It's tough to describe this book. Intellectually, it is a pretty easy read - a generally straight chronological story of Heather Gemmen's true story. It's a gripping tale and fairly easy to read in several hours. But, it is an emotional ride that will evoke tears for many readers. Heather Gemmen was born in Canada but has lived for many years in the United States. She, and her daughter, represent those "rare cases" we like to dismiss as statistically insignificant - the pregnancies that result from rape. Their story plants us squarely in the emotional and psychological dilemma that must face every woman, and there are thousands of them who are victims of rape in Canada and more than a million a year in the U.S. - even a fraction of rapes resulting in pregnancy constitutes a huge number of women and children..

Mrs. Gemmen was raped at knifepoint in her own home with her children asleep in the next room. She was raised in a strongly religious and pro-life family and is herself pro-life. She was urged by husband, family, clergyman, prayer group, and doctor (a close friend) to take the morning-after pill to ensure she wasn't pregnant. After a couple of days of anguish and reluctance, she did. Again, she became a statistic - one of the many for whom the pills did not accomplish the intended task.

Two months later she discovered she was pregnant. More anguish and pressure to abort. There is, in addition to the pregnancy "problem", her terror at being at home, the response of her husband and friends to her situation, ongoing tests for HIV/AIDS, the police investigation and more.

As the title proclaims, she and her family do move on, heal and eventually triumph over this horrifying event. Heather Gemmen is now an author, children's writer and a public speaker. She travels across North America sharing her story with others.

Startling Beauty is a sometimes grim yet ultimately positive story that should remind us that statistics are, in the end, just numbers. The real story behind them is what matters.

Read a sample excerpt from the book here.

This book can be borrowed from the Edmonton Prolife Office or through The Alberta Library Online. 

You can buy it from Amazon by following this link.

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