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Once I Was a Princess
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Once I Was a Princess

3.88  ·  Rating details ·  605 ratings  ·  32 reviews
Can you imagine what it would be like to be swept off your feet by a royal prince to live a charmed life in the marble palaces of an oil-rich nation - and then to watch your fairy-tale romance turn into a nightmare of Islamic superstition, isolation, betrayal and abuse? What would you do if you managed to escape your life of torment - and then your children were kidnapped ...more
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Published October 21st 1999 by Mainstream Publishing (first published 1995)
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Average rating 3.88  · 
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 ·  605 ratings  ·  32 reviews


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Diane in Australia
4 Stars = Outstanding. It definitely held my interest.
Lucrezia Monti
Il più bello dei sogni che si trasforma nel più atroce degli incubi.
Jacqueline ha, sì, sposato un principe bello, ricco ed affascinante, ma, al contrario di ciò che avviene nelle favole, questo non ha segnato per lei l'inizio di una vita in cui tutti vissero felici e contenti. Divenuta principessa, Jacqueline viene privata del suo nome, della sua identità, delle sue libertà e diventa "del" marito, esattamente come una qualunque proprietà.
Una storia drammatica che dimostra come la realtà possa di
...more
Helen
Apr 27, 2011 rated it it was amazing
I was given a copy of this book from a lady whose static caravan we nearly bought in 2008/9 Not something I would normally read but I had nothing else at the time so thought it was worth a go. VERY good. VERY moving & boy do you need some tissues. After I read it all I wanted to do was go help! Shocking to know its real.
teachie Bromwich
Jul 06, 2008 rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition
Recommends it for: anyone.
My daughter is in Australia and I visit her every two years with a stopover in Malaysia going and coming back and have done this for the past 12 years. So I was interested to read this book to see what life was like as a member of their royal family.
The Royal family are certainly revered there and there are posters/pictures of them all over. It is a poor country and there are ceratinly wide divisions between the poor and the well off and it is obvious that tourists are treated differently.
...more
Sabrina Rutter
WOW! This is one amazing true life story!
Jacqueline takes you through her childhood full of abuse, into her teen years of peace, and then into a nightmare marriage to a Malaysian prince who abused her both physically and mentally.
There is so much to this book that I could go on and on and on... All I can say is this is not a book to passed by if you like to read good books!
Jacqueline also has a youtube page where she posted an interview about the book!
Kay's Blushing Book Reviews
May 29, 2018 rated it really liked it
What a sad but moving story, it broke my heart reading this. Jacqueline is a strong,courageous and inspirational woman.
Danielle Fysh
Sep 13, 2012 rated it it was amazing
Easily the best book I've ever read! Well written, heart wrenching and inspirational. A book that must be read!!
Sidonia
Jan 27, 2017 rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition
O poveste de viata, cosmarul unei mame, o lume necunoscuta multora dintre noi.
"Candva am fost printesa" este povestea adevarata a Jacquelinei Pascarl, o tanara din Australia . Avand o copilarie nefericita, fiind crescuta de o mama autoritara, indiferenta si cu probleme pshicie, Jacqueine se indragosteste la 17 ani de pun print malaysian, Bahrain, si orbita fiind de iubire, decide sa se casatoreasaca cu acesta si sa se mute in Malaysia. In noua ei tara si in noul ei camin, ii este foarte greu sa
...more
Monica Penthor
Nov 18, 2017 rated it really liked it
Shelves: read-2017
This is the true story of Jacqueline Pascarl-Gillespie. She did not have a happy childhood and was neglected and abused. When a Malaysian prince (who was studying in Australia) swept her off her feet and subsequently married her in 1981, Jacqueline thought she was living her dream. It quickly turned into a nightmare as Bahrin physically and mentally abused her once they got back to Malaysia. Two children were born, Iddin in 1983 and Shahirah in 1986.
Jacqueline managed to get back to Australia
...more
Marie
This is a very moving drama of the true story of a young Australian student who marries a Malaysian student whom is also a member of Malaysian royalty. Following their divorce, he is allowed overnight access in Melbourne with their two children - he abducts them which due to red tape is not immediately known and due largely to political reasons, he is not seized in Indonesia and he arrives back in Malaysia with them where because of Islamic law, his royal status, political considerations and ...more
Karen C.
