Rust & Stardust

have such mixed feelings about "Rust and Stardust". It is a beautifully written story based on a horrific case that really did happen in the 1950s. 11-year-old Sally Horner steals a notebook on a dare and doesn't realize that she has been seen by Frank LaSalle, a 52-year-old who has recently been released from prison. Frank takes advantage of Sally's naivety by telling her he is an FBI agent who can help her avoid being arrested if she does everything that he says. Of course, his intentions are less than noble. I think you get what I am hinting at here. The novel then details the next two years as Sally and Frank avoid the law while Sally suffers relentless mental and physical assaults by Frank. This is not an easy book to read but I feel like it should be read. People remember the case in the 1950s and it is believed that the book, "Lolita" by Vladimir Nabokov was based on the case. The one who seems to have been forgotten is Sally Horner herself and she should be remembered. I can't imagine the horror she lived through and what her life (though it was tragically cut short) was like afterward. "Rust and Stardust," tells the story from Sally's point of view and is compassionate in showing how it must have devastated her. I would definitely recommend this book but be prepared for a story that does not have a happy ending.

4/5 Stars