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Monster: an Austrian Nightmare: The Story Of Josef Fritzl And His 24-year Reign Of Terror
On 28 August 1984, Josef Fritzl drugged his teenage daughter with ether and imprisoned her in an underground bunker behind eight locked doors. Over the following twenty-four years, he raped and abused her, never letting her or the children she bore him out of the dark, windowless cellar.
Based on 150 new interviews with psychologists, neighbours, colleagues and friends who knew Fritzl, as well as the insight of his own chilling confession, Allan Hall reconstructs the monstrous personality behind this hideous crime. He exposes Josef Fritzl's dark past in Nazi Austria, his previous conviction as a rapist, the appalling conditions in which Elisabeth and her children were kept and her astonishingly brave conduct while held prisoner. Including exclusive photographs and previously unseen evidence, this is a truly heart-stopping record of one of the most elaborate and disturbing cases of abuse in modern times.
Based on 150 new interviews with psychologists, neighbours, colleagues and friends who knew Fritzl, as well as the insight of his own chilling confession, Allan Hall reconstructs the monstrous personality behind this hideous crime. He exposes Josef Fritzl's dark past in Nazi Austria, his previous conviction as a rapist, the appalling conditions in which Elisabeth and her children were kept and her astonishingly brave conduct while held prisoner. Including exclusive photographs and previously unseen evidence, this is a truly heart-stopping record of one of the most elaborate and disturbing cases of abuse in modern times.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
42 people are currently reading
788 people want to read
About the author
Allan Hall
131 books17 followershttp://www.harpercollins.com/authors/...
Reporter for UK Daily Mail and tabloids on crime, paranormal, history, and the unexplained.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/searc...
Freelancer: Daily Mail, Daily Star, Daily Express, Observer, Daily Mirror, Daily Record, The Scotsman, The Age, Melbourne, Sunday Times, The Times, Daily and Sunday Telegraph, Mail on Sunday, Sunday People, Sunday Mirror, Sunday Express, Evening Standard, London, Daily Sport.
http://journalisted.com/allan-hall
When based in Berlin worked for: Daily Mail - London, the Age - Melbourne,
Australia, the Scotsman - Edinburgh, New York Post NY. Formerly bureau chief for Britain’s biggest-selling papers – the Sun, then the Daily Mirror – NY.
http://www.penguin.co.uk/static/cs/uk...
NOT https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_H... 1929-2001 wine
http://www.allanhall.com/bio.html musician Selah
Reporter for UK Daily Mail and tabloids on crime, paranormal, history, and the unexplained.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/searc...
Freelancer: Daily Mail, Daily Star, Daily Express, Observer, Daily Mirror, Daily Record, The Scotsman, The Age, Melbourne, Sunday Times, The Times, Daily and Sunday Telegraph, Mail on Sunday, Sunday People, Sunday Mirror, Sunday Express, Evening Standard, London, Daily Sport.
http://journalisted.com/allan-hall
When based in Berlin worked for: Daily Mail - London, the Age - Melbourne,
Australia, the Scotsman - Edinburgh, New York Post NY. Formerly bureau chief for Britain’s biggest-selling papers – the Sun, then the Daily Mirror – NY.
http://www.penguin.co.uk/static/cs/uk...
NOT https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_H... 1929-2001 wine
http://www.allanhall.com/bio.html musician Selah
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
December 12, 2008
Absolutely pointless book.
I really didnt think there was any reason for this book. Its written way too soon, with very little research or actual information. Its like reading a bumper edition of a tabloid newspaper.
Most of the writing is based on media suposition and unnamed "friends" from childhood saying very vague things about the family.
It is undoubtedly a very tragic story with a horrific and hard to deal with subject, but there must have been a better way to write about it, perhaps later down the line.
I really didnt think there was any reason for this book. Its written way too soon, with very little research or actual information. Its like reading a bumper edition of a tabloid newspaper.
Most of the writing is based on media suposition and unnamed "friends" from childhood saying very vague things about the family.
It is undoubtedly a very tragic story with a horrific and hard to deal with subject, but there must have been a better way to write about it, perhaps later down the line.
November 18, 2020
Questo libro è la narrazione di un giornalista del caso di Elisabeth Fritzl, tenuta segregata per 24 anni in un bunker dal padre Josef, ad Amstetten in Austria, e da lui stuprata più volte con sette gravidanze.
La storia viene seguita nel tempo con una ricostruzione dall’infanzia dell’uomo al matrimonio con la moglie Rosemarie alla chiusura della ragazza in quello scantinato fetido, fino alla sua liberazione.
È terribile vedere pagina dopo pagina la totale passività della ragazza che diventerà poi sua moglie, costretta a subire violenze di tutti i tipi, nonostante siano solo psicologiche e non fisiche.
Ammirevole la forza della ragazza che resiste per tutti quegli anni con una certa stabilità mentale, senza cedimenti della volontà come sarebbe naturale immaginare.
Non ho però ritrovato particolarmente utile quanto letto perché non viene posto l’accento in particolare sugli attori di questo tragico evento, e sui loro profili psicologici, solo accennati qua e là ma principalmente solo intuibili.
L’aspetto più sconvolgente di tutta questa storia e che viene invece ben evidenziato nel libro è quello dell’omertà degli austriaci, di come abbiano insabbiato tutto per mantenere pulita la loro immagine, fino a che non è diventato impossibile.
Rileva chiaramente come la radice della psicopatia del padre affondi nella storia di stampo nazista che ha contraddistinto questa nazione nel periodo dell’Anschluss vissuta dai cittadini come vittoria e liberazione e non come dominazione.
