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Reeva: A Mother's Story
The tragic story of the girl at the heart of the most dramatic trial of the 21st Century.
In the early hours of Valentine's Day 2013, Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, shooting her multiple times while she cowered behind the locked door of their bathroom. His trial attracted more international media attention and public scrutiny than any since that of OJ Simpson.
What went on behind the scenes though? And what was the real Reeva like, away from the photo shoots and the attention of the media? A beautiful 29 year old from Port Elizabeth, Reeva graduated as a lawyer and campaigned passionately for human rights causes before deciding to try the world of modelling and the party scene in South Africa's most vibrant city. Her relationship with international hero Oscar Pistorius seemed like a fairy tale of triumph over adversity - double amputee turned champion athlete meets small town girl with beauty and brains wanting to make her mark on the world. No one could have predicted the tragic and horrifying conclusion.
Reeva's mother, June Steenkamp, has kept a dignified silence in the face of public scrutiny, media intrusion, and of course, the bereavement she has endured. Until now, no one has truly known what she is feeling, or how she has coped since her youngest child, her "darling daughter" and "late lamb", was shot dead. Powerful and unflinching, and revealing all the details of the sensational trial and its verdict, REEVA offers the only true insider's account of this heartbreaking tale.
In the early hours of Valentine's Day 2013, Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, shooting her multiple times while she cowered behind the locked door of their bathroom. His trial attracted more international media attention and public scrutiny than any since that of OJ Simpson.
What went on behind the scenes though? And what was the real Reeva like, away from the photo shoots and the attention of the media? A beautiful 29 year old from Port Elizabeth, Reeva graduated as a lawyer and campaigned passionately for human rights causes before deciding to try the world of modelling and the party scene in South Africa's most vibrant city. Her relationship with international hero Oscar Pistorius seemed like a fairy tale of triumph over adversity - double amputee turned champion athlete meets small town girl with beauty and brains wanting to make her mark on the world. No one could have predicted the tragic and horrifying conclusion.
Reeva's mother, June Steenkamp, has kept a dignified silence in the face of public scrutiny, media intrusion, and of course, the bereavement she has endured. Until now, no one has truly known what she is feeling, or how she has coped since her youngest child, her "darling daughter" and "late lamb", was shot dead. Powerful and unflinching, and revealing all the details of the sensational trial and its verdict, REEVA offers the only true insider's account of this heartbreaking tale.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
January 10, 2021
I read 鈥楥hase Your Shadow: The Trials of Oscar Pistorius鈥� by John Carlin back in 2015. This one was written by Reeva Steenkamp鈥檚 mother June. My word it packs a punch. 鈥楾he pain only gets worse. I don鈥檛 know how I will get through these next few days, surfacing every morning knowing I will never hear my daughter鈥檚 voice again, never see her elfin face, never watch her throw back her head and laugh throatily, never send my little love fairies via SMS to make her feel better when she鈥檚 ill, never again hold her when she cries. How can I accept she has just gone? Gone forever.鈥�
I won鈥檛 go into the detailed story as I am sure everyone knows it. South Africa鈥檚 national hero shoots his model girlfriend dead on 14-Feb-2013. Valentine鈥檚 Day. Whereas the Carlin book looks at Pistorius this, of course, is about Reeva. It is heart wrenching.
Reeva really is brought to life by her mother. She is a real person not just a vacant model looking for money and fame. Reeva had a choice, to stay in Port Elizabeth and practice law (she had a law degree) or move to Johannesburg to pursue a modelling career. She chose modelling to her father鈥檚 chagrin, but her family supported her. Pursue it she did. With everything she had. The editor of FHM South Africa said 鈥樷€� she was just so obsessed with making something out of herself and prepared to do what she needed to get there. Even though she was such a friendly, lovely person, she was ruthlessly dedicated to that part of being a model鈥�.
Being from the UK I knew of Pistorius due to the London Olympics, but I had not heard of Reeva before. She had been on a reality show on South African television that was not shown here as far as I know. Not that I would have watched it anyway but that is beside the point. What I found particularly interesting were the comments from Reeva鈥檚 friends and Reeva鈥檚 WhatsApp messages. This did not seem like a comfortable relationship. Not violent but Pistorius was controlling.
