the countless innocent victims that were pulled into this web full of the most abhorrent people on the planet.
October 27, 2025
I pre-ordered this book faster than you can say: "Prince Andrew".
I haven't read it yet, obviously. I only read the excerpts published by the Guardian. The book will be published next Tuesday. I gave it 5 stars rating because I respect the author and her fight for justice and other victims. It is tragic that she is no longer with us and can't be here for the publication. RIP Virginia.
On a side note, it was rewarding to learn that Prince Andrew was stripped of his titles last Friday. Finally! Let's rejoice there is some justice in the world.
update: 22 October 2025
I am reading the book slowly. I knew that it was not going to be easy to read because of what the author had gone through. But nothing could prepare me for so much abuse and sadness.
update: 27 October 2025
I am glad I read this book. It is an important testimony of a victim, who fought back and achieved so much. I think everyone should read it to know the ways of predators and to make it easier to fight them. The author ends her memoir with such hope for the future... it nearly broke my heart. RIP Jenna.
I haven't read it yet, obviously. I only read the excerpts published by the Guardian. The book will be published next Tuesday. I gave it 5 stars rating because I respect the author and her fight for justice and other victims. It is tragic that she is no longer with us and can't be here for the publication. RIP Virginia.
On a side note, it was rewarding to learn that Prince Andrew was stripped of his titles last Friday. Finally! Let's rejoice there is some justice in the world.
update: 22 October 2025
I am reading the book slowly. I knew that it was not going to be easy to read because of what the author had gone through. But nothing could prepare me for so much abuse and sadness.
update: 27 October 2025
I am glad I read this book. It is an important testimony of a victim, who fought back and achieved so much. I think everyone should read it to know the ways of predators and to make it easier to fight them. The author ends her memoir with such hope for the future... it nearly broke my heart. RIP Jenna.
October 23, 2025
.Everyone failed this woman. Such a tragic story.
October 21, 2025
Unputdownable. Giuffre's courageous memoir provides a glimpse into the corrupt, evil world of Jeffrey Epstein and shows how deeply entrenched he was in various spheres of power around the world. It reads like Guiffre is in the room talking with us.
Guiffre recounts her life of sexual abuse and trafficking starting with her father when she was eight and how she ultimately was groomed by Epstein and Maxwell at the age of 15.
Those complicit in keeping Epstein's secrets locked up make them just as guilty as him. The voices of Guiffre and the other victims need to be heard in order to chip away the obstruction and obfuscation that our leaders defiantly throw up to keep us from the truth. Guiffre's memoir is just a start in doing that.
Read it and continue demanding that the Epstein files be released.
Guiffre recounts her life of sexual abuse and trafficking starting with her father when she was eight and how she ultimately was groomed by Epstein and Maxwell at the age of 15.
Those complicit in keeping Epstein's secrets locked up make them just as guilty as him. The voices of Guiffre and the other victims need to be heard in order to chip away the obstruction and obfuscation that our leaders defiantly throw up to keep us from the truth. Guiffre's memoir is just a start in doing that.
Read it and continue demanding that the Epstein files be released.
November 30, 2025
Virginia Roberts Giuffre (1983-2025) was an activist and advocate for sex-trafficking survivors. She lived in Australia with her family.
Who the **** wrote this author bio? Who thought it a good idea to reduce the author to two sentences?!
Let me fix the dust jacket…
Virginia Roberts Guiffre (1983-2025) also known as Jenna by her friends and family changed the world. She confronted her darkest trauma, challenged her abusers (some of the most powerful men across the globe) and fought until her last breath to protect others. Her efforts helped secure millions in funding for survivors of sexual assault and paved the way for other survivors to share their experience.
There is a lot to unpack in Giuffre’s autobiography.
Her bravery is commendable.
Society doesn’t embrace women who speak up. “Oh. Why bring that ole thing up? We were all having such a nice time.”
The world failed Giuffre. As a child, those who were supposed to love her were more concerned with their own comfort.
In the book, Giuffre mentions her diagnosis of fibromyalgia. This horrific disease is not well understood—patients with this disease are often gaslit and told to stop talking about their pain.
A heartbreaking but necessary book
And a display of incredible bravery. Giuffre put her face and name to her statements so publicly. Seeing her on Netflix gave me the strength to address the trauma in my own life.
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent):
Hardcover Text – $27.99 from Amazon
Audiobook – Audible – 1 credit (Audible Premium Plus Annual – 24 Credits Membership Plan $229.50 or roughly $9.56 per credit)
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Who the **** wrote this author bio? Who thought it a good idea to reduce the author to two sentences?!
Let me fix the dust jacket…
Virginia Roberts Guiffre (1983-2025) also known as Jenna by her friends and family changed the world. She confronted her darkest trauma, challenged her abusers (some of the most powerful men across the globe) and fought until her last breath to protect others. Her efforts helped secure millions in funding for survivors of sexual assault and paved the way for other survivors to share their experience.
There is a lot to unpack in Giuffre’s autobiography.
Her bravery is commendable.
Society doesn’t embrace women who speak up. “Oh. Why bring that ole thing up? We were all having such a nice time.”
The world failed Giuffre. As a child, those who were supposed to love her were more concerned with their own comfort.
In the book, Giuffre mentions her diagnosis of fibromyalgia. This horrific disease is not well understood—patients with this disease are often gaslit and told to stop talking about their pain.
A heartbreaking but necessary book
And a display of incredible bravery. Giuffre put her face and name to her statements so publicly. Seeing her on Netflix gave me the strength to address the trauma in my own life.
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent):
Hardcover Text – $27.99 from Amazon
Audiobook – Audible – 1 credit (Audible Premium Plus Annual – 24 Credits Membership Plan $229.50 or roughly $9.56 per credit)
Connect With Me!
Blog Threads BookTube Facebook Insta My Bookstore at Pango
October 22, 2025
Take a Xanax beforehand. The first half is tough to get through if you have a soul.
October 23, 2025
Before I start, I want to say that I’m a naturally skeptical person. Also want to say clearly that after reading Nobody’s Girl, I genuinely believe Virginia Giuffre. The level of detail, the consistency, and the sheer emotional reality of what she describes — I just can’t see how anyone could invent this. On top of that, there’s too much tangible evidence out there: the photo with Prince Andrew, pictures of her with Naomi Campbell, the known travel records, and the infamous BBC interview where Prince Andrew’s denials were, frankly, unbelievable. Taken together, it’s too much to dismiss.
If she truly went through everything she recounts, then it’s hard to see how she ever stood a chance. It’s like in a video game when you “spawn” into the world, only to be immediately taken out — you never even get to play properly. That’s what her life feels like: she spawned into the wrong place at the wrong time, surrounded by people waiting to exploit her. The abuse she endured clearly shaped everything that followed.
And regardless of the inconsistencies or moments that might raise questions, I don’t think they outweigh the overall truth of her story. The magnitude of what she survived — and the fact that she managed to survive at all — is staggering. If, in the end, her life ended by suicide, I wouldn’t blame her; surviving that kind of trauma for as long as she did is almost superhuman.
Reading this book is a strange experience because you find yourself torn between empathy and skepticism. On one hand, it’s impossible not to feel compassion for someone whose moral compass and sense of safety were shattered so early in life. But then, the narrative itself keeps shifting — new revelations appear late, old characters are redefined, and the emotional throughline sometimes feels edited for effect rather than truth. It’s not that I doubt her suffering; it’s that the way it’s presented occasionally undercuts its own credibility. The result is a memoir that’s both devastating and uneven — you believe the pain, but you can’t always trust the framing.
At times the narrative seems to shift from memoir to litigation exhibit — especially when recounting her first meeting with Prince Andrew. The scene lands a little too neatly, as if reverse-engineered to match the famous photograph rather than emerging naturally from memory. It’s not that I doubt her overall story, but the precision feels editorially guided, a reminder that this book was written under the weight of public expectation and legal scrutiny. On the other hand, Giuffre’s willingness to show herself in an unflattering light — impulsive, self-destructive, often her own worst enemy — gives the book an authenticity most ghostwritten memoirs lack.