Nell’Olocausto gli austriaci sono stati in prima linea contribuendo allo sterminio di tantissimi rappresentanti delle categorie più varie tra ebrei, testimoni di Geova, zingari, disabili, omosessuali, testimoni di Geova e tante altre minoranze; e gli stessi erano il 75 per cento dei comandanti dei campi di concentramento e sterminio.
I valori trasmessi a Josef dal padre nazista fin nelle ossa, di ordine, disciplina e obbedienza, lo hanno guidato in tutte le sue scelte anche in quelle più mostruose.
Così come, una volta superata la tragedia della guerra, gli austriaci hanno cercato di ripulire la loro immagine nel mondo non parlandone più come se non fosse mai successo, allo stesso modo gli abitanti di Amstetten che hanno assistito ad alcuni comportamenti dell’uomo e della famiglia che avrebbero potuto destare sospetti, gli stessi assistenti sociali che non si siano minimamente insospettiti per tutti i bambini lasciati sulla porta della casa di questi nonni, perfino la polizia che non ha mai fatto ricerche della ragazza credendo senza obiezioni o dubbi all’adesione della ragazza ad una setta, hanno tutti cercato di evitare l’inevitabile, cioè di non far venire fuori un disastro di cui si sarebbe parlato attraverso i media, intaccando quell’immagine di perfezione che l’Austria ha tanto faticato a costruirsi.
La storia viene seguita nel tempo con una ricostruzione dall’infanzia dell’uomo al matrimonio con la moglie Rosemarie alla chiusura della ragazza in quello scantinato fetido, fino alla sua liberazione.
È terribile vedere pagina dopo pagina la totale passività della ragazza che diventerà poi sua moglie, costretta a subire violenze di tutti i tipi, nonostante siano solo psicologiche e non fisiche.
Ammirevole la forza della ragazza che resiste per tutti quegli anni con una certa stabilità mentale, senza cedimenti della volontà come sarebbe naturale immaginare.
Non ho però ritrovato particolarmente utile quanto letto perché non viene posto l’accento in particolare sugli attori di questo tragico evento, e sui loro profili psicologici, solo accennati qua e là ma principalmente solo intuibili.
L’aspetto più sconvolgente di tutta questa storia e che viene invece ben evidenziato nel libro è quello dell’omertà degli austriaci, di come abbiano insabbiato tutto per mantenere pulita la loro immagine, fino a che non è diventato impossibile.
Rileva chiaramente come la radice della psicopatia del padre affondi nella storia di stampo nazista che ha contraddistinto questa nazione nel periodo dell’Anschluss vissuta dai cittadini come vittoria e liberazione e non come dominazione.
Nell’Olocausto gli austriaci sono stati in prima linea contribuendo allo sterminio di tantissimi rappresentanti delle categorie più varie tra ebrei, testimoni di Geova, zingari, disabili, omosessuali, testimoni di Geova e tante altre minoranze; e gli stessi erano il 75 per cento dei comandanti dei campi di concentramento e sterminio.
I valori trasmessi a Josef dal padre nazista fin nelle ossa, di ordine, disciplina e obbedienza, lo hanno guidato in tutte le sue scelte anche in quelle più mostruose.
Così come, una volta superata la tragedia della guerra, gli austriaci hanno cercato di ripulire la loro immagine nel mondo non parlandone più come se non fosse mai successo, allo stesso modo gli abitanti di Amstetten che hanno assistito ad alcuni comportamenti dell’uomo e della famiglia che avrebbero potuto destare sospetti, gli stessi assistenti sociali che non si siano minimamente insospettiti per tutti i bambini lasciati sulla porta della casa di questi nonni, perfino la polizia che non ha mai fatto ricerche della ragazza credendo senza obiezioni o dubbi all’adesione della ragazza ad una setta, hanno tutti cercato di evitare l’inevitabile, cioè di non far venire fuori un disastro di cui si sarebbe parlato attraverso i media, intaccando quell’immagine di perfezione che l’Austria ha tanto faticato a costruirsi.
August 25, 2018
Monster is less about the trial and horror that Elizabeth endured trapped in her father's cellar, but more about the why's and how's that Josef Fritzl managed to perpetrate his evil fantasy.
Mostly this novel is a collection of interviews, sightings, and police files. I would have wished that Elizabeth could have been the one narrating (as in A Stolen Life). I found that Allan Hall's method of recounting the tale contains much bias and somewhats distorts the information. I could not be sure as wether what he was saying was fact or interpretation.
However i did enjoy the connection with Nazism and how it affected the culprit irrevocably. I pity the Austrian community for the wave of condescension and revulsion that this book depicts. It raises serious allegations against an entire populace and should have been with dealt with accordingly instead of brought up and discarded.
This bibliography makes me fear for the future of the human race.
Mostly this novel is a collection of interviews, sightings, and police files. I would have wished that Elizabeth could have been the one narrating (as in A Stolen Life). I found that Allan Hall's method of recounting the tale contains much bias and somewhats distorts the information. I could not be sure as wether what he was saying was fact or interpretation.
However i did enjoy the connection with Nazism and how it affected the culprit irrevocably. I pity the Austrian community for the wave of condescension and revulsion that this book depicts. It raises serious allegations against an entire populace and should have been with dealt with accordingly instead of brought up and discarded.
This bibliography makes me fear for the future of the human race.
April 24, 2009
I just finished reading this spine chilling piece of research. Itis difficult to fathom the trials and tribulations of a girl and her children in an underground celler. I particularly wanted to read the book to understand what prompts people to commit such horriffic crimes. Unfortunately, the book did not give me that insight. Moreover, while this is a piece of research, at times, it comes across as fiction. It is not because of the content but because it is written with that kind of style. The book also does not give details about how the girl survived 24 years. It describes the ordeal of the girl but you would not get a feel for how she lived through a typical day in her life. Do read it if you can take such a sad story for reading. It is indeed heart breaking and chilling. At times, you feel completely nauseated reading the details.