The writing by June is from the heart and as such it can be a little repetitive. This is understandable of course. June is not an author, although she does acknowledge Sara Edworthy for putting her words onto the page, and this must have been difficult to write but maybe this helped her in a way. I am sure it did. There are plenty of books out there written by mother鈥檚 that have been in the same position as June, so I presume the sitting down and writing does indeed provide some form of therapeutic / mental assistance. Be it closure or just remembering all the good times.
As a footnote to this review, there has been a lot of updates to the Pistorius prison sentence since this was published so I do advise you to check that out after reading this book.
I won鈥檛 go into the detailed story as I am sure everyone knows it. South Africa鈥檚 national hero shoots his model girlfriend dead on 14-Feb-2013. Valentine鈥檚 Day. Whereas the Carlin book looks at Pistorius this, of course, is about Reeva. It is heart wrenching.
Reeva really is brought to life by her mother. She is a real person not just a vacant model looking for money and fame. Reeva had a choice, to stay in Port Elizabeth and practice law (she had a law degree) or move to Johannesburg to pursue a modelling career. She chose modelling to her father鈥檚 chagrin, but her family supported her. Pursue it she did. With everything she had. The editor of FHM South Africa said 鈥樷€� she was just so obsessed with making something out of herself and prepared to do what she needed to get there. Even though she was such a friendly, lovely person, she was ruthlessly dedicated to that part of being a model鈥�.
Being from the UK I knew of Pistorius due to the London Olympics, but I had not heard of Reeva before. She had been on a reality show on South African television that was not shown here as far as I know. Not that I would have watched it anyway but that is beside the point. What I found particularly interesting were the comments from Reeva鈥檚 friends and Reeva鈥檚 WhatsApp messages. This did not seem like a comfortable relationship. Not violent but Pistorius was controlling.
The writing by June is from the heart and as such it can be a little repetitive. This is understandable of course. June is not an author, although she does acknowledge Sara Edworthy for putting her words onto the page, and this must have been difficult to write but maybe this helped her in a way. I am sure it did. There are plenty of books out there written by mother鈥檚 that have been in the same position as June, so I presume the sitting down and writing does indeed provide some form of therapeutic / mental assistance. Be it closure or just remembering all the good times.
As a footnote to this review, there has been a lot of updates to the Pistorius prison sentence since this was published so I do advise you to check that out after reading this book.
February 23, 2017
by June Steenkamp
This is a story straight from a mother鈥檚 broken heart, written following the most horrifying of circumstances that any parent could ever have to deal with. June Steenkamp has written this account of her beautiful daughter鈥檚 senseless murder with her emotions pouring out, making you almost drown in sorrow for her plight. Along with this, she displays an openness and fragility which leaves a reader feeling overwhelmed with a deep sense of compassion, yet also with a profound degree of admiration for her courage and Godly principles.
I first started reading this on a plane to Melbourne while on my way to visit my only daughter and five-year-old grandson. I think the fact that I knew I was going to be seeing them very shortly after a few months apart brought the tragedy of this lost life even closer to home. No matter how long it is between visits with my much-loved child, there is always the knowledge that she is alive and only a few hours away by plane, while this poor grieving mother has to live with the knowledge that she will never ever see her beloved daughter again this side of Heaven. Throughout the book, June is confident they will one day be together again 鈥� in fact, I鈥檓 sure it is this that gives her strength to keep going 鈥� and to forgive the man who brought this horrible circumstance into hers and her husband鈥檚 lives. Because, believe it or not, she does forgive him, though she can never ever forget what he did.
Each line has simplistic phrasing 鈥� emphasising the fact that this happened to a normal family 鈥� one just like yours and mine 鈥� and isn鈥檛 written with a persuasive tongue to tell a lyrical story, nor edited to the nth degree with the most perfect grammar or imagery. One line has stayed with me and my heart aches with sadness: 鈥淚 still have her number in my phone. I will never ever delete it.鈥� This is a mother鈥檚 heart laid bare, sharing the love for her daughter with you and me, and then taking us on a terrible journey 鈥� one that she and Barry, her husband, have endured for the last almost three years.
