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Prima Facie
“Enthralling and sharp-witted...Highly recommended.”
—Karin Slaughter, New York Times and #1 international bestselling author
“Bold, fearless...Prima Facie is a deeply rewarding, absolute must read.”
—Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of We Begin at the End
This is not life, this is law…
Tessa Ensler loves her job. She’s worked her way up to being a top criminal defense barrister against all the odds, and fights to defend those pleading not guilty. Tessa believes in the law, believes in the system. Her quick-witted cross-examinations and intelligence in the courtroom see her clocking up win after win - including securing freedom for men accused of rape and sexual assault. Innocence until proven guilty is, after all, the bedrock of a civilized society.
But when Tessa is raped by a coworker, she struggles to find the strength to bring him to justice in the face of the barriers and opposition within that same system. Determined to have her day in court, Tessa is forced to confront the stark reality that the law was not written for victims, and that she is the one on trial. She fights on, even as her evidence is manipulated to make her look like a liar, even while she is retraumatized in the stand.
Based on the Olivier and Tony Award-winning play, Suzie Miller’s Prima Facie is an unforgettable story of what happens when a victim is asked to navigate a system that is not set up to accommodate the lived experience of sexual assault survivors.
—Karin Slaughter, New York Times and #1 international bestselling author
“Bold, fearless...Prima Facie is a deeply rewarding, absolute must read.”
—Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of We Begin at the End
This is not life, this is law…
Tessa Ensler loves her job. She’s worked her way up to being a top criminal defense barrister against all the odds, and fights to defend those pleading not guilty. Tessa believes in the law, believes in the system. Her quick-witted cross-examinations and intelligence in the courtroom see her clocking up win after win - including securing freedom for men accused of rape and sexual assault. Innocence until proven guilty is, after all, the bedrock of a civilized society.
But when Tessa is raped by a coworker, she struggles to find the strength to bring him to justice in the face of the barriers and opposition within that same system. Determined to have her day in court, Tessa is forced to confront the stark reality that the law was not written for victims, and that she is the one on trial. She fights on, even as her evidence is manipulated to make her look like a liar, even while she is retraumatized in the stand.
Based on the Olivier and Tony Award-winning play, Suzie Miller’s Prima Facie is an unforgettable story of what happens when a victim is asked to navigate a system that is not set up to accommodate the lived experience of sexual assault survivors.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,732 reviews
May 26, 2022
would sell my soul to watch jodie perform this live
July 12, 2022
“one in three women. look to your left, look to your right, one of us” at a loss for words, suzie miller’s writing moved me in a way that no other story ever has. absolutely brilliant. a must read
April 16, 2024
Listen, I totally see how this could be an amazing play, and without a doubt, the themes are highly relevant, but in the novelized version, the writing is merely serviceable and the pacing is just off. On an aesthetic level, the narration leaves much to be desired. This is particularly upsetting because the story is great: Narrator and protagonist Tessa Ensler grew up in a single-parent household with her mother supporting the family as a cleaning lady, and against all odds, ambitious and hard-working Tessa made her dream come through and became a criminal defense barrister in London. Struggling with differences in habitus and monetary background, she still thrives with the help of her loving family and friends - until she gets raped at work, by a colleague hailing from the well-connected, wealthy upper class.
While Tessa used to defend men accused of sexual assault and felt like it was a game challenging her to apply the law strategically, she is now the only witness in court for her rape trial. While the class aspects ring very true, they are also rather predictable, and what impressed me the most were how the effects of gaslighting as well as memory under duress and fear are presented: Tessa feels like she loses her dignity because her sanity and her reputation get attacked. She is slutshamed, called an alcoholic, overambitious, the whole victim-blaming deal ("Actually, you wanted it!"). She loses trust in the law, because it is set up against rape victims, and there's another issue smoldering under the surface: The situation for rape victims in court can be improved, but the problem that often, this crime can't be proven, is unsolvable. And that's horrifying. Ultimately, these cases without definitive proof are about narratives that fit under the law, not about truth, and this can't be helped.
These issues are not explored in a stringent manner though: The first half of the book is highly descriptive, repeatedly hammering home how Tessa is working class in an upper class world. The writing is matter-of-fact and plain, and could also be improved in the second half, the actual courtroom drama, that then has some psychologically well-rendered scenes to offer. Also, I might be a little jaded when it comes to legal novels, because I'm hailing from a country where a (real) criminal defense lawyer is one of the most popular writers: Ferdinand von Schirach, whose main topic is always the limits of the law, and the difference between law and justice. Just recently, his play Sie sagt. Er sagt. about, you guessed it, a rape case in court was turned into a movie starring some excellent actors. Schirach is often accused by aficionados of high literature that his writing is perfunctory and not elegant enough, but frankly, it's mostly better than what Suzie Miller gives us here.
So all in all, I have to admit that this was rather disappointing to me, as the important subject matter is not equaled by the quality prose it deserves.
While Tessa used to defend men accused of sexual assault and felt like it was a game challenging her to apply the law strategically, she is now the only witness in court for her rape trial. While the class aspects ring very true, they are also rather predictable, and what impressed me the most were how the effects of gaslighting as well as memory under duress and fear are presented: Tessa feels like she loses her dignity because her sanity and her reputation get attacked. She is slutshamed, called an alcoholic, overambitious, the whole victim-blaming deal ("Actually, you wanted it!"). She loses trust in the law, because it is set up against rape victims, and there's another issue smoldering under the surface: The situation for rape victims in court can be improved, but the problem that often, this crime can't be proven, is unsolvable. And that's horrifying. Ultimately, these cases without definitive proof are about narratives that fit under the law, not about truth, and this can't be helped.
These issues are not explored in a stringent manner though: The first half of the book is highly descriptive, repeatedly hammering home how Tessa is working class in an upper class world. The writing is matter-of-fact and plain, and could also be improved in the second half, the actual courtroom drama, that then has some psychologically well-rendered scenes to offer. Also, I might be a little jaded when it comes to legal novels, because I'm hailing from a country where a (real) criminal defense lawyer is one of the most popular writers: Ferdinand von Schirach, whose main topic is always the limits of the law, and the difference between law and justice. Just recently, his play Sie sagt. Er sagt. about, you guessed it, a rape case in court was turned into a movie starring some excellent actors. Schirach is often accused by aficionados of high literature that his writing is perfunctory and not elegant enough, but frankly, it's mostly better than what Suzie Miller gives us here.
So all in all, I have to admit that this was rather disappointing to me, as the important subject matter is not equaled by the quality prose it deserves.
February 6, 2024
4+ stars
Adapted into a novel from a successful stage play.
Meet Tessa Ensler, a top criminal defence barrister. She’s excellent at her job and goes the extra mile for those she defends. She’s had to work hard to get where she is today as she’s from a working class background, winning a full scholarship to Cambridge to study law and look where she is today. Her background means she has very specific reasons for becoming a defence lawyer, and she uses her considerable intelligence to gain win after win. She firmly believes in the system, fighting hard for the theory of innocent until proven guilty. Tell the best version of the story, test the law, test it again and see if the story has holes …. that is until she finds herself a rape victim – then what?
I knew this would be a tough read in places, but it’s a very powerful one. I like the way Suzie Miller approaches this as we get life before and life after, Tessa before and Tessa afterwards and you get to know her and her motivations. There are some fascinating insights into the law and some good discussions before the assault between Tessa and her coworker Alice about attitudes towards sexual assault cases. This really makes me think. There’s a courtroom scene too that blows my mind it’s so powerfully thought-provoking. Here Tessa uses all her incisiveness and tenacity for her client.