November 15, 2020
Great read
Very good book well written. Wow Austria, remind me never to visit. So many similar stories coming out of there definitely signifies a problem in Austrian society. The writer doesn't hold back on saying so either and rightly so. Some Austrians on here will probably even jump to defend and excuse and even accuse the author of being anti-Austrian. And in their defence and excuses, there lies the problem with Austrian society.
Very good book well written. Wow Austria, remind me never to visit. So many similar stories coming out of there definitely signifies a problem in Austrian society. The writer doesn't hold back on saying so either and rightly so. Some Austrians on here will probably even jump to defend and excuse and even accuse the author of being anti-Austrian. And in their defence and excuses, there lies the problem with Austrian society.
May 15, 2024
Ho cercato ed aspettato questo libro per anni ma era introvabile se non a prezzi astronomici. Quindi appena l'ho trovato su Vinted ad un prezzo equo, l'ho subito acquistato sebbene non fosse in condizioni buone e puzzasse di schifo. Chissà dove veniva tenuto... forse nello scantinato assieme ad Elisabeth. L'ho cominciato immediatamente, già in auto dopo averlo ritirato mentre aspettavo di lavare la macchina.
Eppure tutta questa aspettativa non è stata soddisfatta ed il libro mi ha un po' delusa. Mi aspettavo di più. Mi aspettavo un'inchiesta giornalistica ben fatta, invece non ho trovato quella profondità, quell'analisi, quella ricerca che è d'obbligo in casi del genere. Il libro è uscito lo stesso anno della liberazione di Elisabeth, ed il racconto riflette questa fretta. Mi sembrava di leggere un lungo articolo di un settimanale in stile Cosmopolitan, in cui vengono tirati in ballo esperti che non hanno lavorato direttamente sul caso e che danno la loro impressione su un determinato comportamento, testimoni che preferiscono restare anonimi, statistiche... Un po' troppo raffazzonato e dà l'impressione di essere un compito a casa, non so come dire. Sembrano i temi che scrivevamo a scuola, ecco... la struttura è la stessa.
Il libro parte con la descrizione dell'infanzia di Fritzl e qui i luoghi comuni si sprecano (fascino per il nazismo, madre ingombrante e abbandonata dal padre ubriacone che era anche il cugino, complesso di Edipo ecc...), poi si parla brevemente della famiglia che intende costruire con Rosemarie, la moglie, una donna che ha paura di tutto, succube del marito e che va avanti come un mulo "per la famiglia". Lui è un marito-padre/padrone, in casa sua si cammina in punta di piedi, a lui è permesso tutto, agli altri nulla. Si sottolinea in maniera ossessiva che i rapporti sessuali coniugali erano inesistenti sebbene lui avesse un fortissimo appetito sessuale (più deviato che kinky), come se questo fosse indice della follia di Fritzl... mah...
La parte relativa ai VENTIQUATTRO anni di prigionia è abbastanza ben fatta, si evidenziano non solo i giorni di prigionia, ma anche l’incapacità della polizia e degli assistenti sociali, l’omertà della gente ecc… ma nel complesso davvero mi aspettavo di più. Avrei sperato in qualcosa più in stile La città dei vivi, non un compendio di articoli dell'epoca.
Insomma secondo me l'aver voluto scrivere il libro in velocità per farlo uscire il prima possibile è stato controproducente e si sente.
Esiste un altro libro sulla vicenda, ossia Elisabeth ovviamente anch'esso fuori catalogo ed introvabile se non a prezzi astronomici.
PS: chissà se gli austriaci sono stati contenti del pessimo ritratto che l’autore dipinge del popolo austriaco.
Eppure tutta questa aspettativa non è stata soddisfatta ed il libro mi ha un po' delusa. Mi aspettavo di più. Mi aspettavo un'inchiesta giornalistica ben fatta, invece non ho trovato quella profondità, quell'analisi, quella ricerca che è d'obbligo in casi del genere. Il libro è uscito lo stesso anno della liberazione di Elisabeth, ed il racconto riflette questa fretta. Mi sembrava di leggere un lungo articolo di un settimanale in stile Cosmopolitan, in cui vengono tirati in ballo esperti che non hanno lavorato direttamente sul caso e che danno la loro impressione su un determinato comportamento, testimoni che preferiscono restare anonimi, statistiche... Un po' troppo raffazzonato e dà l'impressione di essere un compito a casa, non so come dire. Sembrano i temi che scrivevamo a scuola, ecco... la struttura è la stessa.
Il libro parte con la descrizione dell'infanzia di Fritzl e qui i luoghi comuni si sprecano (fascino per il nazismo, madre ingombrante e abbandonata dal padre ubriacone che era anche il cugino, complesso di Edipo ecc...), poi si parla brevemente della famiglia che intende costruire con Rosemarie, la moglie, una donna che ha paura di tutto, succube del marito e che va avanti come un mulo "per la famiglia". Lui è un marito-padre/padrone, in casa sua si cammina in punta di piedi, a lui è permesso tutto, agli altri nulla. Si sottolinea in maniera ossessiva che i rapporti sessuali coniugali erano inesistenti sebbene lui avesse un fortissimo appetito sessuale (più deviato che kinky), come se questo fosse indice della follia di Fritzl... mah...
La parte relativa ai VENTIQUATTRO anni di prigionia è abbastanza ben fatta, si evidenziano non solo i giorni di prigionia, ma anche l’incapacità della polizia e degli assistenti sociali, l’omertà della gente ecc… ma nel complesso davvero mi aspettavo di più. Avrei sperato in qualcosa più in stile La città dei vivi, non un compendio di articoli dell'epoca.
