As I promised a few weeks earlier, I am writing my review on Cherie White’s book, “From Victim to Victor.” It’s an account of how the author endured years of horrific bullying and eventually overcame it and has gone on to lead a full and glorious life. As I read the book, Cherie’s experiences had me reflecting back to my own bullying experiences and comparing and contrasting them. Her well written, no holds bared account was very eye opening and very honest. While she was the target of such awful bullying, she doesn’t try to play the victim card and expect you just to give her sympathy but she does earn it!
Like Cherie, the bullies came out for me on the first day I started school in my new town. It seems neither of our towns were tolerant of new arrivals. I was immediately branded weird while without even getting to know her, Cherie was thought of as thinking she was better than everyone else. It was clear in the book that it wasn’t the case. Another similarity is that the bullying didn’t always end when we left school. Cherie’s happened on the school bus while in my case, I was targeted while walking home from school. Another similarity is that we eventually found someone lower down to unload our frustrations on. We sometimes were the bullies and fair play to the author here, she doesn’t try to justify it or sugar coat it in any way. This has given me thoughts for a future post but this isn’t about that.
Our schools showed little or no interest in our plights. However, while teachers at my school showed feigned some interest in what I was going through, although they were quick to believe the bully’s version of events over mine, teachers and the principal at her school blamed her for the bullying she was suffering. While I had some instances of victim blaming, she had it all the time. This includes parents. My mother thought my bullying was my fault because I didn’t fight back but Cherie was afraid to even speak to her parents about it as she felt it would have been worse for her. It eventually became that way for me.
Not that they weren’t there already but my sympathies were totally with Cherie at the end when she moved out of the town where she was so badly bullied. When I moved out of the town, I had no more connection with anyone living there. I think they were just as glad to see me go as I was to leave. And for both of us, our lives drastically improved when we got to our new towns. Our grades improved and Cherie was able to use her singing talents while I made the basketball and baseball teams. Unfortunately for her, the bullies caught up with her. First, she was accused by residents of her former town of destroying the high school. Then she was called up by some of those bullies and threatened with violence and even death. Thank God, I didn’t have that and that is why Cherie is a true victor!
In conclusion, I will go out on a limb and declare Cherie White’s book, “From Victim to Victor,” the Bible for anyone who has been involved in bullying in any way. Whether you have been a target of bullying, a parent of the target, a teacher or other school official or even a bully, then this is a must read for you. I know that the experiences of the author with stop and make you think, it did me. However, the best message this book can send is that even if you are being bullied, it’s not forever and you can overcome and go onto lead a full life. You can overcome!
After reading this book, I feel unworthy to post a link to He Was Weird in this post.
Peaceful Rampage 
Omgosh! You don’t know how much this means, Michael. Thank you so much for writing a review on “From Victim to Victor.” I am both honored and humbled by your reading and review. I can’t thank you enough for all your support amd friendship! 😊🤗😊🤗
It was my pleasure, as I wrote from a point of total honesty and you will always have my support and friendship.
Could I please reblog?
Of course.
Pingback: Book Review: From Victim to Victor by Cherie White — Peaceful Rampage | Chateau Cherie
I am always honoured when I get a re-blog. Thank you
Hey, Michael! I finished your book this morning and wrote a review of it! It will post tomorrow at 10am my time, probably between 4-6pm your time. Just wanted to give you a heads up! Your book was such a fantastic read and I found myself sad and angry at the same time for the protagonist! And the end chapters really got me in the heart!
Wow, thank you. The two questions I ask every reader, if I can, when they have finished reading are 1. After the shooting, what were your impressions of the actions of the Cherisso family? 2. Most importantly, who do you blame?
1. My impression was that the Cherisso family were a bunch of self-entitled narcissists! No wonder their daughter was a bully!
2. Although I don’t condone violence and believe, I believe the bullies are just as guilty of causing the shooting as Mark! I sympathize with Mark, I don’t approve of what he did, but my heart breaks for the kid! The bullies I have less sympathy for- sorry!
Don’t be sorry, I have no sympathy for the bullies either. I got the idea for the Cherisso family from something I heard about the Columbine shooting. There were two sets of parents who toured religious revivals saying that it was their daughter who said she believed in Jesus before she was shot but the girl who actually said it survived and decided not to cash in on it.
I completely understand! I have sympathy for them either. Their families left behind, yes, but not them. And there are families like the Cherisso family everywhere, I think! 🙂
There are!
And you’re very welcome, Michael! I also left you a review on Amazon as well!
I’ve read it and thank you very much.
You’re so welcome! 🙂🤗