There’s one part of the book that really doesn’t work for me — the way it keeps breaking its own spell. I can tolerate the constant music references (even though they start to feel like filler after a while), but what really threw me off were the interruptions during the most difficult passages. Every time the story edges into something dark or traumatic, Virginia — or maybe the ghostwriter or editor behind her — stops to reassure the reader, to say things like “I know this is too much for you to read.” But here’s the thing: if I’ve picked up this book, I already know what I’m getting into. I don’t need to be told to brace myself. Those moments pull you out of the narrative and make you painfully aware that this is a constructed book, not a raw testimony. It’s as if the editors wanted to soften the blow, to make the story more “palatable,” when in truth, the subject matter demands the opposite — clarity, not cushioning.
By the halfway mark of Nobody’s Girl, I felt I had already reached what I came for — the full, harrowing account of Virginia Giuffre’s experience with Jeffrey Epstein and G-Max. The book lays out the abuse and manipulation in disturbing, detailed fashion, and by the 50% point, that story has largely been told. From that point onward, the book shifts into a different phase — her move to Thailand, meeting her future husband, settling in Australia, and eventually trying to rebuild a new life.
For me, that structural choice made the book feel like it has two distinct halves. The first half is what I’d call the “core narrative,” where all the revelations and emotional weight sit. The second half, while understandably important to Giuffre herself, feels less essential if you’re reading primarily to understand the Epstein story or the inner workings of that world. Once the abuse and its aftermath are fully revealed, much of what follows feels slower, more reflective — and in some ways, like filler.
That said, I do understand why the authors chose to include it all. The abuse, as she emphasizes, does not define her entire life, and the later chapters are meant to show resilience, survival, and growth. But from a reader’s standpoint — especially one coming to the book because of the public events and notoriety surrounding her story — the emotional and narrative “juice” is front-loaded.
In a way, I appreciate that. Some books make you wait until the final chapters for the key revelations (Edward Snowden’s Permanent Record comes to mind), but Nobody’s Girl delivers its most powerful material early. After that, it’s up to the reader whether they want to stay with her on the longer road of healing and reinvention.
Overall, I found the book honest and necessary in the way it illuminates the dynamics of power and exploitation behind the headlines. But I also felt that, past the midpoint, it lost narrative urgency. For readers primarily seeking insight into the Epstein network and Giuffre’s direct experience, the first half more than fulfills that purpose.
If she truly went through everything she recounts, then it’s hard to see how she ever stood a chance. It’s like in a video game when you “spawn” into the world, only to be immediately taken out — you never even get to play properly. That’s what her life feels like: she spawned into the wrong place at the wrong time, surrounded by people waiting to exploit her. The abuse she endured clearly shaped everything that followed.
And regardless of the inconsistencies or moments that might raise questions, I don’t think they outweigh the overall truth of her story. The magnitude of what she survived — and the fact that she managed to survive at all — is staggering. If, in the end, her life ended by suicide, I wouldn’t blame her; surviving that kind of trauma for as long as she did is almost superhuman.
Reading this book is a strange experience because you find yourself torn between empathy and skepticism. On one hand, it’s impossible not to feel compassion for someone whose moral compass and sense of safety were shattered so early in life. But then, the narrative itself keeps shifting — new revelations appear late, old characters are redefined, and the emotional throughline sometimes feels edited for effect rather than truth. It’s not that I doubt her suffering; it’s that the way it’s presented occasionally undercuts its own credibility. The result is a memoir that’s both devastating and uneven — you believe the pain, but you can’t always trust the framing.
At times the narrative seems to shift from memoir to litigation exhibit — especially when recounting her first meeting with Prince Andrew. The scene lands a little too neatly, as if reverse-engineered to match the famous photograph rather than emerging naturally from memory. It’s not that I doubt her overall story, but the precision feels editorially guided, a reminder that this book was written under the weight of public expectation and legal scrutiny. On the other hand, Giuffre’s willingness to show herself in an unflattering light — impulsive, self-destructive, often her own worst enemy — gives the book an authenticity most ghostwritten memoirs lack.
There’s one part of the book that really doesn’t work for me — the way it keeps breaking its own spell. I can tolerate the constant music references (even though they start to feel like filler after a while), but what really threw me off were the interruptions during the most difficult passages. Every time the story edges into something dark or traumatic, Virginia — or maybe the ghostwriter or editor behind her — stops to reassure the reader, to say things like “I know this is too much for you to read.” But here’s the thing: if I’ve picked up this book, I already know what I’m getting into. I don’t need to be told to brace myself. Those moments pull you out of the narrative and make you painfully aware that this is a constructed book, not a raw testimony. It’s as if the editors wanted to soften the blow, to make the story more “palatable,” when in truth, the subject matter demands the opposite — clarity, not cushioning.
By the halfway mark of Nobody’s Girl, I felt I had already reached what I came for — the full, harrowing account of Virginia Giuffre’s experience with Jeffrey Epstein and G-Max. The book lays out the abuse and manipulation in disturbing, detailed fashion, and by the 50% point, that story has largely been told. From that point onward, the book shifts into a different phase — her move to Thailand, meeting her future husband, settling in Australia, and eventually trying to rebuild a new life.
For me, that structural choice made the book feel like it has two distinct halves. The first half is what I’d call the “core narrative,” where all the revelations and emotional weight sit. The second half, while understandably important to Giuffre herself, feels less essential if you’re reading primarily to understand the Epstein story or the inner workings of that world. Once the abuse and its aftermath are fully revealed, much of what follows feels slower, more reflective — and in some ways, like filler.
That said, I do understand why the authors chose to include it all. The abuse, as she emphasizes, does not define her entire life, and the later chapters are meant to show resilience, survival, and growth. But from a reader’s standpoint — especially one coming to the book because of the public events and notoriety surrounding her story — the emotional and narrative “juice” is front-loaded.
In a way, I appreciate that. Some books make you wait until the final chapters for the key revelations (Edward Snowden’s Permanent Record comes to mind), but Nobody’s Girl delivers its most powerful material early. After that, it’s up to the reader whether they want to stay with her on the longer road of healing and reinvention.
Overall, I found the book honest and necessary in the way it illuminates the dynamics of power and exploitation behind the headlines. But I also felt that, past the midpoint, it lost narrative urgency. For readers primarily seeking insight into the Epstein network and Giuffre’s direct experience, the first half more than fulfills that purpose.
Read
October 27, 2025Heartbreaking. The world owes Virginia Roberts Giuffre an apology. May she rest in peace.
November 10, 2025
Virginia Roberts Giuffre played a key role in exposing Jeffrey Epstein's and Ghislaine Maxwell's sex trafficking scheme, as she was one of the minors raped and sold to people like Prince Andrew, Alan Dershowitz, a "well-known prime minister", Jean-Luc Brunel, and many others. Her memoir is a harrowing account of a young girl who was abused as a child, met Maxwell at Mar-a-Lago, and was manipulated and exploited by men who felt untouchable due to their riches and status. In many passages, the tone is resigned, expressing the desperation of a person at the mercy of way older, richer, powerful men who, for the longest time, did get away with their crimes, and in many cases seemed to believe that what they did was okay, because they were convinced that the rules don't apply to them - which carries implications about society way beyond this specific, grueling case.
It's more than impressive that Guiffre found the strength to stand up against this system and to speak out, dealing with threats and various types of pressure intended to scare and shame her into silence. She still managed to believe that the justice system is capable of punishing perpetrators, or maybe she had to believe that justice is possible in order to go on as long as she could. Giuffre killed herself in April 2025, leaving behind three children.
There will be a point when the orange clown in the White House won't be able to prevent it any longer, and the Epstein files will be released.
It's more than impressive that Guiffre found the strength to stand up against this system and to speak out, dealing with threats and various types of pressure intended to scare and shame her into silence. She still managed to believe that the justice system is capable of punishing perpetrators, or maybe she had to believe that justice is possible in order to go on as long as she could. Giuffre killed herself in April 2025, leaving behind three children.
There will be a point when the orange clown in the White House won't be able to prevent it any longer, and the Epstein files will be released.