Insomma secondo me l'aver voluto scrivere il libro in velocità per farlo uscire il prima possibile è stato controproducente e si sente.
Esiste un altro libro sulla vicenda, ossia Elisabeth ovviamente anch'esso fuori catalogo ed introvabile se non a prezzi astronomici.
PS: chissà se gli austriaci sono stati contenti del pessimo ritratto che l’autore dipinge del popolo austriaco.
February 8, 2022
A dark and disturbing real life story. How can a father do such inhuman things to his own daughter for so many years keeping her captive and continue to enjoy all the pleasures of life above the ground. Can the blame be placed on his childhood, or experiencing Nazi rule while growing up or a mix of everything and something beyond.
March 2, 2017
Ik durf wel eens een minder "gezellig" boek ter hand nemen en dit is ongezellig bij uitstek!
Die vader Fritzl is echt een psychopaat van het ergste soort. Welke hel hij zijn dochter Elisabeth heeft doen doorstaan en hoe hij zijn gezin van "boven" jarenlang terroriseerde, het is echt verschrikkelijk.
De journalist geeft goed weer hoe Fritzl zijn vrouw en kinderen met ijzeren vuist overheerste, hoe hij zijn kerker kon bouwen en uitbreiden zonder dat iemand het doorhad en dan zijn dochter daar 14 jaar gevangen hield en haar zeven kinderen aanzette, waarvan hij er drie samen met zijn eigen vrouw opvoedde.
Mooie lectuur is het niet, maar ik ben wel blij dat ik het gelezen heb.
Die vader Fritzl is echt een psychopaat van het ergste soort. Welke hel hij zijn dochter Elisabeth heeft doen doorstaan en hoe hij zijn gezin van "boven" jarenlang terroriseerde, het is echt verschrikkelijk.
De journalist geeft goed weer hoe Fritzl zijn vrouw en kinderen met ijzeren vuist overheerste, hoe hij zijn kerker kon bouwen en uitbreiden zonder dat iemand het doorhad en dan zijn dochter daar 14 jaar gevangen hield en haar zeven kinderen aanzette, waarvan hij er drie samen met zijn eigen vrouw opvoedde.
Mooie lectuur is het niet, maar ik ben wel blij dat ik het gelezen heb.
July 24, 2015
We all have those family members who like to lumber you with things once they find out about your interest.
Well this book came from my aunt when she found out about my interest in forensic psychology. Supposedly I need to become an expert in the criminal world – mainly I need to be able to recite the heinous acts of countless individuals across history.
Okay, maybe she did not put it like that but it sort of felt that way when she handed me numerous books on the topic.
Still, despite the fact that such a thing can be viewed as being exceptionally weird, the books she gave me were all interesting reads. This one included. It is educational (even if it is not the kind of topic you would want to teach at school) and an interesting read.
Whilst not my usual I rather enjoyed reading the details of this book.
Well this book came from my aunt when she found out about my interest in forensic psychology. Supposedly I need to become an expert in the criminal world – mainly I need to be able to recite the heinous acts of countless individuals across history.
Okay, maybe she did not put it like that but it sort of felt that way when she handed me numerous books on the topic.
Still, despite the fact that such a thing can be viewed as being exceptionally weird, the books she gave me were all interesting reads. This one included. It is educational (even if it is not the kind of topic you would want to teach at school) and an interesting read.
Whilst not my usual I rather enjoyed reading the details of this book.
February 12, 2010
Quite a look into the real life story of a rapist father Josef Fritzl who drugged his daughter Elizabeth at 18ys and imprisoned her in a soundproof underground bunker. Raping her and fathering several children to her.
The most shocking true event of 2008
The most shocking true event of 2008
January 17, 2017
A horrifically tragic story deserving a better fate than to be told by this incompetent scribbler not fit to write the menu of a Chinese restaurant.
October 11, 2022
This is probably my 3rd or 4th true crime novel and Allan Hall has finally confirmed that being extremely repetitive (and I mean a sentence to the letter) is NOT a requirement for writing true crime. So thank you Allan Hall for not doing that.
This is not to say that events aren't repeated from multiple perspectives. Just the exact same sentence used 2+ times in a short period of time. This book also likes to hop around and then repeat events. I think that feature might be a true crime thing I'll just have to get over.
That said, this book claims to be built upon roughly 150+ interviews from doctors, friends and neighbors. But when you read it, I swear the majority of it is taken out of the report/interview conducted on Fritzl by psychologists and his lawyer because the vast majority of this book is all about Fritzl. Which is fair because it IS titled Monster. It starts with his up bringing (and then references/circles back to it multiple times), and then his marriage to Rosemarie and how it was very patriarchal and abusive. He claimed to love her, but it was a a perverted master-servant type relationship at best.
Then it goes into his children a little bit with his business explained and referenced several times throughout the book... including the fact it was almost exclusively run by his wife and he was too cheap to do upkeep so it eventually fell into disrepair. His kids would often help their mother there during breaks.
It sounds like he had his eyes on Elizabeth from a young age, at least 11. She ran away once as a teen but was dragged back without any inquiry from the cops. At 18, he put her in the cellar and left her there for the next 24 years. He visited her every few days to rape and abuse her and over the course of that time, she was forced to bear him a multitude of children with no medical assistance. Ever.
His cure all was aspirin, which can actually be poisonous. He burned the body of one infant...and despite the smell, and his odd behaviour and the odd tale he spun about his daughter (and how he ended up with 3 of her children living with him above ground) and everything else, no one took enough interest to figure out anything. All those social workers popping in and out. The police who were supposed to be looking for her for 'child neglect'...it's like watching a 24 year slo-mo train wreck of people not bothering to do more than the bare minimum in order to receive their pay cheque. It's just sad.