The author pulls no punches when it comes to the scenes of Tessa’s assault. They are terrifying and shockingly real, leaving you in no doubt. Tough though it is, it allows you to comprehend the dissociation, her numbness and I applaud her bravery of reporting the crime which does eventually go to court. The situation is especially shocking as we have two barristers on opposing sides, one in the dock annd one the victim. One has the benefit of not only a powerful law background, but the benefit of the law. The courtroom scenes are positively electric and you feel every inch of Tessa’s pain. This part of the book is exceptional as it demonstrates with tremendous clarity that the law is inadequate in cases like this, in fact, it’s not fit for purpose. My eyes fill with tears, but I also want to stand and cheer because it’s speaking for every victim. It’s an indictment of the law, but also of society that one in three women will face this and only one percent of cases are successfully prosecuted.
Apart from how well the aspects of the law are dealt with, Tessa’s emotions are conveyed extremely well too. Tessa has been a confident woman, she is grounded yet has striven to be successful, the Tessa of afterwards is so different with a loss of identity and understandable vulnerability. Her family are diamonds, I love their portrayal and the friendship of Mia and Adam warms your heart.
Overall, this is a very insightful, gripping and very relevant novel. It makes you feel uncomfortable at times but it’s very moving.
With thanks to NetGalley, and especially to Random House UK, Cornerstone for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Adapted into a novel from a successful stage play.
Meet Tessa Ensler, a top criminal defence barrister. She’s excellent at her job and goes the extra mile for those she defends. She’s had to work hard to get where she is today as she’s from a working class background, winning a full scholarship to Cambridge to study law and look where she is today. Her background means she has very specific reasons for becoming a defence lawyer, and she uses her considerable intelligence to gain win after win. She firmly believes in the system, fighting hard for the theory of innocent until proven guilty. Tell the best version of the story, test the law, test it again and see if the story has holes …. that is until she finds herself a rape victim – then what?
I knew this would be a tough read in places, but it’s a very powerful one. I like the way Suzie Miller approaches this as we get life before and life after, Tessa before and Tessa afterwards and you get to know her and her motivations. There are some fascinating insights into the law and some good discussions before the assault between Tessa and her coworker Alice about attitudes towards sexual assault cases. This really makes me think. There’s a courtroom scene too that blows my mind it’s so powerfully thought-provoking. Here Tessa uses all her incisiveness and tenacity for her client.
The author pulls no punches when it comes to the scenes of Tessa’s assault. They are terrifying and shockingly real, leaving you in no doubt. Tough though it is, it allows you to comprehend the dissociation, her numbness and I applaud her bravery of reporting the crime which does eventually go to court. The situation is especially shocking as we have two barristers on opposing sides, one in the dock annd one the victim. One has the benefit of not only a powerful law background, but the benefit of the law. The courtroom scenes are positively electric and you feel every inch of Tessa’s pain. This part of the book is exceptional as it demonstrates with tremendous clarity that the law is inadequate in cases like this, in fact, it’s not fit for purpose. My eyes fill with tears, but I also want to stand and cheer because it’s speaking for every victim. It’s an indictment of the law, but also of society that one in three women will face this and only one percent of cases are successfully prosecuted.
Apart from how well the aspects of the law are dealt with, Tessa’s emotions are conveyed extremely well too. Tessa has been a confident woman, she is grounded yet has striven to be successful, the Tessa of afterwards is so different with a loss of identity and understandable vulnerability. Her family are diamonds, I love their portrayal and the friendship of Mia and Adam warms your heart.
Overall, this is a very insightful, gripping and very relevant novel. It makes you feel uncomfortable at times but it’s very moving.
With thanks to NetGalley, and especially to Random House UK, Cornerstone for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
January 27, 2024
This novelisation of Miller's important and timely play is a welcome way of taking its critical message to a wider audience beyond the theatre-going crowd which can only be a good thing. That said, there are some flaws that emerge in the change of format: the first half is slower and spends too long for my taste with 'then' sections that basically tell Tessa's working-class life story as well as that of her family. I mean, we get the point that Tessa has worked her way from a non-privileged background and what the law means to her but the family back-story became a distraction for me.
But at about 50%, things really take off with an emotive and enraging story that grips compulsively. Miller pulls off a fabulous ending too: subtle and complex enough to make its points without leaving us either completely dispirited or with some false optimism. And Tessa's big speech remains a fantastic piece of rhetoric that will make you cry and cheer at the same time.
The statistics, though: one in three women will be raped or sexually assaulted; one in ten will report it to the police; of that, just over 1% or 1 in every hundred will secure a conviction for the perpetrator. When will things change?
Many thanks to Random House, Cornerstone for an ARC via Netgalley
But at about 50%, things really take off with an emotive and enraging story that grips compulsively. Miller pulls off a fabulous ending too: subtle and complex enough to make its points without leaving us either completely dispirited or with some false optimism. And Tessa's big speech remains a fantastic piece of rhetoric that will make you cry and cheer at the same time.
The statistics, though: one in three women will be raped or sexually assaulted; one in ten will report it to the police; of that, just over 1% or 1 in every hundred will secure a conviction for the perpetrator. When will things change?
Many thanks to Random House, Cornerstone for an ARC via Netgalley
March 16, 2024
Wow, was für eine Geschichte, für mich ein Lebens- Lesehighlight. Ein Roman der mich gefordert hat, der mich aus meiner Komfortzone geholt hat und am Ende zu Tränen gerührt zurückgelassen hat. Ein Buch das jeder Lesen sollte, Frauen, Männer und in der Schule.
"Denn Tatsache ist, dass jede dritte Frau von sexualisierter Gewalt betroffen ist. Jede dritte Frau. Schauen Sie nach links, schauen Sie nach rechts, Eine von uns...." Jede Dritte- das sind eine ganze Menge Frauen, die etwas zu sagen haben. Zu viele, um sie zu ignorieren.
"Denn Tatsache ist, dass jede dritte Frau von sexualisierter Gewalt betroffen ist. Jede dritte Frau. Schauen Sie nach links, schauen Sie nach rechts, Eine von uns...." Jede Dritte- das sind eine ganze Menge Frauen, die etwas zu sagen haben. Zu viele, um sie zu ignorieren.
April 11, 2024
Ein schreckliches Ereignis steht im Zentrum des Romans "Prima Facie" von Suzie Miller. Obwohl man in der ersten Hälfte ahnt, dass es dazu kommt, möchte ich es aus Spoiler-Gründen nicht benennen. Das macht eine Erklärung meiner Begeisterung recht schwierig, denn diese ist vor allem darin begründet, dass "Prima Facie" durch seine inhaltliche Erzählung so gut ist. Die Sprache ist konventionell und tritt hinter die Geschichte zurück. Das hat mich aber nicht gestört. Für mich war es genau die richtige Entscheidung der Autorin. Die Geschichte benötigt Zugänglichkeit und Einfachheit, denn das Thema ist schon schwer genug.
Tessa Ensler ist Anwältin in London. Die Anwaltswelt ist die gesellschaftliche Elite. Tessa, deren Mutter Putzkraft und deren Onkel Taxifahrer ist, ist in dieser Welt die Ausnahme einer Aufsteigerin. Tessa ist immer wieder erfolgreich bei der Verteidigung von Sexualstraftätern. Sie schafft es meist die Opfer im Kreuzverhör unglaubwürdig dastehen zu lassen. Ihre Mutter fragt sie häufig, ob die Mandanten schuldig seien. Tessa kann nicht vermitteln, dass das im Rechtssystem nicht entscheidend ist. Es gibt einen Unterschied zwischen der Wahrheit und der juristischen Wahrheit.
In der ersten Hälfte des Romans spielt der Klassismus eine große Rolle. Im zweiten Teil geht es stärker um Wahrheit und Gerechtigkeit. Bei Schirach wirken juristische Erzählungen oft wie Versuchsanordnungen. Die Figuren wirken dadurch auf mich meist hölzern. Das ist bei Suzie Miller ganz anders. Das Lesen ist hier ein Miterleben, dem ich mich trotz der Schrecklichkeit der Ereignisse nicht entziehen konnte.