When I turned the last page, I could only feel deep admiration and profound sadness for everything they have had to endure 鈥� not only the loss of their daughter, but also the blow-by-blow minute descriptions in a courtroom of everything that happened on that awful night. Well, everything the perpetrator wanted a Judge to know, although there are still far too many questions left hanging in the air with the rancid stench of unfulfilled injustice.
I may be treading on delicate ground by saying this, but I don鈥檛 care ... someone has to say what I鈥檓 sure many of us have been thinking. For the life of me I cannot understand how someone can deliberately pick up a gun and fire it 鈥� not once, not twice, not even three times, but a total of four times 鈥� through a locked toilet door and still come away with a sentence which seems more suited to a misdemeanour rather than a cold-blooded murder. Because, in my eyes, this is the only way to describe what happened. Whether Oscar Pistorius knew who was in that small locked cubicle or not, to shoot a total of four bullets deliberately into a confined space clearly shows it was an act set to kill whoever was in there; otherwise one shot should have been sufficient to stop whoever it was in their tracks until the police arrived.
And yet, though June Steenkamp clearly feels the way I do 鈥� that this was murder in cold blood 鈥� one of the last paragraphs in her book had a profound effect on me and confirms why I admire her so much. 鈥淲e feel justice has been done. We were happy with the sentence 鈥� five years is sufficient. Oscar will spend at least ten months incarcerated and it is right that he should pay for his actions ... We went to court hoping that the punishment handed down would fit the crime, and we left satisfied ... No sentence can ever provide absolute closure for us. Nothing can 鈥� unless someone can magic Reeva back. The man who took her life has to serve his time, but I don鈥檛 want him to suffer. The Department of Correctional Services proved they will be able to cater for his special needs, and that was important to us. He will be well looked after.鈥�
It is no wonder Reeva was so admired and loved by all who knew her. Having been raised by a mother with a heart like this proves the calibre of her family, and the person 鈥� and mother 鈥� Reeva, herself, would have become had she been given the chance.
Rest in peace, sweet girl, and may your family feel you close on those cold, lonely nights ... and find many white feathers to bring an assurance you are still with them.
"Reeva - A Mother's Story" is a tender account of June Steenkamp's life from the night of 14 February 2013 to the sentencing of her young daughter's killer - not revengeful in any sense - and something I would recommend for those who are touched by a true story written from the heart.
June 9, 2016
Taking into context that this was written at the height of a mother's grief, it is a very good look into the life of Reeva Steenkamp with whom the world is fascinated with due to her untimely death. Although the book can be repetitive in terms of her facts and heightened by the emotional trauma that June clearly suffered while writing this book, it remains consistent. Her characterization of Reeva although canonized through a mother's eyes is consistent with what the press is saying- that she is a wonderful, bubbly woman at the cusp of her life which was sadly snuffed away. Perhaps due to the nature of her death, June paints Oscar as a wild party boy who could get away with murder and on some levels, he did. It is understandable that she would feel that way and it is admirable that she states the fact of the case clearly. While the whole world was bewildered on why people would keep guns on their house, she explains calmly that it is part and parcel of living life in South Africa- she even recounts from her own experience when her house was broken into during the last year of her separation from her husband illustrating how tense life can be even in residential areas. I shared the same shock as her when the verdict was handed down and I feel a sense of justice now that it is being deliberated in court due to the misuse of dolus eventualis.
December 31, 2014
Thoroughly enjoyed this book and could not put it down! One of the fastest reads this year, 6 days! My heart goes out to both families because both have lost so much. I don't think the truth will ever be known for certain but this book certainly gave me an insight into Reeva,which was lovely. Would highly recommend!
February 4, 2016
A very sad read as the pain that Reeva's parents went through and are still in is just horrendous. Over all I did really enjoy this read especially the sections about Oscar and the relationship and about what her parents thought happened that night. I did find some bits, for example about Reeva's childhood, a little long winded. I'm also not sure I totally believe everything that is said in this book about Reeva. Obviously it is written by her mother and so we are told how fabulous Reeva was and what good intentions she constantly had about helping people and making a difference but I don't believe some of the "facts". For example, i don't believe that Reeva only got involved in modelling and moved to JHB so that she could establish a public figure to help her with her legal career. The fact of the matter is that she studied law in her late teens and early twenties and she never practised law nor did she even do her Articles. By the time she passed on, she had not pursued a legal career at all despite being nearly 30. Hence, I think that perhaps certain traits of hers are exaggerated, but I can forgive that because I'm sure we all seem perfect in the eyes of our parents. Overall a very good and interesting good read.