If you are interested in additional info about Elizabeth and her kids, this book offers nothing new. The internet is actually a better source with a simple google search. For being the victim of the crime, she doesn't get a lot of page time in the grand scheme of things. This book is about Fritzl, and it actually does nothing to explain what the hell happened. Just some opinions and interesting commentary on the lasting effects of Nazisms in Austria and how authorities are completely willing to sweep it all under the rug. The book even mentions several other incidents in Austria that were nearly equally as shocking that also kinda got an audible gasp from the world, but not too much from the people in power in Austria.
Conclusion
I got more info off a 45 minute tv show then I did this book. It doesn't give you any new insights to what was going on in Fritzl's head or to what Elizabeth truly endured (there is only a small handful of pictures too. There's more available on a google search) And while the Nazism parallel is interesting, it's seems to be just one guy's opinion and takes up the tiniest amount of the book. All in all, if you have never heard of this story, this book is probably a good place to start. But if you are like me and devour true crime shows and documentaries, you've seen this all before.
This is not to say that events aren't repeated from multiple perspectives. Just the exact same sentence used 2+ times in a short period of time. This book also likes to hop around and then repeat events. I think that feature might be a true crime thing I'll just have to get over.
That said, this book claims to be built upon roughly 150+ interviews from doctors, friends and neighbors. But when you read it, I swear the majority of it is taken out of the report/interview conducted on Fritzl by psychologists and his lawyer because the vast majority of this book is all about Fritzl. Which is fair because it IS titled Monster. It starts with his up bringing (and then references/circles back to it multiple times), and then his marriage to Rosemarie and how it was very patriarchal and abusive. He claimed to love her, but it was a a perverted master-servant type relationship at best.
Then it goes into his children a little bit with his business explained and referenced several times throughout the book... including the fact it was almost exclusively run by his wife and he was too cheap to do upkeep so it eventually fell into disrepair. His kids would often help their mother there during breaks.
It sounds like he had his eyes on Elizabeth from a young age, at least 11. She ran away once as a teen but was dragged back without any inquiry from the cops. At 18, he put her in the cellar and left her there for the next 24 years. He visited her every few days to rape and abuse her and over the course of that time, she was forced to bear him a multitude of children with no medical assistance. Ever.
His cure all was aspirin, which can actually be poisonous. He burned the body of one infant...and despite the smell, and his odd behaviour and the odd tale he spun about his daughter (and how he ended up with 3 of her children living with him above ground) and everything else, no one took enough interest to figure out anything. All those social workers popping in and out. The police who were supposed to be looking for her for 'child neglect'...it's like watching a 24 year slo-mo train wreck of people not bothering to do more than the bare minimum in order to receive their pay cheque. It's just sad.
If you are interested in additional info about Elizabeth and her kids, this book offers nothing new. The internet is actually a better source with a simple google search. For being the victim of the crime, she doesn't get a lot of page time in the grand scheme of things. This book is about Fritzl, and it actually does nothing to explain what the hell happened. Just some opinions and interesting commentary on the lasting effects of Nazisms in Austria and how authorities are completely willing to sweep it all under the rug. The book even mentions several other incidents in Austria that were nearly equally as shocking that also kinda got an audible gasp from the world, but not too much from the people in power in Austria.
Conclusion
I got more info off a 45 minute tv show then I did this book. It doesn't give you any new insights to what was going on in Fritzl's head or to what Elizabeth truly endured (there is only a small handful of pictures too. There's more available on a google search) And while the Nazism parallel is interesting, it's seems to be just one guy's opinion and takes up the tiniest amount of the book. All in all, if you have never heard of this story, this book is probably a good place to start. But if you are like me and devour true crime shows and documentaries, you've seen this all before.
May 13, 2021
I can recall when Elisabeth and her children were discovered having heard about it on the news. I was completely horrified to learn of her capture, the unimaginable length of her capture and the loneliness, abuse and pain she must have suffered at the hands of her so called father.
This book has been on my tbr shelf for a long time so I thought it was time to give it a whirl. I was disappointed on the whole. The interviews that tell the story of this real life living hell are very repetitive, the book could easily have been slashed by about 40%. Allan Hall seems to have a personal vendetta against the Austrian nation, as his personal one sided opinion is apparent throughout, and whilst I’m sure Austria has had its problems and probably continues to do so (not unlike any other country I am aware of) I felt he did the country, as a whole a huge injustice by practically slating it and all its inhabitants.
As someone who is very interested in the psychology behind peoples behaviours and crimes it was interesting to read about Josef Fritz’s upbringing and the links between nazism, having no father at home and a mother who ruled with an iron rod and how these may have impacted on the person He became. However, I don’t think this book really explained or even understood the depth of his mental state.
I simply can not begin to understand what pain and suffering his family went through and hope and pray that they have been able to find some peace over the years since this book was written.
This book has been on my tbr shelf for a long time so I thought it was time to give it a whirl. I was disappointed on the whole. The interviews that tell the story of this real life living hell are very repetitive, the book could easily have been slashed by about 40%. Allan Hall seems to have a personal vendetta against the Austrian nation, as his personal one sided opinion is apparent throughout, and whilst I’m sure Austria has had its problems and probably continues to do so (not unlike any other country I am aware of) I felt he did the country, as a whole a huge injustice by practically slating it and all its inhabitants.
As someone who is very interested in the psychology behind peoples behaviours and crimes it was interesting to read about Josef Fritz’s upbringing and the links between nazism, having no father at home and a mother who ruled with an iron rod and how these may have impacted on the person He became. However, I don’t think this book really explained or even understood the depth of his mental state.