Als ich kürzlich an einem Büro der städtischen Staatsanwaltschaft vorbei ging, sah ich fünf Menschen davor stehen, die meiner Vermutung nach Anwälte waren: Vier Männer in dunklen Anzügen und eine Frau in dunkler Stoffhose und dunkelrotem Mantel. "Das ist Tessa Ensler", dachte ich. Die Protagonistin aus "Prima Facie" hatte sich in meinen Kopf gegraben. Für mich war sie für einen Moment ein "echter" Mensch.
Es ist die Kunst der Autorin ihre Anliegen in eine spannende Geschichte mit lebensnahen Charakteren zu legen. Es ist ein moralisches Buch, das aber zu keinem Zeitpunkt belehrend ist. "Prima Facie" ist ein im ursprünglichen Sinne des Wortes aufregender Roman.
Tessa Ensler ist Anwältin in London. Die Anwaltswelt ist die gesellschaftliche Elite. Tessa, deren Mutter Putzkraft und deren Onkel Taxifahrer ist, ist in dieser Welt die Ausnahme einer Aufsteigerin. Tessa ist immer wieder erfolgreich bei der Verteidigung von Sexualstraftätern. Sie schafft es meist die Opfer im Kreuzverhör unglaubwürdig dastehen zu lassen. Ihre Mutter fragt sie häufig, ob die Mandanten schuldig seien. Tessa kann nicht vermitteln, dass das im Rechtssystem nicht entscheidend ist. Es gibt einen Unterschied zwischen der Wahrheit und der juristischen Wahrheit.
In der ersten Hälfte des Romans spielt der Klassismus eine große Rolle. Im zweiten Teil geht es stärker um Wahrheit und Gerechtigkeit. Bei Schirach wirken juristische Erzählungen oft wie Versuchsanordnungen. Die Figuren wirken dadurch auf mich meist hölzern. Das ist bei Suzie Miller ganz anders. Das Lesen ist hier ein Miterleben, dem ich mich trotz der Schrecklichkeit der Ereignisse nicht entziehen konnte.
Als ich kürzlich an einem Büro der städtischen Staatsanwaltschaft vorbei ging, sah ich fünf Menschen davor stehen, die meiner Vermutung nach Anwälte waren: Vier Männer in dunklen Anzügen und eine Frau in dunkler Stoffhose und dunkelrotem Mantel. "Das ist Tessa Ensler", dachte ich. Die Protagonistin aus "Prima Facie" hatte sich in meinen Kopf gegraben. Für mich war sie für einen Moment ein "echter" Mensch.
Es ist die Kunst der Autorin ihre Anliegen in eine spannende Geschichte mit lebensnahen Charakteren zu legen. Es ist ein moralisches Buch, das aber zu keinem Zeitpunkt belehrend ist. "Prima Facie" ist ein im ursprünglichen Sinne des Wortes aufregender Roman.
February 2, 2024
Powerful.
I just finished this and I am kind of reeling. I can't begin to imagine how good the stage version was ( kicking myself I missed it ). I am going to agree with some comments that this is probably a pale imitation of the experience of seeing this in a theatre. But for those of us not lucky enough to have caught the play, then reading this is still... a staggeringly chilling experience.
The problem: if you are going to identify one, and I will, is the first half. It feels forced in some indefinable way, broad strokes, repetition, a classism theme writ-large. Basically it feels like what it is, a playwright trying to flesh out backstory to make a 100 minute play into a 300 page novel. ( Could Claire Keegan come and make some suggestions maybe ? )
Nevertheless, this is a book that adds significantly to the discussion around the "justice" of the legal system in sexual assault cases and it sits nicely alongside another book I recently read on the same topic -Dice. Taken together these two books make it very clear just how harrowing deciding to go forward with a sexual assault case is for victims. So framed in this light this is a "must read" and I am very pleased I did.
I just finished this and I am kind of reeling. I can't begin to imagine how good the stage version was ( kicking myself I missed it ). I am going to agree with some comments that this is probably a pale imitation of the experience of seeing this in a theatre. But for those of us not lucky enough to have caught the play, then reading this is still... a staggeringly chilling experience.
The problem: if you are going to identify one, and I will, is the first half. It feels forced in some indefinable way, broad strokes, repetition, a classism theme writ-large. Basically it feels like what it is, a playwright trying to flesh out backstory to make a 100 minute play into a 300 page novel. ( Could Claire Keegan come and make some suggestions maybe ? )
Nevertheless, this is a book that adds significantly to the discussion around the "justice" of the legal system in sexual assault cases and it sits nicely alongside another book I recently read on the same topic -Dice. Taken together these two books make it very clear just how harrowing deciding to go forward with a sexual assault case is for victims. So framed in this light this is a "must read" and I am very pleased I did.
December 2, 2024
3,5 Sterne🌟🌟🌟🌟
Prima Facie - lat. dem Anschein nach, auf den ersten Blick - basiert auf dem gleichnamigen Theaterstück und ist Suzie Millers Debütroman. Derzeit wird Prima Facie in der Schweiz aufgeführt.
"Das Gesetz ist dazu da, alle zu beschützen ".
Tessa Ensler, aus ärmlichen und zerrütteten Verhältnissen, schafft es bis fast an die Spitze des englischen Rechtsanwaltshimmels. Doch dann passiert etwas, was ihren Glauben an das Rechtssystem tief erschüttert und aus der ehrgeizigen Verteidigerin wird vorerst ein stummes Opfer. "Ich höre die Stimmen, wie unter Wasser ".
Hier handelt es sich um eine anspruchsvolle Geschichte mit einer distanzierten und klaren Sprache, die spannend und temporeich ist. Das englische Rechtssystem wird beleuchtet. Suzie Miller hat selbst als Strafverteidigerin gearbeitet, mit dem Augenmerk auf sexuellen Missbrauch.
"Jede dritte Frau - schau nach rechts und nach links ".
Ein sehr relevantes und wichtiges Thema wird beleuchtet und es sollen Veränderungen angestoßen werden.
Ein kraftvolles und berührendes Buch, mit ein paar Schwächen, das mich zwar vom Anliegen her, jedoch nicht aus literarischer Sicht, überzeugen konnte.
Aber auf jeden Fall für mich eine Leseempfehlung!
Prima Facie - lat. dem Anschein nach, auf den ersten Blick - basiert auf dem gleichnamigen Theaterstück und ist Suzie Millers Debütroman. Derzeit wird Prima Facie in der Schweiz aufgeführt.
"Das Gesetz ist dazu da, alle zu beschützen ".
Tessa Ensler, aus ärmlichen und zerrütteten Verhältnissen, schafft es bis fast an die Spitze des englischen Rechtsanwaltshimmels. Doch dann passiert etwas, was ihren Glauben an das Rechtssystem tief erschüttert und aus der ehrgeizigen Verteidigerin wird vorerst ein stummes Opfer. "Ich höre die Stimmen, wie unter Wasser ".
Hier handelt es sich um eine anspruchsvolle Geschichte mit einer distanzierten und klaren Sprache, die spannend und temporeich ist. Das englische Rechtssystem wird beleuchtet. Suzie Miller hat selbst als Strafverteidigerin gearbeitet, mit dem Augenmerk auf sexuellen Missbrauch.
"Jede dritte Frau - schau nach rechts und nach links ".
Ein sehr relevantes und wichtiges Thema wird beleuchtet und es sollen Veränderungen angestoßen werden.
Ein kraftvolles und berührendes Buch, mit ein paar Schwächen, das mich zwar vom Anliegen her, jedoch nicht aus literarischer Sicht, überzeugen konnte.
Aber auf jeden Fall für mich eine Leseempfehlung!
