"For many years after that night, my memories of what happened after he
held the blade to my throat and threatened my life were fragmented . . .
difficult to piece together. It was too extreme, too violent for me to
understand."
Living in a state of shock and self-loathing, it took her years of
struggle to confront the buried memories of that first attack and begin
to undo the damage it wrought, as men continued to take advantage of her
fragility in the worst possible way. Yet, after growing up with a burden
no teenager should ever have to shoulder, she found the heart to carry
out the best revenge plan of all: leading a fulfilling and happy life.
But the road to piecing her life back together was long and painful. For
Madeleine, forgiveness was the key. True forgiveness takes genuine
effort. It takes a real desire to understand those who have done us so
much harm. It is the ultimate act of courage. In Unbroken, Madeleine
tells her deeply moving and empowering story, as she discovers that life
is about how a person chooses to recover from adversity.