October 26, 2025
In Nobody’s Girl, Virginia Roberts Guiffre detailed her life story, including both the good and the tragic. She courageously reveals the raw truth of her years of abuse beginning at the age of 8 years old at the hands of trusting adults and leads up to how she became the victim of sex traffickers. In her harrowing account, Virginia explains why victims frequently return to their abusers and how hard it is to escape. These powerful and wealthy abusers exploit girls who are living in poverty so they can manipulate them into believing they are giving them a ‘better life’.
Virginia also details Maxwell and Epstein's relationship and how he liked Maxwell because she could connect him to the rich and powerful. At the same time, Epstein provided Maxwell a luxurious life that she could not afford on her own. And yes, and without giving anything away I will say that there are several powerful men, and well known celebrities mentioned.
Even though the book discusses the worst of the worst in human behavior, I also loved getting to know Virginia. She was such a brilliant, funny, and kind woman who was a wonderful mother who simply wanted to create a better future for her children and future generations of girls and women. Virginia’s courage and persistence to not only find justice for herself but for other survivors was awe-inspiring. I also found it inspiring how Virginia worked tirelessly to change many state laws age of consent.
After finishing Nobody’s Girl, my I couldn't help but feel grief, for not only Virginia and her untimely end but for all the other survivors of sexual assault. I hope and pray those survivors receive not only the justice they deserve but hope and inner peace as well.
Hands down, Nobody’s Girl is the most painful and devastating memoir that I've ever read. But even so, Nobody’s Girl is a significant read. Even though the material makes the reader feel uncomfortable and is difficult to digest, it sheds light on the experience and perspective of a sexual assault survivor which in turn teaches the reader empathy and ways we can better understand and support them.
Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice by Virginia Roberts Guiffre was published on October 21 so it's available now. Many thanks to Penguin Random House Audio for the gifted audiobook!
Virginia also details Maxwell and Epstein's relationship and how he liked Maxwell because she could connect him to the rich and powerful. At the same time, Epstein provided Maxwell a luxurious life that she could not afford on her own. And yes, and without giving anything away I will say that there are several powerful men, and well known celebrities mentioned.
Even though the book discusses the worst of the worst in human behavior, I also loved getting to know Virginia. She was such a brilliant, funny, and kind woman who was a wonderful mother who simply wanted to create a better future for her children and future generations of girls and women. Virginia’s courage and persistence to not only find justice for herself but for other survivors was awe-inspiring. I also found it inspiring how Virginia worked tirelessly to change many state laws age of consent.
After finishing Nobody’s Girl, my I couldn't help but feel grief, for not only Virginia and her untimely end but for all the other survivors of sexual assault. I hope and pray those survivors receive not only the justice they deserve but hope and inner peace as well.
Hands down, Nobody’s Girl is the most painful and devastating memoir that I've ever read. But even so, Nobody’s Girl is a significant read. Even though the material makes the reader feel uncomfortable and is difficult to digest, it sheds light on the experience and perspective of a sexual assault survivor which in turn teaches the reader empathy and ways we can better understand and support them.
Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice by Virginia Roberts Guiffre was published on October 21 so it's available now. Many thanks to Penguin Random House Audio for the gifted audiobook!
October 30, 2025
Oh, how I wish Virginia Giuffre had hung on to see how she will change the world for the better. But maybe she knew.
And oh, how I cannot wait for names of perpetrators in Jeffrey Epstein's empire of pedophiles, brutes, and sex traffickers to be named. It will change world politics.
And oh, I cannot wait for the justice Giuffre imagined.
The first part of this memoir, when Giuffre was sexually assaulted by her father and his friend, is hard to endure as a reader. But read on. I was tempted to stop but am glad I took the rests that I needed and finished.
Giuffre's ghostwriter, Amy Wallace, who post-Giuffre's suicide in April 2025, wrote an introduction to this book and has been publicizing it in Giuffre's absence, did a masterful job. Just when you think you can't take any more, the text acknowledges that and gives you a break. The pacing is fantastically good and when I got to the section of Giuffre's escape from pedophiles Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, I felt like I was with her, cheering her on. When, late in the book, she goes after Ghislaine Maxwell for defamation (identical to how E. Jean Carroll vanquished Donald Trump, as told in her magnificent memoir Not My Type), I was on the edge of my seat.
I bought this book because I knew before I read it that I wanted to be one of what I hope is a humongous crowd of readers to support Giuffre (her estate) for all that she has done. She was and is (through this book) a warrior. I bought this book in an e-book edition (I read it on my iPad with the Bookshop app*) on Bookshop.org because I want my money to express my feelings about oligarchs. (Remember, Audible is owned by Amazon. Buy from Audiobookstore instead.) You can see all available booksellers except Bookshop at the publisher's website: Penguin Random House.
If stories like Giuffre's and our present politics teach nothing else, we must learn that money and crowd size matter—they are the metaphorical engine fuel that directs our country to autocracy or democracy.
This book needed to be written. If you are lucky enough to have no history of sexual abuse and think this story is an anomaly, you are wrong. Perhaps you think that way because of your happy history, but I can almost guarantee that you know people who have had this experience, but never talk about it. Giuffre says it best in the last chapter:
It's time to name the names. Publicly. Release the Epstein files! And put Ghislaine Maxwell back in a high-security prison!
___________
*Tip for reading on the Bookshop app: to access table of contents and other functions, tap your screen twice. To highlight, look up, or other function, tap and hold on word(s) you want to see/mark.
And oh, how I cannot wait for names of perpetrators in Jeffrey Epstein's empire of pedophiles, brutes, and sex traffickers to be named. It will change world politics.
And oh, I cannot wait for the justice Giuffre imagined.
The first part of this memoir, when Giuffre was sexually assaulted by her father and his friend, is hard to endure as a reader. But read on. I was tempted to stop but am glad I took the rests that I needed and finished.
Giuffre's ghostwriter, Amy Wallace, who post-Giuffre's suicide in April 2025, wrote an introduction to this book and has been publicizing it in Giuffre's absence, did a masterful job. Just when you think you can't take any more, the text acknowledges that and gives you a break. The pacing is fantastically good and when I got to the section of Giuffre's escape from pedophiles Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, I felt like I was with her, cheering her on. When, late in the book, she goes after Ghislaine Maxwell for defamation (identical to how E. Jean Carroll vanquished Donald Trump, as told in her magnificent memoir Not My Type), I was on the edge of my seat.
I bought this book because I knew before I read it that I wanted to be one of what I hope is a humongous crowd of readers to support Giuffre (her estate) for all that she has done. She was and is (through this book) a warrior. I bought this book in an e-book edition (I read it on my iPad with the Bookshop app*) on Bookshop.org because I want my money to express my feelings about oligarchs. (Remember, Audible is owned by Amazon. Buy from Audiobookstore instead.) You can see all available booksellers except Bookshop at the publisher's website: Penguin Random House.
If stories like Giuffre's and our present politics teach nothing else, we must learn that money and crowd size matter—they are the metaphorical engine fuel that directs our country to autocracy or democracy.
This book needed to be written. If you are lucky enough to have no history of sexual abuse and think this story is an anomaly, you are wrong. Perhaps you think that way because of your happy history, but I can almost guarantee that you know people who have had this experience, but never talk about it. Giuffre says it best in the last chapter:
I'm sorry to say that for all that's happened, more action is needed. Much more. Because some people still think Epstein was an anomaly, an outlier. And these people are wrong. While the sheer number of victims Epstein preyed upon may put him in a class by himself, he was no outlier. The way he viewed women and girls—as playthings to be used and discarded—is not uncommon among certain powerful men who believe they are above the law. And many of those men are still going about their daily lives enjoying the benefits of their power. (349)
. . . Epstein is dead, but the attitude that allowed him to do what he did? It's alive and well. (350)
It's time to name the names. Publicly. Release the Epstein files! And put Ghislaine Maxwell back in a high-security prison!
___________
*Tip for reading on the Bookshop app: to access table of contents and other functions, tap your screen twice. To highlight, look up, or other function, tap and hold on word(s) you want to see/mark.
Read
December 28, 2025I’ve seen the documentary, but this felt more intimate and touched me more. The author captures her horrible experience very well, not shying away from the horror she and others endured. I’m amazed by her bravery and so sorry she’s not with us anymore.