January 31, 2024
Prima Facie by Susie Miller was such an emotional, stirring and powerful book. It was about Tessa Ensler, a woman who easily could have represented so many other women. Tessa was brought up by a single mother. Her family was poor but Tessa worked hard and became a top criminal defense barrister. She was a good barrister and fought hard for her clients if they pleaded not guilty. The one thing that Tessa believed in was the fairness of the legal system. All of that changed in a single night with a single incident. Tessa now found herself on the other side of the court. She was no longer the brilliant woman barrister she had worked so hard to become. Tessa was now on the witness stand. She was forced into defending herself and explaining how she was violated. From this vantage point, Tessa became acutely aware of how the law was and had always been dominated by a prejudiced male legal system when it came to matters of rape and sexual assault.
I listened to the audiobook that was brilliantly performed by Jodie Comer. I was never so moved by a performance like I was by the one that Jodie Comer gave. Prima Facie was about rape, sexual assault, the challenges and judgments women faced, ambition and family. Prima Facie was based on Suzie Miller’s Tony winning Broadway play that was performed by one woman. I have not seen the play but if this audiobook was any indication of what to expect I would be very lucky to see it. Suzie Miller’s writing was so impressive. The subject matter was both so timely and important. All my emotions were spent by the conclusion of this audiobook. I highly recommend this audiobook.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of Prima Facie by Suzie Miller through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I listened to the audiobook that was brilliantly performed by Jodie Comer. I was never so moved by a performance like I was by the one that Jodie Comer gave. Prima Facie was about rape, sexual assault, the challenges and judgments women faced, ambition and family. Prima Facie was based on Suzie Miller’s Tony winning Broadway play that was performed by one woman. I have not seen the play but if this audiobook was any indication of what to expect I would be very lucky to see it. Suzie Miller’s writing was so impressive. The subject matter was both so timely and important. All my emotions were spent by the conclusion of this audiobook. I highly recommend this audiobook.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of Prima Facie by Suzie Miller through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
September 23, 2022
4.5, rounded down.
Really impressive - one wonders how anyone could actually memorize and perform a 98-page monologue, but apparently Jodie Comer was outstanding. I just don't really cotton to the format, and this does get a bit preachy/didactic in the final pages. probably unavoidable given the subject matter.
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/202...
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/202...
Really impressive - one wonders how anyone could actually memorize and perform a 98-page monologue, but apparently Jodie Comer was outstanding. I just don't really cotton to the format, and this does get a bit preachy/didactic in the final pages. probably unavoidable given the subject matter.
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/202...
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/202...
April 27, 2023
After seeing this live in June, and then seeing it four times in the cinema, I can literally see Jodie performing when I read this. We already know how amazing Jodie is, but Suzie Miller!! What an incredible playwright. So moving, truthful and so so important. I will never get bored of reading this, and it still makes me cry. Every time.
I will forever recommend and urge people to read this!
I will forever recommend and urge people to read this!
June 14, 2024
»Prima Facie« ist ein feministischer Roman, der mit einer Wucht geschrieben ist, die mich nicht mehr vergessen lässt. Es ist eine Erkenntnis - Wo stehen Frauen in unserer Gesellschaft und wie viel Gerechtigkeit kann eine Frau erfahren?
Die Hauptprotagonistin war jahrelang Teil des systematischen Problems und hat das Patriarchat gestützt. Jetzt, wo sie selbst in den Zeugenstand gerät, trifft sie die Erkenntnis kalt und ab da gibt es auch kein Weg zurück.
Von mir gibt es 3,8 Sterne. Ich kann euch das Buch sehr weiterempfehlen, auch wenn ich mir am Anfang/Mitte mehr Schlagabtausch gewünscht hätte.
Neben dem TW schlimmen Hauptthema (Gewalt an Frauen) geht es unteranderem auch sehr stark um Klassismus. Fand‘s unglaublich interessant & in den Momenten, wo ich es nicht gelesen habe, musste ich ständig dran denken.
Die Hauptprotagonistin war jahrelang Teil des systematischen Problems und hat das Patriarchat gestützt. Jetzt, wo sie selbst in den Zeugenstand gerät, trifft sie die Erkenntnis kalt und ab da gibt es auch kein Weg zurück.
Von mir gibt es 3,8 Sterne. Ich kann euch das Buch sehr weiterempfehlen, auch wenn ich mir am Anfang/Mitte mehr Schlagabtausch gewünscht hätte.
Neben dem TW schlimmen Hauptthema (Gewalt an Frauen) geht es unteranderem auch sehr stark um Klassismus. Fand‘s unglaublich interessant & in den Momenten, wo ich es nicht gelesen habe, musste ich ständig dran denken.
March 17, 2024
Tessa Ensler loves her job as a criminal defense barrister and is very good at it. Her cross-examinations and intelligence in the courtroom see her chalking up win after win including securing freedom for men accused of rape and sexual assault. But, after she's raped by a colleague, she ends up on the other side of the aisle and it's a whole different world.
No matter how many series I've seen that take place in the UK, its legal system is a mystery to me with the barristers, solicitors, clerks and silks but that didn't interfere with my enjoyment of this book. It's tough to read in places but it's very important and thought-provoking. I'm a big fan of Jodie Comer and I'd love to see her performance in the stage play on which this book is based. I understand there's a movie in the works, but not with Jodie.
The story goes back and forth between the past (before the rape) and the present (after the rape), as told by Tessa. I don't have any complaints about this book but some readers might not like the fact that there are no quotation marks separating the dialogue from the narrative. It goes without saying that the topic of this book could be triggering for some.
Thanks to the London Public Library for the loan of this book.
No matter how many series I've seen that take place in the UK, its legal system is a mystery to me with the barristers, solicitors, clerks and silks but that didn't interfere with my enjoyment of this book. It's tough to read in places but it's very important and thought-provoking. I'm a big fan of Jodie Comer and I'd love to see her performance in the stage play on which this book is based. I understand there's a movie in the works, but not with Jodie.
The story goes back and forth between the past (before the rape) and the present (after the rape), as told by Tessa. I don't have any complaints about this book but some readers might not like the fact that there are no quotation marks separating the dialogue from the narrative. It goes without saying that the topic of this book could be triggering for some.
Thanks to the London Public Library for the loan of this book.
May 16, 2022
look to your left look to your right :(
May 29, 2022
I finally got to see jodie perform this play yesterday, then I read the script. It is such a masterpiece and so important, I can’t even put into words what it made me feel (especially seeing jodie perform it). Incredibly important, powerful, heartbreaking & emotional, watch & read if you can!!!
October 5, 2024
Prima Facie is an incredibly powerful book dealing with sexual assault and the fallout that takes place in the aftermath. Suzie Miller’s book is an adaptation from her successful play of the same name and I can only imagine what the experience of seeing Jodie Comer’s performance on stage taking on the Tessa Ensler role would be like.
Tessa Ensler is a barrister who believes that what she does is an important part in serving the legal system, in finding the legal truth. She has pulled herself up from a working class background to earn herself a prized scholarship at Cambridge and, through more hard work, has become enjoyed great success in her field.
The early part of the book, labelled as the “then” sections, paints for us the picture of a strong and confident woman who is quickly making a name for herself as a successful defense barrister. She’s firmly of the belief that the legal system works for everyone and she is merely ensuring that she is playing the necessary role of establishing the legal truth of the matter when she works as an advocate for her accused clients.
When she’s raped by a man she liked and trusted her ideological beliefs around the legal system and her role in it is destroyed. But she’s prepared to put her reputation and career on the line in the belief that justice will sit on the side of the victim.
The “now” portion of the book, the part following the rape, runs through a harrowing range of emotions as Tessa attempts to deal with her experience. As the victim, she feels her power stripped away and, even knowing how the game is played, she learns first hand the difficulty in clearly explaining what happened without having her words skewed against her by a good barrister.
The fact that her specialty tended to be the defense of men accused of sexual assault with a high success rate in securing a not guilty verdict could be seen as a great irony in the story. It’s certainly something that gives Tessa pause later on during her harrowing trial, particularly when she comes to the shattering realisation that it wasn’t necessarily her great talent as a barrister that led to her success in winning sexual assault cases for her male clients.
