Abducted: The Fourteen-year Fight to Find My Children

by Jacqueline Pascarl

At seventeen, Jacqueline Pascarl married a royal prince and embarked on what she believed would be a fairy-tale existence. But it soon became a nightmare. Here, she describes how her husband kidnapped their two young children and forced them to cut off all contact with her. She also tells of the pain and helplessness she felt at their loss.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Memoir

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Kay's Blushing Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the sequel to "Once I was a Princess" This installment concentrats on how Jacquiline rebuilds her life, managing her grief through humanitarian work and human rights campaigns.
What an inspiring story from an amazing and courageous woman

[MOHD KHIDHIR AIMAN BIN AZALI · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good follow-up with conclusive ending to a decade-long saga

Our protagonist goes on a whirlwind of a vision quest, all the while reminiscing of the life-changing event that is the loss of her first two children.

I didn't like the first book much, reasons explained in the review for said book, but this one takes the reader on a more believable, par with fiction in terms of colorfulness adventure out in the Balkans.

One star knocked off for hating the terroir of Malaysia and her cultural backgrounds.

[Darla Ebert · Rating 3 out of 5]

With respect to the painful years-long interlude in the life of the author, this was a tepid read. Anyone would have deep empathy for the sufferings of a woman whose children have been kidnapped. Ms. Pascarl goes into great detail and the agony she experienced comes through. I just got bogged down by the crusades and interviews, the details and statistics.

[Kirstin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming story of love, loss, grief and triumph. This is an incredibly inspiring story to people everywhere with lessons to be learned at every turn.

[Tamara Trelc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good

[Dominik Golob · Rating 3 out of 5]

320

[howsoonisnow · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a follow up memoir, set years following the international kidnap of her children. It isn't very interesting, if I'm honest. It was a pity she jumped so far ahead, as detailing the immediate aftermath of the kidnap- the grief, overwhelm and gradual marriage breakdown, would have been raw and honest, as is necessary for any high quality memoir to be. Instead, the narrative begins at the close of her second marriage, without any details as to the unravelling of the relationship. Only scant mention is made of Pascarl's relationship with her step children. The main focus of this memoir is Pascarl's foray into hardcore humanitarian aid work. She puts herself into physically, mentally and emotionally punishing situations to distract her mind from her children, including a stint in war torn Bosnia. It isn't as interesting as one might think, perhaps because her narration holds her audience at arm's length. When finally the exciting reunion with her now-adult children occurs, information about it is cagey, glancing and superficial - certainly to protect privacy, but that again, doesn't make for an interesting memoir. At least, it does provide readers with closure.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this sequel to "Once I was a Princess" Jacquie begins to reclaim & rebuild her life, after her 2 children are abducted by their father. She speaks to many governments and political leaders on child abduction and what needs to change to protect the sanity of this group of very traumatized children. She successfully helps to negotiate the return of some children to their homelands and custodial parent. But all this work is emotionally draining as the months and years of separation from her own children grows longer and seemingly unending. She then embarks on doing emergency relief work with children in refugee camps and villages torn apart by civil war in Bosnia, Kosovo and East Timor. However her health suffers but she finds love back in Australia and despite the odds, she has 2 more children. Then suddenly she has an unexpected call from her oldest daughter in Malaysia......... Another gripping read but also a story of great humility and mindfulness as she re-establishes connection with 2 now adult children.

[Leila Summers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was intrigued to read the story of the abduction of Jacqueline Pascarl's children. However, I found that there wasn't much in the book about the abduction or the author's children. The reason for this became clear. The children were abducted at the beginning of her story and then she didn't hear from them for 14 years at which time she was re-united with them at the end of the story. The bulk of the book is about the author's life during those 14 years, which was only mildly interesting to me. I did appreciate the way she managed to carry on as best she could and help others along the way at the same time. But if you enjoy affliction memoirs as I do, this one might disappoint.

[Helen O'Mahony · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book details the story before and at the time of the abduction, the authors time in the 14 years her children were absent and the story behind them coming home. It was interesting, informative and humbling to read.
It also shows that children who are abducted will always remember the love and care given to them before abduction and that they will always return home when they are old enough to make their own decisions, however much the abductee parents tries to contol and brain wash them.
A remarkable story by a lady who never gave up hope.

[Sabrina Rutter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have given this book five stars but it repeated so much of what was in the first book that I ended up skimming through some of the pages here and there through out. Luckily I always caught the new tid-bits of the story.
In this book Jacqueline goes into detail about her aid work. She leaves out much of her personal life. I still enjoyed the book and I'm glad that I read it so that I could see the conclusion of the first book.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the sequel to the authors first book, and does focus more on her life past the immediate struggle of getting her children back. This loss did shape Pascarl's life but she endeavoured to make positive change from he devastation and this is the story of the changing of her life's course. While her children finally do return to the author as adults and this is a heart warming part of the novel, it is not the entire focus of the book.

[Yasmin Rofidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book to widen knowledge and be aware of what some people have to go through in life. My mum bought me this as our family is mixed with Malay. I found that Jacqueline's style if writing was pretty biased and egotistical in some parts, not sure if I'm being over critical but I felt at points she was 'bigging herself up". I wonder what other readers think. Overall a good read.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the beginning and the end of the book. The middle was blah and just page filler with her personal adventures. Didn't really enjoy reading that though probably important to write about to show the passage of time. Can not even imagine how this must have felt for her, but am so happy that today her children are back in her life .

[ChiaraR. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intreccio abbastanza "noioso", sebbene sia quello di una vita reale, ma l'impegno della protagonista in certi ambiti è assolutamente lodevole. Sgorgano lacrimucce nelle ultime cinquanta pagine, ovvero la parte che si aspetta con più trepidazione.

[Foxglove · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as interesting as her first book, (repetitious) but worth listening to.

[Claudette · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting story of one womens fight to get her abducted children.