November 1, 2025
Some people still think Epstein was an anomaly, an outlier. And those people are wrong. The way he viewed women and girls—as playthings to be used and discarded—is not uncommon among certain powerful men who believe they are above the law.
I’m so desperately sorry for what Virginia Giuffre went through as a child—and how she continued to suffer as an adult—and that we’re only now getting to know her in her own words.
Clear-eyed, even-handed, articulate, compassionate, kind, and with a great deal of effort put into trying to understand even those who wronged her. Big props to ghost writer Amy Wallace as well, who helped shape this work but let Virginia’s voice and character shine through. (It only occasionally is a little too on the nose about drawing conclusions/meaning from life events.)
Timely. And unfortunately, in 2025, it feels as though it always will be.
I’m so desperately sorry for what Virginia Giuffre went through as a child—and how she continued to suffer as an adult—and that we’re only now getting to know her in her own words.
Clear-eyed, even-handed, articulate, compassionate, kind, and with a great deal of effort put into trying to understand even those who wronged her. Big props to ghost writer Amy Wallace as well, who helped shape this work but let Virginia’s voice and character shine through. (It only occasionally is a little too on the nose about drawing conclusions/meaning from life events.)
Timely. And unfortunately, in 2025, it feels as though it always will be.
October 21, 2025
I totally support Virginia's for her right to write this Book.
I'm disappointed in this book. She should have named the ex Prime Minister, and as it made it clear who the other man is by not stating names means that both men get away with abusing all these young kids. All who they abused deserves better. For gods sake I hope someone will get brave enough to lists names. It's clear our government officials AG, and FBI are protecting the names from becoming public I don't care who the guilty are release their damned names!!!!!!!!!
I'm disappointed in this book. She should have named the ex Prime Minister, and as it made it clear who the other man is by not stating names means that both men get away with abusing all these young kids. All who they abused deserves better. For gods sake I hope someone will get brave enough to lists names. It's clear our government officials AG, and FBI are protecting the names from becoming public I don't care who the guilty are release their damned names!!!!!!!!!
November 28, 2025
This was such a devastating read. I’m so sad that she never found the peace and justice she so deserves.
November 5, 2025
I finished reading the stunning and revelatory memoir _Nobody's Girl_ by Virginia Roberts Giuffre a few days ago, but had to take a minute to recover before writing this review. As all should know by now, Ms. Giuffre was one of Jeffrey Epstein's numerous victims. She had been recruited when a mere child - age 15 or 16 - by Epstein and his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell after she had just landed a part-time job at the Trump-owned Mar-a-Lago Resort in Florida.
From age 15/16 through age 19, she was forced to provide prostitution services to hundreds of Epstein's wealthy clients, ranging from royalty (Former Prince Andrew of England) to university professors, to CEOs, to international officials, including a "former prime minister," whom she described as being the most violent towards her of all of Epstein's dozens of buddies. For years of nonconsensual sex work, she walked away with years of repetitive injuries, numerous ailments, and almost no money. Her interactions with these men -- none of which were consensual, and many of which occured when she was under age 18 -- constituted a lifetime of being raped, and passed around to be raped some more.
Like many of the girls recruited by Epstein and Maxwell, Ms. Giuffre was a survivor of domestic violence from the youngest age. Her father repeatedly raped her starting at a very young age, and by the time she was 12, her father had passed her on to his best friend, who raped her even more violently. Many people who grow up as victims of sex abuse continue to be victims in their adult relationships, and Ms. Giuffre was no exception. She also had been abused repeatedly by the man whom she also credited with having saved her from Epstein's abuse at age 19, whom she married shortly after leaving Epstein's clutches and falling into his. It is horribly tragic.
Despite the non-stop abuse, which is HARD to read yet important nonetheless, Ms. Giuffre continued to maintain hope for a positive future. She threw her energy and the money she had received from lawsuits into decades of advocacy on behalf of other victims, and started a nonprofit to bring services and assistance to victims of sex trafficking and rape. In this way, she left a permanent legacy.
The saddest part about this book is that it was published posthumously, and I believe, in a manner that fails to recognize the most likely reason for her alleged suicide. Although Ms. Giuffre was able to survive years of sexual abuse, violent rape, international character assassination, and lawsuits, the one thing she could not survive was the final act of abuse from her ex-husband.
Even though her ex-husband had been convicted previously of domestic violence, he was able to convince a court (as too often happens in these situations) that Ms. Giuffre was the abusive spouse and not him. Using that lie as leverage, he actually succeeded -- as I repeat, OFTEN happens -- in taking away custody of her children.
As is usually the case with survivors like Ms. Giuffre, and is clear from her memoir, Ms. Giuffre's children were her reason for living. When her abusive ex-spouse took the children from her, she had no reason to live. Although this is not stated in the book (rather, it is implied that her lifetime of stress stemming from Epstein's abuse was the reason, and it is clear that Epstein's abuse -- and that of her father -- was the cause for her suicide), those who have training and experience in serving survivors of domestic violence recognize the unsurvivable harm of a court's decision to take the children from the victim and put them in the hands of the abuser, who more often than not does not even want custody, but rather seeks to take the children to punish the victim for leaving him.
From start to finish, Ms. Giuffre's life is a story of repetitive avoidable abuse. As a child, all of the adults in her life whose job was to protect her, fully abandoned her. As an adult, those whom she leaned on for support betrayed and abused her. The only bright light was her female lawyer -- another terrible tragedy in that Ms. Giuffre's life was cut short at a very young age before she could fulfill her dream of becoming a lawyer herself.
Although not remotely a fun read, _Nobody's Girl_ is an important read. It lays bare the extent of the conspiracy to conceal the egregious inhumanity of Jeffrey Epstein and Maxwell. It also makes it clear that EVERY other person who benefited from Epstein's "generosity" to celebrities and the powerful -- trips on private jets, to his private island, at his exclusive parties, in his world travels -- they ALL knew that Epstein was serving girls too young to consent to the most powerful and wealthy men on earth.
That so many men in such positions of unimaginable wealth and power could gain enjoyment from sexually abusing girls too young to give consent (and who most of the time clearly were not there willingly) is a clear condemnation of these most rich and powerful men. Is it the wealth and power that deprives them of empathy and morality, or is it that the least empathetic and immoral men are the ones who gain the most wealth and power?
Either way, we desperately need to recognize that the men who own and control the vast majority of our planet's resources wholly lack empathy, ethics, and respect for women. On that ground alone, every man who engaged in Epstein's web of pedophilia should be fired from their jobs and stripped of their wealth and power.
Sadly, none has. Even former-Prince Andrew was only stripped of his titles but allowed to keep all the wealth that his power brings. As long as we continue to keep these men in charge, we send the message that women are mere objects whose agency and consent are irrelevant. We send the message that ethics and common sense is not relevant to leadership. We send the message that those who are wealthy and powerful enough are protected from consequences that face their victims and all others.
This book is either another sign of the ongoing apocalypse or a clarion call for urgent change. Unfortunately, the former seems more likely. Read it and decide for yourself.
From age 15/16 through age 19, she was forced to provide prostitution services to hundreds of Epstein's wealthy clients, ranging from royalty (Former Prince Andrew of England) to university professors, to CEOs, to international officials, including a "former prime minister," whom she described as being the most violent towards her of all of Epstein's dozens of buddies. For years of nonconsensual sex work, she walked away with years of repetitive injuries, numerous ailments, and almost no money. Her interactions with these men -- none of which were consensual, and many of which occured when she was under age 18 -- constituted a lifetime of being raped, and passed around to be raped some more.
Like many of the girls recruited by Epstein and Maxwell, Ms. Giuffre was a survivor of domestic violence from the youngest age. Her father repeatedly raped her starting at a very young age, and by the time she was 12, her father had passed her on to his best friend, who raped her even more violently. Many people who grow up as victims of sex abuse continue to be victims in their adult relationships, and Ms. Giuffre was no exception. She also had been abused repeatedly by the man whom she also credited with having saved her from Epstein's abuse at age 19, whom she married shortly after leaving Epstein's clutches and falling into his. It is horribly tragic.
