What the Critics Say
About Joy Castro
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The personal account of a young girl who endured abuse and the disturbing effects of religious hypocrisy
within one of the most enigmatic sects of Christian fundamentalism. Joy Castro is adopted as a baby
and raised by a devout Jehovah's Witness family. As a child, she is constantly told to always tell the
truth, no matter the consequences, for she must model herself on Jehovah, and Jehovah does not lie. She
dutifully studies the truth book, a supplemental religious text that contains the principles of the
faith." When Joy is ten years old, her parents divorce. Earlier, her father had been disfellowshipped,
or excommunicated from the congregation, for smoking. When Joy is twelve, her mother marries a respected
brother in their church. He has an impeccable public persona, but behind closed doors at home he is a
savage brute. Joy and her younger brother Tony are forbidden from seeing their father and are abused
mercilessly — to the point they both think they are going to die. Their battered mother does
nothing to
protect them. Nor does their church, to which Joy voices her appeals. For two years they suffer, until
one day Joy reaches out to her father, and together they plan and execute the children's daring escape.
— from the publisher
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Bibliography
