Living Dead Girl (novel)

Living Dead Girl
Author Elizabeth Scott
Country United States
Language English
Publisher Simon Pulse
Published September 2, 2008

Living Dead Girl is a Young Adult novel written by Elizabeth Scott. The story follows a girl called "Alice" who has been kidnapped by a pedophile named Ray.

Summary

When "Alice" was ten years old, she went on a field trip with her class to an aquarium and got into a fight with her friends while there. After her friends abandon her due to the argument, she loses her class and is approached by a man. He says that her class has gone to see a movie and that he will take her there. He gives her a hat and tells her to tuck her hair into it, and then leads her out of the aquarium. He tells her that the lady at the front thought she was his son, laughing before abducting her.

This book takes place five years after "Alice's" abduction. She is now 15, and is still living with Ray, her abductor. They now portray father and daughter, though they have no connections to anyone in the outside world. During this time, he has deprived her of food in order to keep her frozen in her childlike body, dresses her in childlike clothing, and has raped her daily since the day he kidnapped her. Ray also makes her sit in a chair as punishment for the "bad" things she does. Alice refers to herself as the "Living Dead Girl." She is numb on the inside and is looking forward to the day when Ray will finally kill her like he did with the girl that he had abducted before Alice, the "First Alice." Ray had kept her until she was fifteen and had outgrown her childlike body. He then killed her and dumped her body, which was later found, but he had never been suspected with her abduction or murder. It is implied that the First Alice tried to commit suicide with a razor while taking a shower alone (this is the reason the second Alice is not allowed to take showers by herself.)

Alice now hopes for death, rather than for escape. Since the day he had taken her, he had threatened that if she ever ran from him or tried to contact police, he would kill her parents. She has been brainwashed with his fear and says "I could run, but he would find me. He would take me back to 623 Daisy Lane and make everyone who lives there pay. He would make everyone there pay even if he didn't find me. I belong to him. I'm his little girl. All I have to do is be good" (p. 34). So she "stays in line" even though she is left at their apartment alone all day while he is at work, and even goes to get waxes done by herself. She sees no hope in ever returning to her home, and believes death is the only escape. However, Ray tells Alice he wants her to find him a "New Alice." At first, Alice hopes that if she does, he will then free her, or at least finally take her life, but instead Ray tells her that she will train the new Alice to his liking.

So Alice takes trips down to the park where Ray had taken her once before and watches the young girls that play there. She writes down in a little notebook the different girls, what they do, and what they look like. She returns to Ray and he asks her to tell him all about these little girls. On one of her trips there, she meets Lucy, a young girl who likes to swing. After Lucy tells Alice that she doesn't like her, Alice decides in anger that Lucy will be the one to replace her. Alice then meets Lucy's older brother, Jake, a troubled teenager who "pops pills." Alice returns to his car and performs a sexual act to try to get some information from him about Lucy. She finds out a little information about the girls hobbies and schedule. Before she leaves, she also meets a police officer who has a feeling that Alice is in trouble. However, Alice knows that talking to the police only cause her trouble with Ray, so she refuses to call for help. When Ray accuses Alice of lying to him about Lucy's whereabouts Alice becomes confused as Jake told her that Lucy would be at swimming.

In the end, after being punished for Lucy not being at the park, Alice returns later at six at night and finds Lucy standing in the park. She tries to tell her to run, but Ray appears and grasps Lucy by the arm. Alice collects her remaining life in her hollow body and shouts for Lucy to run. Ray gets so angry he tries to strangle and tear the flesh out of Alice. Jake shoots him, and Ray dies.Jake realizes that he accidentally also shot Alice who is now rapidly deteriorating. Alice tells Lucy that her name is Kyla Davis and she lives on 623 Daisy Lane and asks Lucy to take her home.Alice's final thought before she dies is "I am free".

Major Characters

Alice — She was kidnapped by Ray as a child who sexually and physically abused her, and is now in her teens. She is becoming overly desperate and has almost given up on life. She's charged by her abductor to find and train her own replacement Alice.

Ray — The antagonist in the book. Ray was sexually abused by his mother as a child and is now taking out his pain by abusing young girls, all of whom he calls Alice.

Lucy — The little girl Alice is planning to bring to Ray. When she tells Ray of her discovery, he then renames Lucy "Annabel".

Jake — Lucy's older brother. He promises Alice that he will save her.

Reception

External links

References

  1. ↑ http://www.reading.org/Libraries/Choices/YAC_Bookmark_2010.sflb.ashx
  2. ↑ "2010 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults". ALA. 2010-01-14. Retrieved 2011-04-02.
  3. ↑ "2010 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". ALA. 2010-01-13. Retrieved 2011-04-02.
  4. ↑ "2009 Best Books for Young Adults". ALA. 2009-01-21. Retrieved 2011-04-02.
  5. ↑ "2009 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers". ALA. 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2011-04-02.
  6. ↑ Booklists « TEEN SPACE said (2009-10-13). "2009 Amelia Bloomer List « Amelia Bloomer Project". Ameliabloomer.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2011-04-02.
  7. ↑ "BCCB-2008 BLUE RIBBONS". Bccb.lis.illinois.edu. 2009-01-01. Retrieved 2011-04-02.
  8. ↑ Leitich, Cynthia (2008-12-30). "CYNSATIONS: Cynsational Books of 2008". Cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2011-04-02.
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