Despite the non-stop abuse, which is HARD to read yet important nonetheless, Ms. Giuffre continued to maintain hope for a positive future. She threw her energy and the money she had received from lawsuits into decades of advocacy on behalf of other victims, and started a nonprofit to bring services and assistance to victims of sex trafficking and rape. In this way, she left a permanent legacy.
The saddest part about this book is that it was published posthumously, and I believe, in a manner that fails to recognize the most likely reason for her alleged suicide. Although Ms. Giuffre was able to survive years of sexual abuse, violent rape, international character assassination, and lawsuits, the one thing she could not survive was the final act of abuse from her ex-husband.
Even though her ex-husband had been convicted previously of domestic violence, he was able to convince a court (as too often happens in these situations) that Ms. Giuffre was the abusive spouse and not him. Using that lie as leverage, he actually succeeded -- as I repeat, OFTEN happens -- in taking away custody of her children.
As is usually the case with survivors like Ms. Giuffre, and is clear from her memoir, Ms. Giuffre's children were her reason for living. When her abusive ex-spouse took the children from her, she had no reason to live. Although this is not stated in the book (rather, it is implied that her lifetime of stress stemming from Epstein's abuse was the reason, and it is clear that Epstein's abuse -- and that of her father -- was the cause for her suicide), those who have training and experience in serving survivors of domestic violence recognize the unsurvivable harm of a court's decision to take the children from the victim and put them in the hands of the abuser, who more often than not does not even want custody, but rather seeks to take the children to punish the victim for leaving him.
From start to finish, Ms. Giuffre's life is a story of repetitive avoidable abuse. As a child, all of the adults in her life whose job was to protect her, fully abandoned her. As an adult, those whom she leaned on for support betrayed and abused her. The only bright light was her female lawyer -- another terrible tragedy in that Ms. Giuffre's life was cut short at a very young age before she could fulfill her dream of becoming a lawyer herself.
Although not remotely a fun read, _Nobody's Girl_ is an important read. It lays bare the extent of the conspiracy to conceal the egregious inhumanity of Jeffrey Epstein and Maxwell. It also makes it clear that EVERY other person who benefited from Epstein's "generosity" to celebrities and the powerful -- trips on private jets, to his private island, at his exclusive parties, in his world travels -- they ALL knew that Epstein was serving girls too young to consent to the most powerful and wealthy men on earth.
That so many men in such positions of unimaginable wealth and power could gain enjoyment from sexually abusing girls too young to give consent (and who most of the time clearly were not there willingly) is a clear condemnation of these most rich and powerful men. Is it the wealth and power that deprives them of empathy and morality, or is it that the least empathetic and immoral men are the ones who gain the most wealth and power?
Either way, we desperately need to recognize that the men who own and control the vast majority of our planet's resources wholly lack empathy, ethics, and respect for women. On that ground alone, every man who engaged in Epstein's web of pedophilia should be fired from their jobs and stripped of their wealth and power.
Sadly, none has. Even former-Prince Andrew was only stripped of his titles but allowed to keep all the wealth that his power brings. As long as we continue to keep these men in charge, we send the message that women are mere objects whose agency and consent are irrelevant. We send the message that ethics and common sense is not relevant to leadership. We send the message that those who are wealthy and powerful enough are protected from consequences that face their victims and all others.
This book is either another sign of the ongoing apocalypse or a clarion call for urgent change. Unfortunately, the former seems more likely. Read it and decide for yourself.
December 26, 2025
I admire and appreciate Virginia’s honesty and openness, despite the toll this has all taken on her. I’m very grateful that she was so brave as to stand up to her tormentors. I wish she’d have had the help she really needed, all along.
November 17, 2025
This woman I believe did not commit suicide.
There are things contained within this book that will send chills down your spine.
This girl was first assaulted by her father at such a young age. He then passed her on to his friend where she experienced the same sexual assault. Horrifying indeed!
She at the age of sixteen wound up working at Mar A Largo where her father had secured her a job. She came in contact with Donald Trump who she said treated her with respect and kindness. But unfortunately, she ran into Ghislaine Maxwell, who lured her into Jeffrey Epstein's lair with a promise to train her as a masseuse. From there, she became a slave to Epstein and his cabal of leeches who most prominently featured Prince Andrew. Of course there were others, many others, a Prime Minister who raped her so badly that she was told she would probably never have children and others that she wouldn't name for fear for her family.
Virginia made many moves from Australia to the States as she struggled to come to terms with what her life had been. Married and the mother of three children, she felt it was her goal to be an advocate for all the young women, Epstein had raped and enticed into his devious web.
It's a sad tragic story that had a sad tragic ending. Virginia knew plenty and could name names, captains of industry, politicos, millionaires, etc. had come into her life for one thing only sex.
While her story often caught me shedding a tear, there were things she did that made me wonder. For instance why would she desire her children to have a relationship with her father, and why would she seem to always seek to put herself in harm's way? She could have lead a semi quiet life in Australia but instead sought to see Epstein face consequences. I understand that but oftentimes she seemed to be away from her family that she loved so much. There was no mention of a therapist who would help her to come to terms with the awfulness of her young life which was another aspect I questioned.
I guess I just couldn't understand why she wanted all of this brought up again and again. Since now both she and Epstein supposedly committed suicide, it seems like some will escape prosecution for the heinousness of their crimes against underage girls. Honestly, I believe neither one killed themselves. They both knew too much!
All in all this was a hard listen as Virginia narrated her story herself. (Who better?)
There are predators that surround us, our children, and our loved ones. They lurk in the shadows hiding behind wealth and notoriety and yet they are really monsters denying, lying, and seeming to escape consequences. (while some did buy their way out it seems.
Disgusting and scary, vile and inhumane were these people and the really appalling thing is there are still many Epsteins out there creating havoc.
There are things contained within this book that will send chills down your spine.
This girl was first assaulted by her father at such a young age. He then passed her on to his friend where she experienced the same sexual assault. Horrifying indeed!
She at the age of sixteen wound up working at Mar A Largo where her father had secured her a job. She came in contact with Donald Trump who she said treated her with respect and kindness. But unfortunately, she ran into Ghislaine Maxwell, who lured her into Jeffrey Epstein's lair with a promise to train her as a masseuse. From there, she became a slave to Epstein and his cabal of leeches who most prominently featured Prince Andrew. Of course there were others, many others, a Prime Minister who raped her so badly that she was told she would probably never have children and others that she wouldn't name for fear for her family.
Virginia made many moves from Australia to the States as she struggled to come to terms with what her life had been. Married and the mother of three children, she felt it was her goal to be an advocate for all the young women, Epstein had raped and enticed into his devious web.
It's a sad tragic story that had a sad tragic ending. Virginia knew plenty and could name names, captains of industry, politicos, millionaires, etc. had come into her life for one thing only sex.
While her story often caught me shedding a tear, there were things she did that made me wonder. For instance why would she desire her children to have a relationship with her father, and why would she seem to always seek to put herself in harm's way? She could have lead a semi quiet life in Australia but instead sought to see Epstein face consequences. I understand that but oftentimes she seemed to be away from her family that she loved so much. There was no mention of a therapist who would help her to come to terms with the awfulness of her young life which was another aspect I questioned.
I guess I just couldn't understand why she wanted all of this brought up again and again. Since now both she and Epstein supposedly committed suicide, it seems like some will escape prosecution for the heinousness of their crimes against underage girls. Honestly, I believe neither one killed themselves. They both knew too much!
All in all this was a hard listen as Virginia narrated her story herself. (Who better?)
There are predators that surround us, our children, and our loved ones. They lurk in the shadows hiding behind wealth and notoriety and yet they are really monsters denying, lying, and seeming to escape consequences. (while some did buy their way out it seems.
Disgusting and scary, vile and inhumane were these people and the really appalling thing is there are still many Epsteins out there creating havoc.
November 17, 2025
3.5 Stars
I was moved to read this because of the scandal with the former Prince Andrew, and I've read at least two other books on the subject, plus watched a documentary. I learned some new things from Virginia's personal memoir: She was sexually abused as a child by both her father and his friend; she was sexually abused two other times after running away from home (prior to meeting Epstein); she spent some time in a kind of juvey home; she attempted suicide by overdose two other times in the last decade before finally succeeding this third time in 2025 (I don't know what method she used). She never once mentioned anything negative about her husband in this book, but I read online that he became physically abusive at some point. At the time of her suicide they were no longer together and Virginia did not have access to her children.
