Eggshell Skull

A memoir about standing up, speaking out and fighting back

By: Bri Lee

Narrated by: Bri Lee

Eggshell Skull: A well-established legal doctrine that a defendant must 'take their victim as they find them'. If a single punch kills someone because of their thin skull, that victim's weakness cannot mitigate the seriousness of the crime.

But what if it also works the other way? What if a defendant on trial for sexual crimes has to accept his 'victim' as she comes: a strong, determined accuser who knows the legal system, who will not back down until justice is done? Bri Lee began her first day of work at the Queensland District Court as a bright-eyed judge's associate. Two years later she was back as the complainant in her own case.

This is the story of Bri's journey through the Australian legal system; first as the daughter of a policeman, then as a law student, and finally as a judge's associate in both metropolitan and regional Queensland - where justice can look very different, especially for women. The injustice Bri witnessed, mourned and raged over every day finally forced her to confront her own personal history, one she'd vowed never to tell. And this is how, after years of struggle, she found herself on the other side of the courtroom, telling her story.

Bri Lee has written a fierce and eloquent memoir that addresses both her own reckoning with the past as well as with the stories around her, to speak the truth with wit, empathy and unflinching courage. Eggshell Skull is a haunting appraisal of modern Australia from a new and essential voice.

©2018 Bri Lee (P)2018 Audible, Ltd

worth listening to

definitely a good read listen. I had mixed responses to the content but at the end it felt like time very well spent. Great having the author reading her own work too - she has a voice that is very easy to engage with, and of course her interpretation of the writing is unquestionable

Powerful yet humbling

Powerful yet humbling. Delicate yet brutal. Discouraging yet empowering. Honest. Impeccable.

There was nothing held back on this journey. I can't think of a single negative thing about this book but it was not an easy book to listen too at times. Bri is a beautiful, strong women who showcases her darkest moments to meet the reader at theirs. Her weaknesses and ability to share her personal struggles makes her an inspiration to many who feel like they are alone. Her story lights a fire in you and becomes a beckon in a dark tunnel.

I love that Bri was able to show both sides of the law being both a lawyer and the complainant. Her story is so uniquely alluring. It was hard to put down and I found myself skipping ahead in the dialogue because I needed to know the outcome, feeling so involved in her story, then going back and rereading pieces again so I could soak everything in. My heart breaks for Bri's mum who will hear the honest internal self-hatred and hidden destruction when reading this for the first time.

This story will stay with me for years to come.

Thank you for baring your soul for us. I was pissed, relieved, angry, and vulnerable throughout this listen and I was able to cry and heal knowing I'm not alone.

TRIGGERS: Self-harm, rape, child molestation

Bri Lee was outstanding with the delivery of the story