December 28, 2015
I enjoyed reading who Reeva was and understanding the person. Seeing it through a mother's eyes is heart wrenching. A lot of repetition which I did not like however you can see that this was written from the heart
November 25, 2014
Utterly brutally honest and truthful and heart felt. Without question one of my top reads of the 2000s
Your heart will break with every turn of the page
Your heart will break with every turn of the page
November 25, 2014
A moving tale of a Mother's love for her beautiful daughter..what an inspiration Reeva is..she has made me appreciate the beauty and joy in life and to hug my daughters any chance I get
February 9, 2015
Reeva Steenkamp deserves to be know for being so much more than just a headline. Her loving mother June has written this heartfelt book so that she can be.
May 14, 2020
Very well written
It took you step by step to Reeva鈥檚 life from the beginning to her departure and after that in trial. All the emotions and facts and evidence are there except for a few. If you love Reeva like I do, read it without hesitation.
It took you step by step to Reeva鈥檚 life from the beginning to her departure and after that in trial. All the emotions and facts and evidence are there except for a few. If you love Reeva like I do, read it without hesitation.
February 27, 2019
I don't think it's fair to criticise the way in which this book is written given what it's about BUT on a few occassions this book, however, does go round in circles; repetitive statements and opinions.
Prior reading this I knew little of Reeva. I knew more about Pistorious because of the books I have read and the documentaries I've seen. A beautiful woman was murdered on the 14th Feburary 2013. FACT. Whether Pistorious knew it was Reeva or not he knew the damage in which the bullets would do. So, for this reason alone, he is guilty. Only, from watching him (without a lot of facts on Reeva's side-text messages and his possessive behaviour) part of me believed him and wants to believe him. Not because of his status-to be fair, just like June Steenkamp, I wasn't aware of his time in the olympics, but because I can't help but think/hope/want the photos of the couple smiling together to be genuine. Ahhhh facts are facts and after reading this book it's hard to believe anything Pistrious did or said.. as much as I really want to. I am half-way through another book which is based on all of the statements from witnesses and beyond... regardless of opinions... Reeva was taken far too early... may she rest in peace!
Prior reading this I knew little of Reeva. I knew more about Pistorious because of the books I have read and the documentaries I've seen. A beautiful woman was murdered on the 14th Feburary 2013. FACT. Whether Pistorious knew it was Reeva or not he knew the damage in which the bullets would do. So, for this reason alone, he is guilty. Only, from watching him (without a lot of facts on Reeva's side-text messages and his possessive behaviour) part of me believed him and wants to believe him. Not because of his status-to be fair, just like June Steenkamp, I wasn't aware of his time in the olympics, but because I can't help but think/hope/want the photos of the couple smiling together to be genuine. Ahhhh facts are facts and after reading this book it's hard to believe anything Pistrious did or said.. as much as I really want to. I am half-way through another book which is based on all of the statements from witnesses and beyond... regardless of opinions... Reeva was taken far too early... may she rest in peace!
January 17, 2017
A heartfelt memoir of a beautiful daughter loved and tragically lost. The truth behind media sensationalism and the struggle to come to terms with the horrific loss of a child are deeply entrenched in this mother's reflection on the circumstances enshrouding her beloved daughter's death on that fateful night.
A mesmerising read that grips the reader from the beginning through to the end - even more so if you followed the international live screening of the trial of Oscar Pistorius.
The reader is left understanding that the most palpable truth comes from the voice of June Steenkamp. The struggle Reeva's father endured, which was largely ignored in any reporting of the case, is poignantly told with unadorned honesty of pain and ill health.
The power of the written word, simply told, captures the reality of loss and anguish that only a parent can feel.