I read another book recently on the subject by Nigel Cawthorne that was more concise, and I enjoyed that a bit more. In Virginia's book there was a lot of legalese discussed about the various lawsuits and other victims that became a dirge to read about. It seemed like she had a nice married life in her husband's native Australia with their three kids, but becoming so involved with testifying, giving depositions and interviews about the past disturbed what had been a much quieter existence. In the end, the scarring was all consuming. What a tragic end.
I was moved to read this because of the scandal with the former Prince Andrew, and I've read at least two other books on the subject, plus watched a documentary. I learned some new things from Virginia's personal memoir: She was sexually abused as a child by both her father and his friend; she was sexually abused two other times after running away from home (prior to meeting Epstein); she spent some time in a kind of juvey home; she attempted suicide by overdose two other times in the last decade before finally succeeding this third time in 2025 (I don't know what method she used). She never once mentioned anything negative about her husband in this book, but I read online that he became physically abusive at some point. At the time of her suicide they were no longer together and Virginia did not have access to her children.
I read another book recently on the subject by Nigel Cawthorne that was more concise, and I enjoyed that a bit more. In Virginia's book there was a lot of legalese discussed about the various lawsuits and other victims that became a dirge to read about. It seemed like she had a nice married life in her husband's native Australia with their three kids, but becoming so involved with testifying, giving depositions and interviews about the past disturbed what had been a much quieter existence. In the end, the scarring was all consuming. What a tragic end.
November 9, 2025
There is so very much to take in in this memoir that I done something I never do, immediately I finished it I went back and started over. I was prepared for trauma, I was prepared for distressing content, I wouldn’t have picked the book up otherwise, but my heart broke a million times over.
I’m so very sad that Virginia Giuffre isn’t here to see the release of the book that she poured so much into. I have so many thoughts about her life. So much courage, so much trauma and so much pain, but to come through all of that with a pure heart and the ability to show love is something special.
To all the of the men from her father to her husband to the rapists the groomers the abusers the sex traffickers, the mighty and the wealthy I hope none of you ever know a single second peace or happiness there’s a special part of hell reserved especially for you and for Ghislaine Maxwell, they ought to take her by the ankles and slam her off a wall til all of her dirty truths fall out. I hope all of their names eventually come out and I hope that all survivors know justice.
I’m so very sad that Virginia Giuffre isn’t here to see the release of the book that she poured so much into. I have so many thoughts about her life. So much courage, so much trauma and so much pain, but to come through all of that with a pure heart and the ability to show love is something special.
To all the of the men from her father to her husband to the rapists the groomers the abusers the sex traffickers, the mighty and the wealthy I hope none of you ever know a single second peace or happiness there’s a special part of hell reserved especially for you and for Ghislaine Maxwell, they ought to take her by the ankles and slam her off a wall til all of her dirty truths fall out. I hope all of their names eventually come out and I hope that all survivors know justice.
December 21, 2025
This book broke my heart and will stay with me forever. I felt so deeply for Virginia and the horrors she experienced. She was so brave, such a candid storyteller, and she was stronger than she gave herself credit for. I hope all of those perpetrators are brought to justice one way or another, including her father and her husband. And I hope her children know how much she loved them, and I hope that she’s finally at peace in a beautiful place where no man can ever hurt her again.
November 15, 2025
While I cannot say I was excited to read this memoir by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, due to its graphic subject manner and dark admissions, I was eager to get more information about what happened to her and how it relates to the Epstein situation that is currently making new headlines. The story is horribly impactful and sheds light on some of the struggles Giuffre went through, as she spent years being sexually and psychologically abused, culminating in being trapped into the world of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. The book explores many of her painful admissions, though there are some who spin her stories as being fuelled by drug-addled memories.
From the horrible abuse Giuffre sustained at the hands of her father and his friends, losing all innocence and her virginity well before could be acceptable, she makes it clear that she could not find her way out, as she was a pre-teen when it all started. She dodged the pressures of home and found herself falling down many a horrible rabbit hole, but was eventually given the chance to work in the lights of Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club. While this was the dream job for her, Giuffre was soon spotted and taken in by Ghislaine Maxwell to ensure her partner, Jeffrey Epstein, had a new plaything at a time when Virginia was still in her mid-teens.
Giuffre talks frankly about how she was pulled into the middle of things, where she was brought in as a masseuse, only to be turned into a sex slave and then transported for many of Epstein's friends. The details are plentiful and names emerge, but the reader can see the themes of horror and depravity that followed. Epstein might have appeared respective on the surface, but there are horrible things that emerge for the attentive reader.
Even after Giuffre spoke out, permitting the authorities to arrest both Epstein and Maxwell, the horrors did not end. Giuffre goes into detail about the struggles of having her name in the spotlight and reliving all the horrors through the media. She was also living in Australia by this point with her husband and three children, all of whom had to be read into what was happening. This is heartbreaking of itself, making the experience gut-wrenching for the reader to see as they seek to better understand the situation.
In April 2025, Giuffre committed suicide before this book could come to print. Her painful struggle is clear and the end result, while not something some would feel was the correct solution, left little light for Virginia Giuffre to see as she inched forward. The constant dramas around the Epstein files and those men who were involved has made Giuffre's stories return to the limelight, not least because the current US president could (is?) involved on a personal level. We shall see what happens with it and I will surely read any of the political spins made on this subject.
While I am an avid reader and reviewer, this was surely one of the most difficult books I have faced head-on. Virginia Roberts Giuffre delivers a stunning depiction of her pains and the horrible web in which she was caught. The chapters were well-documented and kept me on edge as I tried to stomach many of the horrors that emerged. Clear memories and thoroughly personal feelings emerge, leaving the reader impacted and full of awkward pain. Attentive readers will surely find nuggets onto which they can connect, though there should be a clear warning that this is no light or easy read. I wonder if anyone will want to talk about it in person, as any I have spoken with to date, like Trump, want an immediate subject change.
Kudos, Madam Roberts Giuffre, for this book. I cannot begin to imagine what else to say!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
From the horrible abuse Giuffre sustained at the hands of her father and his friends, losing all innocence and her virginity well before could be acceptable, she makes it clear that she could not find her way out, as she was a pre-teen when it all started. She dodged the pressures of home and found herself falling down many a horrible rabbit hole, but was eventually given the chance to work in the lights of Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club. While this was the dream job for her, Giuffre was soon spotted and taken in by Ghislaine Maxwell to ensure her partner, Jeffrey Epstein, had a new plaything at a time when Virginia was still in her mid-teens.
Giuffre talks frankly about how she was pulled into the middle of things, where she was brought in as a masseuse, only to be turned into a sex slave and then transported for many of Epstein's friends. The details are plentiful and names emerge, but the reader can see the themes of horror and depravity that followed. Epstein might have appeared respective on the surface, but there are horrible things that emerge for the attentive reader.
Even after Giuffre spoke out, permitting the authorities to arrest both Epstein and Maxwell, the horrors did not end. Giuffre goes into detail about the struggles of having her name in the spotlight and reliving all the horrors through the media. She was also living in Australia by this point with her husband and three children, all of whom had to be read into what was happening. This is heartbreaking of itself, making the experience gut-wrenching for the reader to see as they seek to better understand the situation.
In April 2025, Giuffre committed suicide before this book could come to print. Her painful struggle is clear and the end result, while not something some would feel was the correct solution, left little light for Virginia Giuffre to see as she inched forward. The constant dramas around the Epstein files and those men who were involved has made Giuffre's stories return to the limelight, not least because the current US president could (is?) involved on a personal level. We shall see what happens with it and I will surely read any of the political spins made on this subject.
While I am an avid reader and reviewer, this was surely one of the most difficult books I have faced head-on. Virginia Roberts Giuffre delivers a stunning depiction of her pains and the horrible web in which she was caught. The chapters were well-documented and kept me on edge as I tried to stomach many of the horrors that emerged. Clear memories and thoroughly personal feelings emerge, leaving the reader impacted and full of awkward pain. Attentive readers will surely find nuggets onto which they can connect, though there should be a clear warning that this is no light or easy read. I wonder if anyone will want to talk about it in person, as any I have spoken with to date, like Trump, want an immediate subject change.
