Mary Ann Quillerman

Escape from the Abyss Mary Ann Quillerman

Mary Ann Kent entered the world a minute late, which set the course for her entire life. Born only a moment after her identical twin, Esther, Mary Ann was immediately rejected by her shocked and disgruntled mother. Amy Kent had anticipated having only one child and never wanted a second, so she adopted a hurtful and vicious mind-set toward Mary Ann.



Growing up, Mary Ann endured horrors that no child should face. Her upbringing was a constant barrage of verbal and physical abuse. Her mother, who became an unstable and sinister entity known as Abyss, threatened and demeaned her daily. Her father, a respected member of the community, began sexually abusing her when she was five. And her sister, Esther-considered the favorite child-played into the severe sibling rivalry perpetuated by their parents.



Mary Ann carried the emotional scars of being degraded, unheard, and unloved into adulthood. Her difficult journey, recounted in fictionalized form in Escape from the Abyss, is a testament to the power of self-reflection and determination for survivors of unthinkable trauma. Coauthored by Mary Ann's real-life psychiatrist, the book provides a gripping, graphic, and thought-provoking picture of the long-term psychological effects of parental abuse.