~Powerful, moving, heartfelt and truthful~
A mesmerising read that grips the reader from the beginning through to the end - even more so if you followed the international live screening of the trial of Oscar Pistorius.
The reader is left understanding that the most palpable truth comes from the voice of June Steenkamp. The struggle Reeva's father endured, which was largely ignored in any reporting of the case, is poignantly told with unadorned honesty of pain and ill health.
The power of the written word, simply told, captures the reality of loss and anguish that only a parent can feel.
~Powerful, moving, heartfelt and truthful~
November 7, 2017
Although the book tended to be repetitive, it was utterly sad to read. A mother's love for her child truly knows no bounds. And a mother and daughter bond is truly unlike any other. Truly heartbreaking to read of what an exceptional human being Reeva was, how nobody had a single bad thing to say about her, how she stood for all that she believed in and then, how suddenly, that part of her began to slip when he came into her life. She knew he was no good for her, but she continued seeing him nonetheless. I think she knew she was in trouble, and that he was troubled, but she felt sorry for him in some kind of way and despite knowing he wasn't good for her, she still kept quiet about what worried her.
At the end of the day, Reeva is the victim and not him. I loved reading this because it shed light on who Reeva was. She has certainly left her loved ones with a huge gaping hole of where she once was. Rest in Peace, Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp.
At the end of the day, Reeva is the victim and not him. I loved reading this because it shed light on who Reeva was. She has certainly left her loved ones with a huge gaping hole of where she once was. Rest in Peace, Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp.
March 4, 2020
This book is Beautiful in every way just like Reeva..... She clearly inherited both her inner & outer beauty, integrity and strength from her Amazing Mother June.
This book is faultless as its real & authentic. Straight from the heart of an honest woman & mother who handled her deep tragedy with her firm reliance & faith in God of the hope in his promise of being reunited with our dead loved ones once again (Rev 21:4) June SteenKamp is an inspiration to me and I too look forward to having the privilege of meeting her beautiful daughter in the next life to come.
Any "repetitiveness" is a sure sign of truth from June which only proves the beautiful human being she is and her daughter was.
RIP Beautiful Reeva until we all meet again
This book is faultless as its real & authentic. Straight from the heart of an honest woman & mother who handled her deep tragedy with her firm reliance & faith in God of the hope in his promise of being reunited with our dead loved ones once again (Rev 21:4) June SteenKamp is an inspiration to me and I too look forward to having the privilege of meeting her beautiful daughter in the next life to come.
Any "repetitiveness" is a sure sign of truth from June which only proves the beautiful human being she is and her daughter was.
RIP Beautiful Reeva until we all meet again
February 20, 2015
This was a sad event, as they say, only two people know the truth and only one can tell us. Even today it seems domestic incidents are not seemingly as serious as other violent deaths. I'm sure Reeva was a lovely person (ok, ok, about 200 pages of the book dedicated to this did drive it home!), but she lived a high-risk and high-profile life, which ultimately led to keeping company with the wrong person.
October 26, 2016
A sobering and heart-breaking intersection between the wheels of injustice and the impact of a brutal, senseless murder on a family thrust into the limelight for all the wrong reasons. Each page just makes you fall in love with Reeva who left a legacy of love and passion for life in such a short lifespan.
August 23, 2019
A devastating account of how the Steenkamp family have had to attempt to come to terms with the death of Reeva. I just couldn't quite get over a sense of passive aggression that came to the fore on one or two occasions in the book towards Barry. June did a good job at addressing why she remained so stoic as the eyes of the world bore down on the trials.
October 17, 2018
Very moving. A heartfelt account of Reeva Steenkamp through her mother's loving eyes.
February 17, 2015
Injustice! Wouldn't end up on that way if it was my daughter.
As a book, not too bad. Shows quite well what happened and what kind of people were involved.
As a book, not too bad. Shows quite well what happened and what kind of people were involved.
March 1, 2015
While I really feel for her parents and everything they have been through, I did find this a very repetitive book. A sad case and my heart goes out to them all, but not a good book.
September 5, 2015
heartbreaking story. Great read though.
October 22, 2017
Very good and so, so sad; you can feel the grief as you read this mother鈥檚 story. It鈥檚 a different perspective on the whole trial and was written before the appeal.