Prima Facie is a confronting story, beautifully written with a thoughtful, carefully conceived set-up establishing Tessa’s background as a fighter. We know this woman. She’s smart, confident, assured and certain about where her life’s headed. And then everything about her’s cruelly ripped from her. Her confidence and self-belief are torn apart as she realises the legal system is not quite as simple as testing the law to ascertain the “legal truth”.
One of the most glaring facts that stands out as Prima Facie is brought to its conclusion is that the law has, and continues to, fail women terribly. It’s novels (and plays) such as this that throw a much needed light on a part of our society that still needs a lot of work before we can begin to consider that victims are being properly heard and that suitable change is going to be made.
As was intended when Suzie Miller first wrote the play and again with the novelization of the story, Prima Facie shines a damning light on the court system. It’s an intense and deeply thought provoking story, it sparks outrage and that outrage rightly keeps on simmering. It stays with you long after turning the last page.
Tessa Ensler is a barrister who believes that what she does is an important part in serving the legal system, in finding the legal truth. She has pulled herself up from a working class background to earn herself a prized scholarship at Cambridge and, through more hard work, has become enjoyed great success in her field.
The early part of the book, labelled as the “then” sections, paints for us the picture of a strong and confident woman who is quickly making a name for herself as a successful defense barrister. She’s firmly of the belief that the legal system works for everyone and she is merely ensuring that she is playing the necessary role of establishing the legal truth of the matter when she works as an advocate for her accused clients.
When she’s raped by a man she liked and trusted her ideological beliefs around the legal system and her role in it is destroyed. But she’s prepared to put her reputation and career on the line in the belief that justice will sit on the side of the victim.
The “now” portion of the book, the part following the rape, runs through a harrowing range of emotions as Tessa attempts to deal with her experience. As the victim, she feels her power stripped away and, even knowing how the game is played, she learns first hand the difficulty in clearly explaining what happened without having her words skewed against her by a good barrister.
The fact that her specialty tended to be the defense of men accused of sexual assault with a high success rate in securing a not guilty verdict could be seen as a great irony in the story. It’s certainly something that gives Tessa pause later on during her harrowing trial, particularly when she comes to the shattering realisation that it wasn’t necessarily her great talent as a barrister that led to her success in winning sexual assault cases for her male clients.
Prima Facie is a confronting story, beautifully written with a thoughtful, carefully conceived set-up establishing Tessa’s background as a fighter. We know this woman. She’s smart, confident, assured and certain about where her life’s headed. And then everything about her’s cruelly ripped from her. Her confidence and self-belief are torn apart as she realises the legal system is not quite as simple as testing the law to ascertain the “legal truth”.
One of the most glaring facts that stands out as Prima Facie is brought to its conclusion is that the law has, and continues to, fail women terribly. It’s novels (and plays) such as this that throw a much needed light on a part of our society that still needs a lot of work before we can begin to consider that victims are being properly heard and that suitable change is going to be made.
As was intended when Suzie Miller first wrote the play and again with the novelization of the story, Prima Facie shines a damning light on the court system. It’s an intense and deeply thought provoking story, it sparks outrage and that outrage rightly keeps on simmering. It stays with you long after turning the last page.
February 24, 2024
„Prima Facie“ war extrem soghaft – ich habe es an einem Tag durchgehört.
Miller seziert mit kritischem Blick die Schwächen des juristischen Systems in GB, insbesondere in Hinblick auf Sexualdelikte. Die Hauptfigur ist Strafverteidigerin, verteidigt Männer, die wegen sexueller Übergriffe angeklagt sind, sie kennt das System. Sie glaubt an das Recht und Gerechtigkeit. Doch dann geschieht Tessa etwas Schreckliches und sie tritt selbst in den Zeug*innenstand.
Das Buch zeichnet den Kampf um Gerechtigkeit im Rechtssystem und stellt die herrschende Diskrepanz zwischen Recht und moralischer Gerechtigkeit in den Mittelpunkt. Der Schreibstil ist sehr packend, für mich war er maximal soghaft. Komplexe Themen sind Teil der Geschichte. Erzählt wird aus der Perspektive von Tessa mit unterschiedlichen Zeitsprüngen, was den Plot noch einnehmender macht. Als Leserin musste ich genau hinhören, aufpassen, nichts verpassen. Phasenweise wollte ich schreien, als in den Verhandlungen diese Täter-Oper-Umkehr stattfand. Ich war erstaunt wie Menschen, nahe Bekannte, Kolleg*innen reagieren können und wie desillusionierend das Leben manchmal sein kann.
Prima Facie ist spannend von der ersten Minute an. Ein wichtiges Thema gepaart mit dem gefühlten Blick hinter die Kulissen der Justiz. Und das Buch schreit, es schreit nach vielen Leser*innen, die die Wichtigkeit dieses Themas in die Welt tragen!
Eine dicke Leseempfehlung von mir für dieses Buch!
Miller seziert mit kritischem Blick die Schwächen des juristischen Systems in GB, insbesondere in Hinblick auf Sexualdelikte. Die Hauptfigur ist Strafverteidigerin, verteidigt Männer, die wegen sexueller Übergriffe angeklagt sind, sie kennt das System. Sie glaubt an das Recht und Gerechtigkeit. Doch dann geschieht Tessa etwas Schreckliches und sie tritt selbst in den Zeug*innenstand.
Das Buch zeichnet den Kampf um Gerechtigkeit im Rechtssystem und stellt die herrschende Diskrepanz zwischen Recht und moralischer Gerechtigkeit in den Mittelpunkt. Der Schreibstil ist sehr packend, für mich war er maximal soghaft. Komplexe Themen sind Teil der Geschichte. Erzählt wird aus der Perspektive von Tessa mit unterschiedlichen Zeitsprüngen, was den Plot noch einnehmender macht. Als Leserin musste ich genau hinhören, aufpassen, nichts verpassen. Phasenweise wollte ich schreien, als in den Verhandlungen diese Täter-Oper-Umkehr stattfand. Ich war erstaunt wie Menschen, nahe Bekannte, Kolleg*innen reagieren können und wie desillusionierend das Leben manchmal sein kann.
Prima Facie ist spannend von der ersten Minute an. Ein wichtiges Thema gepaart mit dem gefühlten Blick hinter die Kulissen der Justiz. Und das Buch schreit, es schreit nach vielen Leser*innen, die die Wichtigkeit dieses Themas in die Welt tragen!
Eine dicke Leseempfehlung von mir für dieses Buch!
April 13, 2024
Habe das Theaterstück mit Jodie Comer schon geliebt und bin sehr froh, diese unfassbar wichtige Geschichte nun auch nochmal gelesen zu haben. Ein Must Read für JEDEN einzelnen, durch und durch erschütternd, realitätsnah und feministisch!
September 21, 2024
A Devastating One-Woman Performance
Review of the Nick Hern Books (UK) paperback (January 2022) of the original Currency Press (Australia) paperback (2018).
This is perhaps a 4-star on paper, but after recently seeing Jodie Comer's performance as filmed and broadcast via National Theatre Live, I have no hesitation in rating it as a 5-star.
Defense barrister Tessa Ensler is at the top of her game and is a rising star at her chambers. The first half of the work shows her glorying in her success while looking back at her working class roots and at her early years in law school. Many of her cases deal with sexual assault, and there is a sense that defendants choose her for the added sympathy that a female defense lawyer might provide.
The second half takes a shocking turn when Ensler herself is assaulted by a co-worker and decides to press charges based on her faith in the justice system. That faith is soon to be broken.
Jodie Comer as Tessa Ensler in "Prima Facie."
Former lawyer Suzie Miller wrote Prima Facie in the early years of the #MeToo era and thought at first it would become outdated as real world events moved to correct things. Time has proved to her that it is as relevant as ever.