I simply can not begin to understand what pain and suffering his family went through and hope and pray that they have been able to find some peace over the years since this book was written.
May 19, 2019
"At time of writing, the police have had no opportunity to get close to the upstairs clan or the downstairs dwellers. It is unclear what Elisabeth has told them".
The problem with this book - and with so much true crime - is that it feels like it was rushed out to cash in while media interest was still high. At the time of its release, Fritzl is still awaiting trial, so the story isn't over - the Monster hasn't been vanquished and brought to justice; there's no third act. It feels unfinished. I'd be surprised if there wasn't a revised edition released after the trial that's more complete, but my version didn't have it.
The book itself is good and paints quite a picture of the horrors of the cellar. Fritzl's background is explored in detail, with many testimonies from family friends and acquaintances, and psychologists give their opinions on the events that moulded the man into The Monster. There's a little too much conjecture in places however, thoughts and feelings are attributed to Fritzl and Elisabeth in situations where no-one can possibly know what happened, and entire scenes seem to have come entirely from the authors imagination. There are also many bizarre occurrences of Austrian people in the interviews using English slang, as though you're reading the words of someone from the North of England rather than Austria. I suspect someone has taken a few liberties in translating the interviews. A compelling read despite a few annoyances however.
The problem with this book - and with so much true crime - is that it feels like it was rushed out to cash in while media interest was still high. At the time of its release, Fritzl is still awaiting trial, so the story isn't over - the Monster hasn't been vanquished and brought to justice; there's no third act. It feels unfinished. I'd be surprised if there wasn't a revised edition released after the trial that's more complete, but my version didn't have it.
The book itself is good and paints quite a picture of the horrors of the cellar. Fritzl's background is explored in detail, with many testimonies from family friends and acquaintances, and psychologists give their opinions on the events that moulded the man into The Monster. There's a little too much conjecture in places however, thoughts and feelings are attributed to Fritzl and Elisabeth in situations where no-one can possibly know what happened, and entire scenes seem to have come entirely from the authors imagination. There are also many bizarre occurrences of Austrian people in the interviews using English slang, as though you're reading the words of someone from the North of England rather than Austria. I suspect someone has taken a few liberties in translating the interviews. A compelling read despite a few annoyances however.
August 1, 2024
I enjoyed this book a great deal. The detail into the life of Elizabeth inside and outside of the cellar was great - I'd have liked a bit more of it, seeing as how the first quarter of the book was just about Josef Fritzl. I understand it was constructed that way so we get to know how he came to be such a terrible monster, but still, more of Elizabeth's life in the cellar could have been provided.
Also at the end, I felt like some sections were constructed as if we were meant to sympathize with Josef? He deserves to rot in jail for all eternity. Anything that has ever come out of his mouth is bullshit.
I also didn't like the ignorance of Rosemarie - she gave up the search for her daughter way too soon. Who believes 'your daughter joined a sect'? I understand she was emotionally abused as well but you'd think she'd be more alarmed that her daughter vanished for 24 years. Police were also pretty ignorant about the whole story.
Such a terrible thing what happened to Elizabeth. I'm so glad she and her children survived the ordeal, but if anyone had a fraction of a brain, they could have investigated and got her out sooner. 24 years in a cramped, damp, mice-infested cellar is a hell no one should have to go through.
Also at the end, I felt like some sections were constructed as if we were meant to sympathize with Josef? He deserves to rot in jail for all eternity. Anything that has ever come out of his mouth is bullshit.
I also didn't like the ignorance of Rosemarie - she gave up the search for her daughter way too soon. Who believes 'your daughter joined a sect'? I understand she was emotionally abused as well but you'd think she'd be more alarmed that her daughter vanished for 24 years. Police were also pretty ignorant about the whole story.
Such a terrible thing what happened to Elizabeth. I'm so glad she and her children survived the ordeal, but if anyone had a fraction of a brain, they could have investigated and got her out sooner. 24 years in a cramped, damp, mice-infested cellar is a hell no one should have to go through.
March 2, 2024
This book was written soon after the discovery of Elisabeth Fritzl and her 3 “cellar children” had escaped the 24 years of abuse and imprisonment at the hands of Elisabeths dad, Josef Fritzl.
The factual components of this book were really horrifying, the fact that the sheer amount of time this imprisonment had gone on for really caused me to feel quite shocked and upset at the whole ordeal. I really liked the aspects of psychology within this book as it delves into the history behind the thought process Fritzl showed and possible explanations as to why he had done what he did (side note- no excuses for what he did, just possible explanations!)
I didn’t enjoy the aspects of other cases that were brought into this book as little comparisons were fine but there were pages and pages of cases and information that had no real impact on Fritzl’s case so they felt a little unnecessary.
I would most likely read another book to learn about this case as opposed to this one- maybe one that had been brought out later on so the outcome isn’t quite so uncertain.
The factual components of this book were really horrifying, the fact that the sheer amount of time this imprisonment had gone on for really caused me to feel quite shocked and upset at the whole ordeal. I really liked the aspects of psychology within this book as it delves into the history behind the thought process Fritzl showed and possible explanations as to why he had done what he did (side note- no excuses for what he did, just possible explanations!)
I didn’t enjoy the aspects of other cases that were brought into this book as little comparisons were fine but there were pages and pages of cases and information that had no real impact on Fritzl’s case so they felt a little unnecessary.
I would most likely read another book to learn about this case as opposed to this one- maybe one that had been brought out later on so the outcome isn’t quite so uncertain.
