I'm No Monster: The Horrifying True Story of Josef Fritzl

This is no easy read. "I'm No Monster" is the true-life story of the Austrian engineer Josef Fritzl who imprisoned his daughter Elisabeth in the basement of his home for a 24-year period and during that time, sired seven children with her.

It is the story of an outwardly conforming husband, father and friend who nevertheless, succeeded in duping all with whom he came in contact with for a long period of time. As a younger man, he had fathered seven children with his wife, with whom he continued to live on the upper floor of his large home. His relationship with his wife is a complex one, one in which husband and wife lived under the same roof and ate most meals together but in reality, lived completely separate lives.

The authors succeed in resisting the temptation to take a sensationalistic approach to this subject. Opting for an analytical approach instead, most readers will be amazed that over this long time, neither his wife nor his other children were able to discover Josef's deceit in having a second "downstairs family" in addition to his "upstairs family."

His one close friend who came as close as anyone to being a confidant never knew or sensed what Josef was able to pull off.

The psychological elements in this narrative are fascinating. The authors explore some of these but many questions that readers have are unexplored and unanswered. Perhaps these questions are simply un-answerable.

I gave this book four stars not because of any faults but because I came away with so many unanswered questions. Deception and crime of this magnitude leaves many issues open for discussion, analysis and understanding.

Josef Fritzl had a criminal past which included a conviction and prison time for forcible rape. A mix of sex crimes early in his life beginning with Peeping Tomism and voyeurism move on to self-exposure and lastly, bondage, an ever-deepening pattern of deviant behavior. With the exception of the rape conviction, Fritzl's escalating deviant sexual behavior was dealt with in the most lenient and forgiving of ways by a mix of authorities, including law enforcment, social service agencies and the Austrian judicial system.

Two suggestions for improvement to the book: first, although the design of the basement prison in which daughter Elisabeth and her children were held is described in narrative, it would have been easier to understand if a diagram or drawing of the rooms and the passageways had been included.

Second, although the authors have explored in some depth the psychology of his wife, I am still puzzled about her and how his deception could be so complete. Portrayed as a largely passive personality, she was nevertheless, effective as a mother and grandmother. Had she no powers of observation or curiosity? Was she the ultimate conformist wife? Is there something in traditional Austrian society that led her to self-regulate her role as wife and spouse, mother and grandmother? Although Josef was a tyrant and highly authorian figure, she never chose to go to authorities, seek a separation or divorce or to challenge him in any way. It makes a reader think that she may have at some level, been complicit in Josef's doings. I had and still have many unanswered questions about her.

Finally, it is truly a triumph that daughter Elisabeth was able to endure throughout this process. Above all, her privacy should be respected. She needs all the support she can be provided in raising her children and in re-establishing relationships with her mother and her siblings.

I admit to being completely fascinated by this horrible, horrible story when it first hit international news. There is something about holding your own flesh and blood in a windowless dungeon, repeatedly raping her, fathering 7 children, etc. all once again occurring in a windowless dungeon in the dark for a lot of the time that stumps me.
It is far from an exaggeration that this was indeed "a living hell". I became so obsessed with this story that I read the first book, "Secrets in the Cellar" soon as I discovered it. That book was written in haste, taking a lot of liberties since the trial had not even happened by the time it was released. In "I'm No Monster", they make no attempt to try and "fill in the blanks" on facts that they did not know. That hardly prevented it from being a compelling read. It actually works as a good compliment to this book since this is a not a rehash but instead a more analytical approach to the subject at hand. I am not certain how this book would read without the first one as background filler.
Still, I have read enough articles to get a fairly good composite of what may have occurred. There has been a 2 hour documentary on MSNBC that still runs periodically, that also goes along way in filling in the blanks. (I would suggest you search out that documentary, it is available on YouTube, as a good starting place before you read this book). That is why I can only offer 4 stars, when in actuality it probably is closer to 3 1/2 stars if i were judging it on its own merits (too much is skimmed over to rate any better than this.....but having read what I have, the horror is a lot easier to envisualize).
I am always astonished at man's ability to inflict such cruelty on man and other living entities. I guess it is part of my nature to be drawn, yet painfully afraid, of such darkness.
I am still compelled to want to know more especially to understand how Elisabeth Fritzl and her children have recovered from this tragedy.
I commend the writers in not giving into sensationalism and for staying above the temptation to over dramatize what is terrifying on its own.
For those who have difficulty reading dark material, I would suggest you stay away from "Secrets in the Cellar". If you have a working knowledge of this baffling case, this book should at least keep your interest.

Prepare to be unable to put this book down. It leaves a person wondering how a person can be so evil and not care about the horrible life of his victim. How is it possible he thinks he is not a monster? I read this book in two days. Facinating!

Really not too bad a story here. I read alot of TC and had passed this over many times. Pretty well written, has a few pages of B &W photos, I was able to finish the book. If a book is written/told poorly it's easy to lose interest but surprisingly this story kept a constant flow that made me want to go to the next chapter. But yeah, this man is a Monster of the worst kind. Good Bargain Book Buy though.

It's a difficult read but well worth getting the book.
He had his daughter locked into basement apartment where over a period of years she gave him children.
It's a powerful story of her survival and that of her children. Difficult to grasp is how
Josef Fritzi has belief that those who arrest him are wrong. He's responsible for nothing.

I love true crime books and the price was right so I got it! Haven't read it all the way through yet because the story kind of stalls at points (meaning it just doesn't make me want to read it continuously) but it's heartbreaking and decently written.

Found out, to my disappointment, this is a very lame account of Josef Fritzl's story
.

Well worth the read

Very compelling book