Sheridan Harbridge originated the role of Tessa Ensler at the Stables Theatre, Sydney, Australia in 2019. Image sourced from Currency Press.
Trivia and Links
You can see the trailer for the National Theatre Live broadcast of Prima Facie on YouTube here.
Playwright Suzie Miller introduces Prima Facie in an interview which you can watch on YouTube here.
Aside from the National Theatre Live production, since 2023 there is also a plan to expand and adapt Prima Facie as a feature length film. You can watch for updates on that at IMDb here.
Review of the Nick Hern Books (UK) paperback (January 2022) of the original Currency Press (Australia) paperback (2018).
'Because,
the truth is that
one in every three women are sexually assaulted.
And their voices need to be heard.
They need to be believed,
for justice to be done.'
I hear the judge now.
I have gone beyond what I am allowed to say.
well beyond.
One in three women.
Look to your left,
look to your right,
one of us...
This is perhaps a 4-star on paper, but after recently seeing Jodie Comer's performance as filmed and broadcast via National Theatre Live, I have no hesitation in rating it as a 5-star.
Defense barrister Tessa Ensler is at the top of her game and is a rising star at her chambers. The first half of the work shows her glorying in her success while looking back at her working class roots and at her early years in law school. Many of her cases deal with sexual assault, and there is a sense that defendants choose her for the added sympathy that a female defense lawyer might provide.
The second half takes a shocking turn when Ensler herself is assaulted by a co-worker and decides to press charges based on her faith in the justice system. That faith is soon to be broken.
Jodie Comer as Tessa Ensler in "Prima Facie."
Former lawyer Suzie Miller wrote Prima Facie in the early years of the #MeToo era and thought at first it would become outdated as real world events moved to correct things. Time has proved to her that it is as relevant as ever.
Sheridan Harbridge originated the role of Tessa Ensler at the Stables Theatre, Sydney, Australia in 2019. Image sourced from Currency Press.
Trivia and Links
You can see the trailer for the National Theatre Live broadcast of Prima Facie on YouTube here.
Playwright Suzie Miller introduces Prima Facie in an interview which you can watch on YouTube here.
Aside from the National Theatre Live production, since 2023 there is also a plan to expand and adapt Prima Facie as a feature length film. You can watch for updates on that at IMDb here.
December 12, 2024
musste so oft weinen???
war ab seite 1 gefesselt und konnte es nicht weglegen. ich liebs
war ab seite 1 gefesselt und konnte es nicht weglegen. ich liebs
April 19, 2024
"𝐷𝑖𝑒 𝐸𝑟𝑓𝑎ℎ𝑟𝑢𝑛𝑔 𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑟 𝐹𝑟𝑎𝑢 𝑚𝑖𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑥𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝐺𝑒𝑤𝑎𝑙𝑡 𝑓ü𝑔𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑛𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝑎𝑠 𝑚ä𝑛𝑛𝑙𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑑𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑒 𝑆𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑚 𝑣𝑜𝑛 𝑊𝑎ℎ𝑟ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑡." (S.339)
Tessa ist Strafverteidigerin. Sie hat Jura in Cambridge studiert – Stipendium sei Dank – und fühlt den „Klassenunterschied“ zu ihren Kolleg*innen immer noch deutlich. Sie arbeitet in London und ist sehr erfolgreich. Sie glaubt an das Rechtssystem und könnte sich keinen anderen Beruf vorstellen. Doch ihr Glaube wird stark erschüttert, als ihr selbst etwas zustößt und sie sich im Gericht als Opfer wiederfindet.
Ehrlich gesagt, hat es ein wenig gedauert, bis Prima Facie so richtig bei mir gezündet hat. Das erste Drittel fand ich fast ein wenig träge, obwohl ich verstanden habe, dass es dem Weltaufbau von Tessa dienlich war. Die „Red Flags“ habe ich früh wahrgenommen, vielleicht hat es deswegen ein wenig gedauert, bis ich so richtig ins Buch gefunden habe.
Das letzte Drittel war sehr dafür echt Weltklasse! Es war aufwühlend und emotional für mich, ich habe sehr mit Tessa mitgefühlt. Ich mag Gerichtsszenen in Büchern sehr und fand das hier auch sehr gut umgesetzt. Ich würde wahnsinnig gerne die Bühnenadaption sehen!
Ich kann das Buch auf jeden Fall empfehlen, würde aber definitiv auf eine Triggerwarnung für Vergewaltigung hinweisen wollen.
4,5/5 Sterne
Tessa ist Strafverteidigerin. Sie hat Jura in Cambridge studiert – Stipendium sei Dank – und fühlt den „Klassenunterschied“ zu ihren Kolleg*innen immer noch deutlich. Sie arbeitet in London und ist sehr erfolgreich. Sie glaubt an das Rechtssystem und könnte sich keinen anderen Beruf vorstellen. Doch ihr Glaube wird stark erschüttert, als ihr selbst etwas zustößt und sie sich im Gericht als Opfer wiederfindet.
Ehrlich gesagt, hat es ein wenig gedauert, bis Prima Facie so richtig bei mir gezündet hat. Das erste Drittel fand ich fast ein wenig träge, obwohl ich verstanden habe, dass es dem Weltaufbau von Tessa dienlich war. Die „Red Flags“ habe ich früh wahrgenommen, vielleicht hat es deswegen ein wenig gedauert, bis ich so richtig ins Buch gefunden habe.
Das letzte Drittel war sehr dafür echt Weltklasse! Es war aufwühlend und emotional für mich, ich habe sehr mit Tessa mitgefühlt. Ich mag Gerichtsszenen in Büchern sehr und fand das hier auch sehr gut umgesetzt. Ich würde wahnsinnig gerne die Bühnenadaption sehen!
Ich kann das Buch auf jeden Fall empfehlen, würde aber definitiv auf eine Triggerwarnung für Vergewaltigung hinweisen wollen.
4,5/5 Sterne
March 6, 2023
Me too.
This play centers around this recent movement, although I suspect similar behaviors have always been apparent.
The woman who wrote this play, an ex-barrister, worked herself up the legal ladder to become a defense attorney (in Australia?).
She often, while practicing, did not believe in the sincerity of her female clients claims of rape; that there must have been some culpability on the part of her clientage.
In this play, she reconsiders her role as an advocate for her constituency, when she herself is confronted and abused by a fellow male defense barrister.
“Reality is when it happens to you.”
A tough play to read.
A necessary one to know, especially for nonplussed men.
This play centers around this recent movement, although I suspect similar behaviors have always been apparent.
The woman who wrote this play, an ex-barrister, worked herself up the legal ladder to become a defense attorney (in Australia?).
She often, while practicing, did not believe in the sincerity of her female clients claims of rape; that there must have been some culpability on the part of her clientage.
In this play, she reconsiders her role as an advocate for her constituency, when she herself is confronted and abused by a fellow male defense barrister.
“Reality is when it happens to you.”
A tough play to read.
A necessary one to know, especially for nonplussed men.
January 29, 2024
Tessa Ensler ist Strafverteidigerin. Sie macht diesen Job aus der Überzeugung heraus, dass jede*r das Recht auf Verteidigung hat. Dabei kommt es ihr auch nicht darauf an, ob ihre Mandanten schuldig sind. Im Gegenteil: sie blendet dies sogar extra aus, da sie sie anderenfalls gar nicht verteidigen könnte. Einige ihrer Mandanten sind dabei auch wegen sexueller Delikte angeklagt.
Tessa selbst stammt aus einfachen Verhältnissen. Mit viel Mühen und Ehrgeiz schaffte sie es nach Cambridge und von dort zu ihrem jetzigen Job. Eines Tages ereignet sich jedoch etwas, was ihre ganzen Überzeugungen und auch ihre Karriere zu bedrohen scheint.