December 19, 2024
A very unpleasant subject, but this book was an interesting read. I wish the cover wasn't a massive picture of Fritzel's face though.
I liked that we got some context about Austria in general, and during the time Fritzel grew up. I remember the front pages at the time being covered with the photos of the bunker and everyone was horrified. It's a horrible crime no matter how you look at it, but getting into the gritty details makes it so much worse. The lack of ventilation, the vitamin deficiencies, the physical weakness and decline of the people down there.
I get why this book was written when it was (to jump on the media train), but it would be maybe been better to wait a year or two until the trial and to find out what happened to him. Obviously, I can google the answer after finishing this book, but I was surprised at how quickly this book was released. I think there is some repetition towards the end, with maybe some padding out of the chapters with any sliver of information.
But, overall, this is a good book if you want to get some details about this horrible crime.
I liked that we got some context about Austria in general, and during the time Fritzel grew up. I remember the front pages at the time being covered with the photos of the bunker and everyone was horrified. It's a horrible crime no matter how you look at it, but getting into the gritty details makes it so much worse. The lack of ventilation, the vitamin deficiencies, the physical weakness and decline of the people down there.
I get why this book was written when it was (to jump on the media train), but it would be maybe been better to wait a year or two until the trial and to find out what happened to him. Obviously, I can google the answer after finishing this book, but I was surprised at how quickly this book was released. I think there is some repetition towards the end, with maybe some padding out of the chapters with any sliver of information.
But, overall, this is a good book if you want to get some details about this horrible crime.
September 2, 2023
This was in a strange way a good book in some parts. I do feel there was a lot of repetitions of the same subject point but written in different ways but you eventually pick up on them. I also saw some contradictory facts but nothing alarming as we have to keep in mind when this book was written as it was so fresh since all the horrific acts and not many details were known and so on as we experience now.
That aside, it was nice to gruesome to read of any unnecessary details. It was VICTIM focused and that was interesting then shifting in between with all the facts known at that given time, interviews and so forth. It was especially intriguing to read of the Nazi references and the different countries and details around those. It was in a way extremely sad to learn of such beautiful places but from the frightening side.
I won't be reading this book but I can honestly say I will remember it for a very long time....
That aside, it was nice to gruesome to read of any unnecessary details. It was VICTIM focused and that was interesting then shifting in between with all the facts known at that given time, interviews and so forth. It was especially intriguing to read of the Nazi references and the different countries and details around those. It was in a way extremely sad to learn of such beautiful places but from the frightening side.
I won't be reading this book but I can honestly say I will remember it for a very long time....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2024
Monster is a real mixed bag. One of the problems straight away, is that there are psychopathic mass murderers who have more redeeming qualities than Fritzl does. There is no nuance about him whatsoever - he’s pure evil and a vile person. Therefore writing an entire book about him and his actions which isn’t overpoweringly depressing is a challenge.
The things I liked about the book were analysis on how the Anschluss and the Nazis influenced him, and how societal issues in Austria allowed Fritzl to commit his heinous crimes and get away with it for decades.
The issues I had were that it felt repetitive, some of the language felt either colloquial or sensationalist, and also I would question the validity and motivations of many of the interviewees in the book. It also did not feel clear where Hall sourced a lot of his information. The book seemed to have come out very quickly after the case hit the media, which again makes me sceptical about how much this book was researched.
The things I liked about the book were analysis on how the Anschluss and the Nazis influenced him, and how societal issues in Austria allowed Fritzl to commit his heinous crimes and get away with it for decades.
The issues I had were that it felt repetitive, some of the language felt either colloquial or sensationalist, and also I would question the validity and motivations of many of the interviewees in the book. It also did not feel clear where Hall sourced a lot of his information. The book seemed to have come out very quickly after the case hit the media, which again makes me sceptical about how much this book was researched.
February 18, 2023
As I can gather from other reviews on this book it is in principle only a
collection of open source information regarding the Fritzl family and the tragedy
brought upon them by the very man that was supposed to protect them.
I found the book interesting and captivating and as disturbing as a true crime book can be. I
knew about the story obviously but did not have the time or access at the time to follow it
with this much detail to it. I had a quick look around and see that he has been sentenced etc and
that Elizabeth is making a new life for herself. For that I am delighted.
How much her new life is normal after this ordeal is however something nobody will ever truly know.
I am sorry for her and her six remaining children. They will live with this shadow over them for the rest of their lives. But at the very least they are alive to live as they wish.
collection of open source information regarding the Fritzl family and the tragedy
brought upon them by the very man that was supposed to protect them.
I found the book interesting and captivating and as disturbing as a true crime book can be. I
knew about the story obviously but did not have the time or access at the time to follow it
with this much detail to it. I had a quick look around and see that he has been sentenced etc and
that Elizabeth is making a new life for herself. For that I am delighted.
How much her new life is normal after this ordeal is however something nobody will ever truly know.
I am sorry for her and her six remaining children. They will live with this shadow over them for the rest of their lives. But at the very least they are alive to live as they wish.
November 21, 2023
This is the horrific true story of the evil Josef Fritzl and how he kidnapped his own daughter for 24 years, abusing and raping her, leading them to have incestious seven children.
The book is kind of well written. However, it was probably written too early, as Fritzl was arrested and his monstrous crimes were discovered in April 2008, and later the same year, this book was released.
Due to this, the book feels like a "hearsay" version of events and interviews rather than established facts. The book was released well before the trial, and so is missing some vital information.
I feel that it is a good base book to get a basic understanding of what happened in this nightmare of a true story, however if a more indepth factual true crime account is what you want, perhaps look for a different book that was released later on.
The book is kind of well written. However, it was probably written too early, as Fritzl was arrested and his monstrous crimes were discovered in April 2008, and later the same year, this book was released.