Kudos, Madam Roberts Giuffre, for this book. I cannot begin to imagine what else to say!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
November 3, 2025
This story is important, as it stands for so so many people (I was going to say "women", but it's not only women who can be sexually abused). We should be better than this. We should have found a way to end this kind of rampant mistreatment by now.
It's a hard read/listen, after knowing only the minimal details released in the media. Epstein and Maxwell are names that have been in the news for years, so no particular surprises here, just an expansion of just how deep and wide this net was thrown, just how depraved the individuals involved.
It would be easy to pick at the details...are they accurate, are they believable, are they complete? I'm not sure that matters, as much as lawyers try to make it so in order to control the outcome of cases. What stands out to me is Giuffre's response that the moments that traumatize are embedded deeply into the memory...the faces, the names, the feelings, even as minutiae like place and date can fade. Exactly. That fuzziness does not negate the mistreatment.
This was a brave woman. Those who followed her in bringing this out from the gilded dark corners of the elite were also brave. That they have all had to endure the disbelief, disparagement, threats, and delays in justice is another layer of trauma that should not have occurred. THIS is why so many stay silent. I'm glad Giuffre found her voice, and it's a shame she eventually succumbed to the high cost of the battle.
It's a hard read/listen, after knowing only the minimal details released in the media. Epstein and Maxwell are names that have been in the news for years, so no particular surprises here, just an expansion of just how deep and wide this net was thrown, just how depraved the individuals involved.
It would be easy to pick at the details...are they accurate, are they believable, are they complete? I'm not sure that matters, as much as lawyers try to make it so in order to control the outcome of cases. What stands out to me is Giuffre's response that the moments that traumatize are embedded deeply into the memory...the faces, the names, the feelings, even as minutiae like place and date can fade. Exactly. That fuzziness does not negate the mistreatment.
This was a brave woman. Those who followed her in bringing this out from the gilded dark corners of the elite were also brave. That they have all had to endure the disbelief, disparagement, threats, and delays in justice is another layer of trauma that should not have occurred. THIS is why so many stay silent. I'm glad Giuffre found her voice, and it's a shame she eventually succumbed to the high cost of the battle.
November 10, 2025
My review rating is no reflection of the terrible things Virginia went through. The treatment she experienced from her pre-teen years by her family through young adulthood by Maxwell and Epstein is horrendous. I hope her abusers rot in hell and are truly held accountable for their actions. I pray that the evidence survives and is brought to light along with the names of the participants.
My review is based on the writing itself. The ghostwriter should have used some professional judgment in the way this book is put together. The back and forth narrative from the depravity and despair Jenna experiences to the present day or “happy” family life is off-putting. When you consider the introduction and the domestic abuse claims, it’s difficult to listen to the happy wife, loving husband stories. However, I understand why an abused spouse would write these things thinking they would be published and read by the abusive spouse. A friend of ours killed herself to escape an abusive marriage, and in public she would have said everything was great.
I also understand the therapeutic effects that music can have, but the frequent quoting of pop songs dilutes the seriousness of the material.
I pray Virginia can finally rest in peace.
Finally, knowing that G. Maxwell has been moved to a minimum security prison. (which she says is great), is an affront to Virginia’s struggle. If Maxwell is pardoned for her crimes, the outcry should be severe. She is a monster , and so was Epstein.
My review is based on the writing itself. The ghostwriter should have used some professional judgment in the way this book is put together. The back and forth narrative from the depravity and despair Jenna experiences to the present day or “happy” family life is off-putting. When you consider the introduction and the domestic abuse claims, it’s difficult to listen to the happy wife, loving husband stories. However, I understand why an abused spouse would write these things thinking they would be published and read by the abusive spouse. A friend of ours killed herself to escape an abusive marriage, and in public she would have said everything was great.
I also understand the therapeutic effects that music can have, but the frequent quoting of pop songs dilutes the seriousness of the material.
I pray Virginia can finally rest in peace.
Finally, knowing that G. Maxwell has been moved to a minimum security prison. (which she says is great), is an affront to Virginia’s struggle. If Maxwell is pardoned for her crimes, the outcry should be severe. She is a monster , and so was Epstein.
December 29, 2025
This was a remarkably difficult read (emotionally). Obviously, you go into a post-humorous autobiography of an Epstein victim with an expectation that it will be grim. I think what really hurts about this story, though, is the prologue. As the reader, you discover that Virginia’s husband was physically abusive to her via a note from her editor, a part added to the book after Virginia had passed. Once you get to the midsection of Virginia’s story, it’s meant to be a brief relief from the difficulties of her life- the fantastic romance of meeting her husband, a man who finally treats her with love and respect. Reading this, knowing that he too was abusive to her, made this fairytale all the more heartbreaking to read.
I think this is really important right now. The Epstein Files have become a discourse so far removed from the actual victims involved. Virginia’s story reminds you that each of the thousands of women was an entire person whose lives had lifelong consequences, for them and those who cared for them.
I really appreciated the parts where Virginia discusses why so many victims settle in court, why there were payouts, and how easy it is for those who have not been in this situation to judge how the victims handled it.
I think this is really important right now. The Epstein Files have become a discourse so far removed from the actual victims involved. Virginia’s story reminds you that each of the thousands of women was an entire person whose lives had lifelong consequences, for them and those who cared for them.
I really appreciated the parts where Virginia discusses why so many victims settle in court, why there were payouts, and how easy it is for those who have not been in this situation to judge how the victims handled it.
October 24, 2025
“If I died suddenly, no one should believe that it was an accident. I am making it publicly known that I am in no way suicidal.” Virginia who died by suicide in April this year. RIP.
Okay I really had to sit down and think how I wanted to rate this. I have been asked "Why are you reading this? It would be so hard to hear." I'm reading this because if we continue to ignore this, then those involved will keep getting away with things like this. As a woman and a mother of a daughter, I also need to hear this. I came from what people would say is a 'vulnerable home' and I thankfully stayed on the right path.
Virginia was born in the same year as me. We are/would be the same age! We also have the same maiden name (Roberts). I was living my life as a normal teenager and she was going through all of this and never getting a break from the abuse. Never. We also both moved to Australia at the same time!
Everyone in her life failed her. They let her father, father's friend, boys from school, random men on the street kidnapping her and then Epstein and Maxwell and then her husband's abuse before her death.
“Being so fundamentally betrayed often made the person feel deserving of betrayal."
Then you have the victim blaming (or the re-victimisation)…"why didn't you say anything?" "Why didn't you come forward sooner?" "why didn't you leave?". They threatened her. Her dad firstly threatened to get rid of the only good thing she had in her life, her horse. Epstein had a photo of her baby brother and threatened (implied) death.
Then she suffered the victim blaming that they are girls from bad homes who were on drugs. I highly suggest reading The Lasting Harm by Lucia Osborne-Crowley because she talks about how victims of sexual abuse turn to drugs to cope. And how PTSD can block our memories.
"Victim suffered loss of income and loss of the ability to enjoy life."
Also men/rich people are disgusting. Absolutely disgusting - Stephen Hawking, Professors, Prince Andrew, former prime minister, Bill Gates, Matt Groening and they all NEVER wore a condom. Epstein bragged about that fact.
Their modus operandi was girls 12-17, white and on the verge of a breakdown/vulnerable.
Prince Andrew said "My Daughters are just a little younger than you." Yuck.
Epstein said "Never expect a man to be faithful and you'll never be let down." I wonder why we have a male loneliness epidemic.
Epstein was bribing her doctors when she had a miscarriage ffs.
When Virginia left Epstein and she initially met her husband I wanted to wave a red flag in her face. I was screaming no girl, don't do it. Don't get married and have babies with him. You need to be by yourself and seek some therapy. Stay away from men for a long time. I got so incredibly mad when she wanted her father to be in her kids' lives. I was screaming at the book saying "what are you doing?!?!"
