Hello Readers,
In this book Shari focuses on her own experiences, rather
than everything that has been well documented in the court case. She delves
into the years of emotional manipulation and control inflicted by her mother,
Ruby, whose behaviour became increasingly erratic under the influence of Jodi
Hildebrandt. Just a heads up this memoir is raw, gripping, and not an easy read.
Shari Franke’s memoir, The House of My Mother, is a
brave, heart breaking, and profoundly moving account of her childhood and young
adulthood. As the eldest child in a vlogger family, Shari sheds light on the
emotional abuse she endured long before her mother, Ruby Franke, became widely
known for her arrest and the subsequent court case involving the abuse of her
younger siblings.
Shari leaves no room for sympathy toward Ruby, framing
her as a narcissist whose delusions escalated into outright harm. Ruby’s
attempts to cast herself as a victim are dismantled through Shari’s honest and
unwavering narrative.
In recounting her journey, Shari also reveals how her
traumatic upbringing made her vulnerable to further exploitation, including
grooming by a predatory older man. Her reflections on breaking free from these
cycles of abuse and finding her way to healing are both gut-wrenching and
inspiring. Despite the darkness, Shari’s resilience shines through, offering
readers hope amid the devastation.
One of the central themes in this book is the ethical and
legal issues surrounding family vlogging. Shari highlights how the monetisation
of her family’s private life left her and her siblings unprotected, exploited,
and without agency.
While there are laws to safeguard child actors in
traditional media, children featured in family vlogs remain unprotected.
Shari’s story highlights the need for legal reforms to protect children in
these situations. We are in the era of where children raised in
"picture-perfect" vlogging families are beginning to come forward
with their own accounts and allowing us to see behind the curtain.
This is a book that will grip you, horrify you, and will leave
you in awe of Shari strength. I hope she and her siblings find peace, healing,
and happiness in their futures.
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