Due to this, the book feels like a "hearsay" version of events and interviews rather than established facts. The book was released well before the trial, and so is missing some vital information.
I feel that it is a good base book to get a basic understanding of what happened in this nightmare of a true story, however if a more indepth factual true crime account is what you want, perhaps look for a different book that was released later on.
October 7, 2025
so if you want to commit a crime or murder just go to austria after reading this book i am terrified of the justice system in austria and cant believe how hard they failed elizabeth and many others. This book was well explained and detailed but i give it 4 stars as i think it was released to quickly after what happened and then important information such as how elizabeth and her family were going and what Josep Frizl Trial was like and prison and what not. The first part of this book is mainly just interviews which some were interesting and needed for the plot line but others seemed like people who just wanted to be included in the conversation and didn’t truly care. Good book overall and worth the read but very slow to get into it at the start
September 1, 2022
3.5 star rating.
Nothing was really to shocking in this book, having watched many documentaries on Josef Fritzl on YouTube. I do give great credit to Allan Hall who took the time do do all the research to write this book.
So much more is explained in this book than I'd seen on the documentaries. Especially the conditions of Elizabeth and her children, the conditions they now suffer from after being imprisoned for 28 years and the 3 children since they were born. I just hope that Elizabeth is beginning to live her life free from fear that this would happen again and has been able to rebuild her life with her children.
Nothing was really to shocking in this book, having watched many documentaries on Josef Fritzl on YouTube. I do give great credit to Allan Hall who took the time do do all the research to write this book.
So much more is explained in this book than I'd seen on the documentaries. Especially the conditions of Elizabeth and her children, the conditions they now suffer from after being imprisoned for 28 years and the 3 children since they were born. I just hope that Elizabeth is beginning to live her life free from fear that this would happen again and has been able to rebuild her life with her children.
August 6, 2020
Review #19 of my 52 week book challenge: Monster
There's Satan. And then there's Josef Fritzel.
In this jaw-dropping, page-turner of a book, we're taken through an unimaginable hellscape to the very depths of human depravity. While the story made international headlines back in 2008, the level of detail presented in the book certainly didn't make it below the fold. READ.THIS.BOOK!
To find out why I started my 52 week book challenge, what I've been reading, and how you can get involved, check out my original LinkedIn Publisher article or follow me.
There's Satan. And then there's Josef Fritzel.
In this jaw-dropping, page-turner of a book, we're taken through an unimaginable hellscape to the very depths of human depravity. While the story made international headlines back in 2008, the level of detail presented in the book certainly didn't make it below the fold. READ.THIS.BOOK!
To find out why I started my 52 week book challenge, what I've been reading, and how you can get involved, check out my original LinkedIn Publisher article or follow me.
July 20, 2024
Exceptional
This book takes an in-depth look at how Austrian society shaped the evil monster that is Josef Fritzl both through psycho-cultural norms and a collective desire to look away from anything deemed inhumane. The books is expertly researched and it does an excellent job of humanising Elizabeth and what an exceptional human being she is. Shocking and heartbreaking but also filled with hope, this will be of particular interest to those interested in psychology and true crime.
This book takes an in-depth look at how Austrian society shaped the evil monster that is Josef Fritzl both through psycho-cultural norms and a collective desire to look away from anything deemed inhumane. The books is expertly researched and it does an excellent job of humanising Elizabeth and what an exceptional human being she is. Shocking and heartbreaking but also filled with hope, this will be of particular interest to those interested in psychology and true crime.
September 30, 2025
This could have got a higher rating, but I think it’s a matter of timing. I didn’t realise that this had been written so soon after the crimes were discovered.
I suspect a book written a little later would have had more perspective on the aftermath.
That’s a quibble really, the reality of the horrors is brought vividly to life, and the scale of it laid bare.
Certainly not an easy read, and left me questioning so much.
One quirky thing: I wasn’t expecting very British slang terms liberally sprinkled throughout the book.
I suspect a book written a little later would have had more perspective on the aftermath.
That’s a quibble really, the reality of the horrors is brought vividly to life, and the scale of it laid bare.
Certainly not an easy read, and left me questioning so much.
One quirky thing: I wasn’t expecting very British slang terms liberally sprinkled throughout the book.
March 30, 2020
At times, it gets difficult to go ahead reading the book, thinking of the atrocities committed. I just wonder, could there be just such a father ? Had I been the judge, I would pronounce a sentence which would be 'severe his genitals and hang till just about dead - but not dead'. Then take the criminal to the hospital to recoup for a week......then 'hang till just about dead - but not dead'. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
August 16, 2022
Too repetitive in the hows and whys of why Fritzl imprisoned his daughter. There were some harrowing moments to read through, but much of the book was assumed knowledge of the events or the recounts of people who didn’t actually know facts. Probably written too soon in that we didn’t get any info about the trial/prosecution which left quite an unsatisfying ending. I had to google the outcome to get some comfort to the sick things you had to endure
March 2, 2025
I couldn’t even finish the book to be honest. It appears to be a tabloid news article made into a book. For such a devastating thing happening to this family, it seems almost glorified in a way, and does not look into the psyche behind the psychopath. Did not enjoy what I read whatsoever, so stopped reading and have no intention of ever going back to it. My thoughts are with the family who suffered so much from his vile inhuman acts
January 3, 2019
After listening to a true crime podcast covering the horrors of the Fritzl story, I had a morbid curiosity to find out how the hell he kept it secret for so long. How did no one catch this jackass sooner!? Hopefully he rots in hell soon, but I do wish the book interviewed either Fritzl or any of his relatives to gain better insight on the survival of the kids and the warped reality of it all.
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