Prima Facie habe ich von der ersten Seite an verschlungen. Ich fand Tessa faszinierend, musste bewundern, wie sie sich in der Welt der Anwälte behauptet. Ihre Überzeugungen konnte ich absolut nachvollziehen, vor allem bei Ihrem Hintergrund. Auch ihr Verhalten bei ihrem eigenen Prozess war sehr realistisch dargestellt. Es gibt nur einen Punkt, der mich ein bisschen an Tessas Überzeugungen zweifeln lässt. Ich muss leider kurz spoilern um ihn zu erklären: Tessa entkam als Jugendliche nur knapp einer Vergewaltigung. Das hätte meiner Meinung nach ihre Einstellung gegenüber Sexualstraftätern und deren Opfern verändern müssen. Erst als sie selbst in dieser Rolle ist, merkt sie, welchen Schwierigkeiten diese gegenüberstehen.
Von dieser Kritik abgesehen fand ich Prima Facie sehr stark. Es spricht viele Missstände in der Gesetzeslage und bei den Prozessen an. Mir ist beispielsweise völlig unverständlich, wieso sich der Angeklagte nicht vor Gericht rechtfertigen muss, dass Opfer dagegen schon.
Suzie Miller schrieb Prima Facie ursprünglich als Bühnenversion, bevor sie es in einen Roman umwandelte. In den Schlussszenen vor Gericht ist dies noch gut erkennbar: sie sind für die Bühne gemacht. Das Stück wird demnächst auch in München gezeigt und ich hoffe, dass ich mir dann selbst ein Bild machen kann.
Tessa selbst stammt aus einfachen Verhältnissen. Mit viel Mühen und Ehrgeiz schaffte sie es nach Cambridge und von dort zu ihrem jetzigen Job. Eines Tages ereignet sich jedoch etwas, was ihre ganzen Überzeugungen und auch ihre Karriere zu bedrohen scheint.
Prima Facie habe ich von der ersten Seite an verschlungen. Ich fand Tessa faszinierend, musste bewundern, wie sie sich in der Welt der Anwälte behauptet. Ihre Überzeugungen konnte ich absolut nachvollziehen, vor allem bei Ihrem Hintergrund. Auch ihr Verhalten bei ihrem eigenen Prozess war sehr realistisch dargestellt. Es gibt nur einen Punkt, der mich ein bisschen an Tessas Überzeugungen zweifeln lässt. Ich muss leider kurz spoilern um ihn zu erklären: Tessa entkam als Jugendliche nur knapp einer Vergewaltigung. Das hätte meiner Meinung nach ihre Einstellung gegenüber Sexualstraftätern und deren Opfern verändern müssen. Erst als sie selbst in dieser Rolle ist, merkt sie, welchen Schwierigkeiten diese gegenüberstehen.
Von dieser Kritik abgesehen fand ich Prima Facie sehr stark. Es spricht viele Missstände in der Gesetzeslage und bei den Prozessen an. Mir ist beispielsweise völlig unverständlich, wieso sich der Angeklagte nicht vor Gericht rechtfertigen muss, dass Opfer dagegen schon.
Suzie Miller schrieb Prima Facie ursprünglich als Bühnenversion, bevor sie es in einen Roman umwandelte. In den Schlussszenen vor Gericht ist dies noch gut erkennbar: sie sind für die Bühne gemacht. Das Stück wird demnächst auch in München gezeigt und ich hoffe, dass ich mir dann selbst ein Bild machen kann.
February 5, 2024
Initial Thoughts
This was a powerful book! It took me a long time to read this one, not because it was bad, but because I had an idea where the story was going and I knew that it would be painful to read. I thought it was an important story and I really felt for Tessa. I will definitely be recommending this one.
Review copy provided by the publisher. Full review to be posted soon.
This was a powerful book! It took me a long time to read this one, not because it was bad, but because I had an idea where the story was going and I knew that it would be painful to read. I thought it was an important story and I really felt for Tessa. I will definitely be recommending this one.
Review copy provided by the publisher. Full review to be posted soon.
May 10, 2022
I need to see Jodie Comer performing this play. I need to. It made me feel so so so angry. It’s so important.
January 28, 2024
Tessa Ensler arbeitet in London als Strafverteidigerin am legendären Zentralen Strafgerichtshof Old Bailey. Mit der Nominierung für die Wahl des Strafverteidigers des Jahres hat sie den nächsten Karriereschritt bereits vor Augen. Robe, Kragen, Perücke, Barrister Bag - die Insignien ihres Berufes verbindet die junge Frau mit Haltung und Selbstbewusstsein. Ihr beruflicher Erfolg ist hart erkämpft. Tessa stammt aus einfachen Verhältnissen, studierte mit einem Stipendium und sieht sich inzwischen mit der gläsernen Decke konfrontiert, dass nahezu alle Kolleg:innen aus Juristen-Dynastien der Oberschicht stammen und persönliche Netzwerke auf kostspieligen Privatschule knüpfen konnten.
Als Tessas Kanzlei-Kollegin anmerkt, dass Tessa zunehmend Angeklagte in Gewalt-Delikten vertritt, grübelt sie selbst bereits, ob ihre Entscheidung für die Seite der Verteidigerin das ist, was sie mit ihrem Studium ursprünglich erreichen wollte. Schon in ihrer Einführungsvorlesung hatte sie realisiert, dass Zeugenaussagen selten zuverlässig sind. Als Kron-Anwältin der Verteidigung demontiert sie im Kreuzverhör inzwischen in sachlichem Ton Aussagen Geschädigter. Durch Abweisung der Klage kommen jedoch immer öfter Schuldige straflos davon. Als Tessa selbst Opfer sexueller Gewalt wird, steht ihre berufliche Karriere auf dem Prüfstand. Sie müsste – am Ort ihrer eigenen Tätigkeit – öffentlich im Zeugenstand aussagen. Sie kennt die Verfahren zu genau von der anderen Seite der Barriere. Jeder würde von der Tat erfahren und ihr Sexualleben öffentlich zerpflückt, um ein Einvernehmen mit dem Täter zu konstruieren. Da die Gegenseite eine Verteidigung von Tessas Format aufzubieten hat, würde der Vergewaltiger mit hoher Wahrscheinlichkeit straflos davon kommen. Tessa muss für sich selbst sprechen – und wer könnte besser im Interesse aller betroffenen Frauen sprechen als eine mit allen Wassern gewaschene Strafverteidigerin …
Tessas Aufstieg aus der Unterschicht bis an Englands berühmten Gerichtshof erzählt Suzie Miller zu ausführlich, da die britische Klassengesellschaft und das Privatschulsystem bereits von anderen Autor:innen aufs Korn genommen wurden. Die Handlung kommt m. A. nach zu langsam in Gang, weil zu viel Offensichtliches ausgebreitet wird. Für ein deutsches Lesepublikum kann das britische Gerichtsverfahren befremdlich wirken, in dem die Geschädigten weder als Nebenkläger mit eigenem Anwalt auftreten noch im Verfahren von einer spezialisierten Beratungsstelle begleitet werden.
Als Porträt einer Frau, die sich aus einfachen Verhältnissen heraus studierte und zu spät erkennt, auf wessen Seite sie sich damit stellte, ist Prima Facie (dt. = dem ersten Anschein nach, bis auf Widerruf) ein wichtiges, mitreißendes Buch. Tessa ist nicht auf der Seite der Macht und ererbter Vermögen geboren, sondern hat ihre Position durch Leistung erreicht. Als Überlebende von sexueller Gewalt setzt sie vor Gericht ihre gesamte Existenz aufs Spiel. Auch wenn die Anzahl der „Guten“ in Tessas Leben übertrieben scheint, wirken die Nebenfiguren glaubwürdig und repräsentativ (der zweifelnde Kollege Adam, allerbeste Freundin Mia selbst über Tausende Kilometer hinweg, ihre Schwägerin Cheryl, Polizist:innen, ihr Mentée Phoebe).