This book overall is very well-written. I couldn't put it down until the children were kidnapped by their father. Once they are taken, the book becomes extremely laborious to read. Though we understand the suffering of the loss of two children (although they hadn't technically died), the book takes a monotonous turn. It would have been better if a few pages were devoted to discussing the extreme loss and a few pages devoted to the politics of trying to get them back. Instead, the book took a ...more
Pure
May 10, 2009 rated it it was amazing
This is truly a touching story of love and courage, strenght and pain that truly shows a mother's love for her children, it grips at your heart and you feel all the pain she felt, will keep you on the edge of your seat,for all she has been through I salute her and I hope one day she will be reunited with her kids, I really do hope so.
Kelly
Jun 26, 2013 rated it it was amazing
Read this book! This is a fantastic book that captures the dream turned nightmare experience of the author and the kidnapping of her two children by their father, played out in the backdrop of Malaysian royalty and Islamic teachings. This tells the story of one woman's journey of courage and strength against the greatest adversity in the world, the loss of ones children.
Jane Routley
Oct 17, 2016 rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: biography
Fascinating and sad, but there is a happy ending as Pascarl was recently reunited with her children.
Especially interesting as an insight into the luxurious boredom and confinement in the closed off lives of wealthy muslim women or indeed of any royalty, especially of the past. The media don't come well out of this.
Samantha
I read this book almost 11 years ago when I was in Primary school and Ihad completely forgotten the title but the main details were still deeply imbedded in my memory. I google searched several times until I typed "Australian woman abused by Malaysian prince custody". Thank you google.. now re-reading!!!
Alexandra Alexyna
Jan 30, 2014 rated it liked it
What i liket in this book was that aldoght she sufferd alot she still hade the power to be somhow objective in writing . And at least in the romanian translation you could have found some information on organisations who could help in problems with stolen kids
Skeena
Nov 22, 2015 rated it really liked it
This storyline makes you yearn for her kids so much! Can't believe this is a true story. I wonder if they're all safe and happy now.
Sandra Wolf
Sep 10, 2018 rated it really liked it
Omg r u kiddin me, i love real stories but this was terrifiing
Sunflower
One of the genre of books written by women-who-married-men-from-another-culture, things-were-great-initially, but-then-went-horribly-wrong. Another view of Malaysia, (Trengganu, anyway) from that usually seen.
Andrea
May 19, 2015 rated it really liked it
Interesting read! I wonder what has happened since? I think this type of treatment of females still exits.
Nur
May 20, 2012 rated it liked it  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: own
Married to one of our Malaysian states of Terrengganu, sultan's brother. What a life she got there. . .
Jeannie
Jul 20, 2009 rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition
This was a long and to me sad book, I found it a bit hard to finish due to knowing the outcome. I really feel for her and her children.
Michelle
Mar 25, 2012 rated it it was amazing
Shelves: my-faves
an emotional read yet hard to put down
Kate
Dec 13, 2010 rated it liked it
Not a fun read...but very interesting and worth a go.
TheGood
Sep 13, 2016 rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: readathon-2016
Heartbreaking and uplifting in equal measure, a must read on the impact of parent child abduction.
VaughanPL
Click here to find in the catalogue
Cheryl
Mar 21, 2008 rated it it was ok
Heartbreaking story but too dragged out and detail oriented. It could have been successfully written in half the pages.
Foxglove
Feb 14, 2014 rated it really liked it
A really sad book, although it does make me wonder how Malaysia allowed such a diplomatic black eye.
Belebe
Jul 26, 2011 rated it really liked it
Enjoyed this book so much I am sure I will be reading it over again. I cannot fathom the pain Jacq went through when her children were kidnapped by their own father.
Divya
Mar 15, 2015 rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: read-in-2015, owned
A autobiography so well written, it makes you cringe and cry at every line. A sad story of a mother seperated from her kids. HOPE!!
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