December 4, 2017
Loved this book - could not put it down. I would recommend it to anybody.
August 26, 2018
It was a very eye opening book
December 14, 2014
Without doubt a tragic story but I felt there was not enough to fill a book
February 15, 2023
Like so many people, I was mesmerized by the murder of Reeva Steenkamp, a beautiful 29 year model, by her three month boyfriend, Olympic athelete, Oscar Pistorius on February 14, 2013 in South Africa. Reeva as at the peak of her career and there was no question she was going places. By all accounts, she was not only beautiful outside but a darling daughter who charmed everyone who knew her. No one could find a bad thing to say about her. She was utterly devoted to her parents, June and Barry Steenkamp and her loss affected them deeply. There did not seem to be any answers as they waited for the trial and hoped they would find out what really happened to Reeva that fateful night. She was a huge advocate against violence to women and she did not tolerate disrespect and would never have remained in an abusive relationship but, much of the evidence showed that there were problems early on in the relationship. Oscar alleged he thought he was shooting at an intruder who entered through his balcony and went into the bathroom; however, it was Reeva who was in the bathroom and he fatally shot her three times. Her mother very much captures how devastated they are at losing her and in such a tragic manner. They endured much pain and mourn her passing deeply. It does not seem to get any better and especially since the judge ruled that Oscar was not guiltily of premeditated murder but manslaughter and his sentence was only five years. Reeva was a force and her potential to be someone who could make a difference in this world was enormous. My heart goes out to June and Barry at the loss of their beautiful, kind hearted and giving daughter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2023
Such a heartbreaking loss of such a beautiful and inspirational young women. I followed this on the news when it happened and I always that Oscar killed Reeva on purpose and after reading Reevas mums book about her daughter and her life and the tragic death I am now with the family 100% this was cold blooded murder if Oscar couldn鈥檛 have Reeva no one could. Reevas mother talks so emotional and so beautiful about her daughters life and how she was the life and soul of the family. Reeva had so much more of life to live and she sadly didn鈥檛 get that chance. To hear how loved Reeva was by everyone was so heartwarming to read about and the amount of memories people have of Reeva will last a life time. I felt sorri for Reevas dad as he suffered a stroke from losing his beloved daughter but he is back on track now at home with his wife. Reevas story needs to be told and shared world wide to raise awareness of guv violence and domestic violence. Reevas legacy will live on forever in her friends and family hearts. This book had me crying and this book had certainly broken my heart. R.I.P Reeva never forgotten
August 23, 2024
An emotional read about a beautiful and much loved daughter. I admire June, her mother for having the strength to write this. With such a loss to detail. Reeva was a girl with her whole life ahead of her and with so much to look forward to as she was beautiful, talented and giving.
It is a tragic tale written so beautifully and a fitting tribute to Reeva, a kind, cheerful girl who just became involved with the wrong guy and only for 3 months. The story is hard to put down. I read this book in a day. If you like real life stories, this one is well worth reading for the story and easy to read yet powerful prose.
It is a tragic tale written so beautifully and a fitting tribute to Reeva, a kind, cheerful girl who just became involved with the wrong guy and only for 3 months. The story is hard to put down. I read this book in a day. If you like real life stories, this one is well worth reading for the story and easy to read yet powerful prose.
September 15, 2023
Reeva, the person
Showing the life of Reeva and her life. Not just the girlfriend and victim of Oscar. Her story should be a lesson of you can鈥檛 judge a book by its cover. Specially for woman. Oscar have many red flags, specially here in the US, in which mental health is a major issue.
Showing the life of Reeva and her life. Not just the girlfriend and victim of Oscar. Her story should be a lesson of you can鈥檛 judge a book by its cover. Specially for woman. Oscar have many red flags, specially here in the US, in which mental health is a major issue.
May 24, 2024
It is crystal clear Reva was an exceptional woman. I guess I wanted to read why Oscar did what he did. Who was he really? How did he end up being an abuser. I used to admire him. I never in my wildest dreams thought he was capable of hiding in plain sight as evil as he was. So, I will search for another book to tell me those story's.
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