Der zuerst für die Bühne verfasste Text zeigt eine Frau mit zwei Leben, die sich durch ihren beruflichen Aufstieg keinem der Milieus mehr zugehörig fühlt. Suzie Miller mutet ihren Leser:innen harten Tobak zu, der durch Eigenheiten des britischen Justizsystems deutschen Leser:innen nicht leicht zu vermitteln sein wird.
Als Tessas Kanzlei-Kollegin anmerkt, dass Tessa zunehmend Angeklagte in Gewalt-Delikten vertritt, grübelt sie selbst bereits, ob ihre Entscheidung für die Seite der Verteidigerin das ist, was sie mit ihrem Studium ursprünglich erreichen wollte. Schon in ihrer Einführungsvorlesung hatte sie realisiert, dass Zeugenaussagen selten zuverlässig sind. Als Kron-Anwältin der Verteidigung demontiert sie im Kreuzverhör inzwischen in sachlichem Ton Aussagen Geschädigter. Durch Abweisung der Klage kommen jedoch immer öfter Schuldige straflos davon. Als Tessa selbst Opfer sexueller Gewalt wird, steht ihre berufliche Karriere auf dem Prüfstand. Sie müsste – am Ort ihrer eigenen Tätigkeit – öffentlich im Zeugenstand aussagen. Sie kennt die Verfahren zu genau von der anderen Seite der Barriere. Jeder würde von der Tat erfahren und ihr Sexualleben öffentlich zerpflückt, um ein Einvernehmen mit dem Täter zu konstruieren. Da die Gegenseite eine Verteidigung von Tessas Format aufzubieten hat, würde der Vergewaltiger mit hoher Wahrscheinlichkeit straflos davon kommen. Tessa muss für sich selbst sprechen – und wer könnte besser im Interesse aller betroffenen Frauen sprechen als eine mit allen Wassern gewaschene Strafverteidigerin …
Tessas Aufstieg aus der Unterschicht bis an Englands berühmten Gerichtshof erzählt Suzie Miller zu ausführlich, da die britische Klassengesellschaft und das Privatschulsystem bereits von anderen Autor:innen aufs Korn genommen wurden. Die Handlung kommt m. A. nach zu langsam in Gang, weil zu viel Offensichtliches ausgebreitet wird. Für ein deutsches Lesepublikum kann das britische Gerichtsverfahren befremdlich wirken, in dem die Geschädigten weder als Nebenkläger mit eigenem Anwalt auftreten noch im Verfahren von einer spezialisierten Beratungsstelle begleitet werden.
Als Porträt einer Frau, die sich aus einfachen Verhältnissen heraus studierte und zu spät erkennt, auf wessen Seite sie sich damit stellte, ist Prima Facie (dt. = dem ersten Anschein nach, bis auf Widerruf) ein wichtiges, mitreißendes Buch. Tessa ist nicht auf der Seite der Macht und ererbter Vermögen geboren, sondern hat ihre Position durch Leistung erreicht. Als Überlebende von sexueller Gewalt setzt sie vor Gericht ihre gesamte Existenz aufs Spiel. Auch wenn die Anzahl der „Guten“ in Tessas Leben übertrieben scheint, wirken die Nebenfiguren glaubwürdig und repräsentativ (der zweifelnde Kollege Adam, allerbeste Freundin Mia selbst über Tausende Kilometer hinweg, ihre Schwägerin Cheryl, Polizist:innen, ihr Mentée Phoebe).
Der zuerst für die Bühne verfasste Text zeigt eine Frau mit zwei Leben, die sich durch ihren beruflichen Aufstieg keinem der Milieus mehr zugehörig fühlt. Suzie Miller mutet ihren Leser:innen harten Tobak zu, der durch Eigenheiten des britischen Justizsystems deutschen Leser:innen nicht leicht zu vermitteln sein wird.
June 2, 2022
I received this book in the mail before I went to London to see Jodie Comer’s impeccable performance. I’m glad that I listened to my gut and waited to read this because now, I am reliving that day through the words in print. This book/play I really can’t find the words for but SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE! Coming from one of the one in three, our voices deserve to be heard. Be the voice, not an echo.
Jodie and Suzie are 5 star and a million thumbs up duo. I hope and pray that this play will eventually be released on digital media because it deserves to be seen by everyone.
Jodie and Suzie are 5 star and a million thumbs up duo. I hope and pray that this play will eventually be released on digital media because it deserves to be seen by everyone.
February 8, 2023
“The law of sexual assault spins on the wrong axis.
A woman’s experience of sexual assault
does not fit the male-defined system of truth.
So it cannot be truth,
and therefore there cannot be justice.
The law has been shaped
by generations and generations of men.”
hits hard when you are studying sexual assault in your penal law class
A woman’s experience of sexual assault
does not fit the male-defined system of truth.
So it cannot be truth,
and therefore there cannot be justice.
The law has been shaped
by generations and generations of men.”
hits hard when you are studying sexual assault in your penal law class
December 26, 2023
As a brief summary, Prima Facie's about a young criminal defense lawyer named Tessa Ensler who defied all odds - including her working-class background - to become one of the most renowned defenders of men accus*d of rap* and s*x*al viol*nc*. Morality doesn't matter to Tessa.
During the second half of Prima Facie, Tessa talks about her ordeal, from reporting the rape to a taciturn policeman so indoctrinated in law enforcement that he just doesn't seem to care. Then there's the trial, and all the emotional turmoil involved. Tessa's professional and personal worlds are turned upside down as Miller depicts these events. During Tessa's impassioned and scathing monologue at the end of the play, we see a glimpse of the play's fiery polemic, but it feels earned and, for the reader, is a welcome breather. It shows just how restrictive and antagonistic the legal system can be toward victims of s*x*al viol*nc* whose circumstances don't neatly fit the "appearance" of rape.
The story of Prima Facie is raw, visceral, and about the price survivors pay for speaking up. There's something wonderful about Suzie Miller's writing. The writing performance has a sexual assault warning, making you think 100 minutes of reading will be painful, but it's not. There's a comic part right after the most difficult part. After Tessa drunkenly recounts her embarrassment over throwing up in front of the guy she just slept with, we learn about her s*xu*l ass*ult. Prima Facie works best when it channels the source material closely. It was the perfect plane book for me. This story unfolds with a remarkable combination of empathy and ruthlessness. With its economy, its refined observations, and its raw message, the play is a success. While that content remains in this expanded format, it is obfuscated by an excess of background information. The book Prima Facie is unlike anything I have ever read before.
If you plan to read this book, I must warn you to prepare tissues.
During the second half of Prima Facie, Tessa talks about her ordeal, from reporting the rape to a taciturn policeman so indoctrinated in law enforcement that he just doesn't seem to care. Then there's the trial, and all the emotional turmoil involved. Tessa's professional and personal worlds are turned upside down as Miller depicts these events. During Tessa's impassioned and scathing monologue at the end of the play, we see a glimpse of the play's fiery polemic, but it feels earned and, for the reader, is a welcome breather. It shows just how restrictive and antagonistic the legal system can be toward victims of s*x*al viol*nc* whose circumstances don't neatly fit the "appearance" of rape.
The story of Prima Facie is raw, visceral, and about the price survivors pay for speaking up. There's something wonderful about Suzie Miller's writing. The writing performance has a sexual assault warning, making you think 100 minutes of reading will be painful, but it's not. There's a comic part right after the most difficult part. After Tessa drunkenly recounts her embarrassment over throwing up in front of the guy she just slept with, we learn about her s*xu*l ass*ult. Prima Facie works best when it channels the source material closely. It was the perfect plane book for me. This story unfolds with a remarkable combination of empathy and ruthlessness. With its economy, its refined observations, and its raw message, the play is a success. While that content remains in this expanded format, it is obfuscated by an excess of background information. The book Prima Facie is unlike anything I have ever read before.
If you plan to read this book, I must warn you to prepare tissues.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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