We Will Stone Him is a story about abuse and survival. Beginning in early childhood and ending in early adolescence, this author retells the horrifying nightmares that he endured and the trauma that came with it.

One important detail that the author touches on is the cycle of abuse, which is something that can offer somewhat of an explanation as to why abuse exists, and more importantly, why it continues. This story explores the personal elements, environmental events, financial constraints, religious culture, and generational trauma that can factor into abuse. The author narrates his story from early childhood into adolescent years, and as he relives the horror that he’s gone through, it’s like watching a stack of dominoes fall down. For example, if you can’t even trust your parents or rely on them from a young age, how are you supposed to trust anything or anyone else? And if a person already started off in such a manner, it’s not difficult to imagine the mental health issues that would follow as that person ages and grows. It stings reading about how this author was so easily thrown into unsafe situations over and over again by his parents, and their neglect, naivety, and overall lack of concern is beyond frustrating. But in the end, the author makes the conscious effort to use all of the hardships that he’s overcome to ultimately make himself into a better person (however, the author also implies that this will come much later in his life, which we don’t see happen in this book.)

As the author himself references, those who are both fascinated and appalled by the horrible acts of child abuse in A Child Called It will likely feel similarly as they read this book. We Will Stone Him is not only a memoir of one person; it is a story that paints the picture of an entire family. As a reviewer, I already look forward to reading the upcoming sequels that will complete this story. Readers be warned: this is not a comfortable read and this story is filled with triggering content such as physical child abuse, sexual child abuse, religious abuse, and grooming, to name a few.

To share a quote from the author that is absolutely spot on: “Adults who prey on children are, in my opinion, the worst kinds of predators. I have no sympathy for them, nor do I believe that mercy should be shown to them. What they take from their child victims is everything and what they leave behind is a lasting scar that will haunt that child for the duration of their life.”

Hannah Williams