However, I do believe it is true that women do step into their strength once they have kids. I know I did and it helped me to be strong enough to end my marriage. When you have a little person to protect you realise what you are going through is not right.
I really feel for her and the intimidation and harassment she endured once she reported what happened. People kept breaking into her home!!
Songs: 'Don't call me daughter' by Pearl Jam, Phantom of the Opera 'Think of Me'
Okay I really had to sit down and think how I wanted to rate this. I have been asked "Why are you reading this? It would be so hard to hear." I'm reading this because if we continue to ignore this, then those involved will keep getting away with things like this. As a woman and a mother of a daughter, I also need to hear this. I came from what people would say is a 'vulnerable home' and I thankfully stayed on the right path.
Virginia was born in the same year as me. We are/would be the same age! We also have the same maiden name (Roberts). I was living my life as a normal teenager and she was going through all of this and never getting a break from the abuse. Never. We also both moved to Australia at the same time!
Everyone in her life failed her. They let her father, father's friend, boys from school, random men on the street kidnapping her and then Epstein and Maxwell and then her husband's abuse before her death.
“Being so fundamentally betrayed often made the person feel deserving of betrayal."
Then you have the victim blaming (or the re-victimisation)…"why didn't you say anything?" "Why didn't you come forward sooner?" "why didn't you leave?". They threatened her. Her dad firstly threatened to get rid of the only good thing she had in her life, her horse. Epstein had a photo of her baby brother and threatened (implied) death.
Then she suffered the victim blaming that they are girls from bad homes who were on drugs. I highly suggest reading The Lasting Harm by Lucia Osborne-Crowley because she talks about how victims of sexual abuse turn to drugs to cope. And how PTSD can block our memories.
"Victim suffered loss of income and loss of the ability to enjoy life."
Also men/rich people are disgusting. Absolutely disgusting - Stephen Hawking, Professors, Prince Andrew, former prime minister, Bill Gates, Matt Groening and they all NEVER wore a condom. Epstein bragged about that fact.
Their modus operandi was girls 12-17, white and on the verge of a breakdown/vulnerable.
Prince Andrew said "My Daughters are just a little younger than you." Yuck.
Epstein said "Never expect a man to be faithful and you'll never be let down." I wonder why we have a male loneliness epidemic.
Epstein was bribing her doctors when she had a miscarriage ffs.
When Virginia left Epstein and she initially met her husband I wanted to wave a red flag in her face. I was screaming no girl, don't do it. Don't get married and have babies with him. You need to be by yourself and seek some therapy. Stay away from men for a long time. I got so incredibly mad when she wanted her father to be in her kids' lives. I was screaming at the book saying "what are you doing?!?!"
However, I do believe it is true that women do step into their strength once they have kids. I know I did and it helped me to be strong enough to end my marriage. When you have a little person to protect you realise what you are going through is not right.
I really feel for her and the intimidation and harassment she endured once she reported what happened. People kept breaking into her home!!
Songs: 'Don't call me daughter' by Pearl Jam, Phantom of the Opera 'Think of Me'
November 17, 2025
A gruelling but compelling read. What a brave woman she was to set all this down. All I can say is how sad I am that Giuffre died by suicide, in a place not so very far from where I live, before this book was published. Trigger warning for extreme sexual violence - if you choose to read this memoir you will most likely know what events it covers.
November 26, 2025
(Note: There is a semi-spoiler in this review, but that's not until the last full paragraph. I am not hiding the review since the vast majority of it is non-spoiler and even the last part takes place in the very beginning of the book.)
I knew Nobody's Girl by Virginia Giuffre was going to be brutal. However, I don't think you can ever be properly prepared for how bad the abuse is. Epstein and Maxwell are not the only evil trash in this book. Luckily, Giuffre herself is aware of just how soul crushing this all is. She literally has short interludes after certain episodes where she breaks the fourth wall to say, in essence, "I know this is awful, let's talk about something else for a quick minute and take a breather!" She is right every time.
The writing is good and Giuffre and her co-writer, Amy Wallace, do a great job of making this sound like Giuffre's voice. Most impressively, the author pulls no punches on herself. A lot of reviews will be mad at her decisions and that is valid. However, the impressive part of this whole thing is that Giuffre knows she will be criticized. She leaves her own faults on the page for everyone to see and provides the reasoning for some of the more controversial decisions she makes. Her point is that you don't need to be a saint to be believed. Giuffre repeatedly says this book is for fellow victims to realize they can have a voice even if they've made mistakes. I feel Giuffre fully follows through on this promise. In fact, it is probably to her own detriment.
****Semi-spoiler territory****
It is hard to find the hope when as the reader you already know Giuffre ultimately committed suicide before this book was published. Wallace, the co-author of this book talks about this in the prologue, but she also does something which makes the whole book confusing. Wallace directly says that Giuffre's husband was abusive. While she states that, she doesn't go into extensive detail. Almost immediately, Giuffre takes over and the book starts with her praising her husband as her rock. She never wavers from calling him a fantastic husband. Also, the book does not directly address the husband taking the kids away before her death. Giuffre herself obliquely mentions they fought and he had a temper and even intimates she was not proud of her own actions. Was this a mutually abusive relationship? Was Giuffre covering for another abuser? It's never clear. It all makes the reader wonder how we view Giuffre and whether we need to accept that she is an unreliable narrator through to the end. I am so conflicted because I don't necessarily fault Wallace for bringing it up, but at the same time, Giuffre's reliability is so vital. If Wallace felt it was necessary to talk about this, I think she needed to be much clearer about what exactly was happening in their relationship. I'm not sure it matters, but I do know I was very distracted by the tonal whiplash.
Ultimately, that criticism doesn't undo what this book is—heroic.
(This book was provided as a review copy by Knopf Doubleday.)
I knew Nobody's Girl by Virginia Giuffre was going to be brutal. However, I don't think you can ever be properly prepared for how bad the abuse is. Epstein and Maxwell are not the only evil trash in this book. Luckily, Giuffre herself is aware of just how soul crushing this all is. She literally has short interludes after certain episodes where she breaks the fourth wall to say, in essence, "I know this is awful, let's talk about something else for a quick minute and take a breather!" She is right every time.
The writing is good and Giuffre and her co-writer, Amy Wallace, do a great job of making this sound like Giuffre's voice. Most impressively, the author pulls no punches on herself. A lot of reviews will be mad at her decisions and that is valid. However, the impressive part of this whole thing is that Giuffre knows she will be criticized. She leaves her own faults on the page for everyone to see and provides the reasoning for some of the more controversial decisions she makes. Her point is that you don't need to be a saint to be believed. Giuffre repeatedly says this book is for fellow victims to realize they can have a voice even if they've made mistakes. I feel Giuffre fully follows through on this promise. In fact, it is probably to her own detriment.
****Semi-spoiler territory****
It is hard to find the hope when as the reader you already know Giuffre ultimately committed suicide before this book was published. Wallace, the co-author of this book talks about this in the prologue, but she also does something which makes the whole book confusing. Wallace directly says that Giuffre's husband was abusive. While she states that, she doesn't go into extensive detail. Almost immediately, Giuffre takes over and the book starts with her praising her husband as her rock. She never wavers from calling him a fantastic husband. Also, the book does not directly address the husband taking the kids away before her death. Giuffre herself obliquely mentions they fought and he had a temper and even intimates she was not proud of her own actions. Was this a mutually abusive relationship? Was Giuffre covering for another abuser? It's never clear. It all makes the reader wonder how we view Giuffre and whether we need to accept that she is an unreliable narrator through to the end. I am so conflicted because I don't necessarily fault Wallace for bringing it up, but at the same time, Giuffre's reliability is so vital. If Wallace felt it was necessary to talk about this, I think she needed to be much clearer about what exactly was happening in their relationship. I'm not sure it matters, but I do know I was very distracted by the tonal whiplash.
Ultimately, that criticism doesn't undo what this book is—heroic.
(This book was provided as a review copy by Knopf Doubleday.)
October 26, 2025
In the introduction the co writer notes abuse by Virginia's husband and the fact she was restrained from seeing her three children.
Yet in the book that follows the husband is her rock???
How does this give hope to anyone.
Yet in the book that follows the husband is her rock???
How does this give hope to anyone.
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