I Survived

I Married a Charming Man. Then He Tried to Kill Me. A True Story.

By: Victoria Cilliers

Narrated by: Sophie Roberts

Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's Summary

A chilling, eye-opening story of marriage and attempted murder, revealing the truth about a case that made headlines around the world.

On Easter Sunday 2015, experienced skydiver Victoria Cilliers undertook a parachute jump, a gift from her husband, British Army Sergeant Emile Cilliers. Her parachutes failed to open, and she plummeted 4,000 feet to the ground, sustaining life-threatening injuries. Miraculously, she survived.  

Then the police arrived at her door.  

Someone had tampered with her parachute, and they suspected Emile.

In I Survived, Victoria describes how she fell for Emile and how the charming man she thought she knew gradually revealed a darker side, chipping away at her self-worth until she found it impossible to sift truth from lies.  

Can she really believe that her husband - the father of their two young children - tried to kill her? 

As more shocking revelations come to light and she has to face his trial and relentless media scrutiny, she struggles to come to terms with the past.  

Even a guilty verdict does not free her because Emile is not ready to let her go.

Powerful and honest, I Survived is the story of a woman who was put through hell and yet found the strength to forge a new life for herself and her children.

©2020 Victoria Cilliers (P)2020 Macmillan Publishers International Ltd

Powerful story

Heavy story, but also demonstrates tremendous courage and bravery. Excellent read or listen to survivors of psychological and domestic abuse. My heart goes out to Vikki and her family. I finished listening to the book in one day

Beware sky diving Birthday gift from your husbands, ladies

Narrator’s voice a bit grating. Really wish author had have been able to explain why she thought her husband ‘still loved her’ despite him stealing from her, having multiple affairs, lying to her and just generally being a smuck. I understand about domestic abuse and all it’s forms, but this poor ladies take on it makes you want to scream out loud. She kept saying he would not have wanted to hurt the children! All of the above and killing their Mother, would have certainly hurt them. This book tells her story but doesn’t really explain things properly. I’m left frustrated!!!!!

If in doubt, hire a pro

'This book is missing something,' I pondered internally. I scratched my head and the expression on my face became puzzled. 'What could it be?' I quizzed aloud.

Then it came to me. The ends of my mouth turned upwards and I beamed. 'That's it!' I barked happily. 'This book is missing a decent ghost writer and instead we're forced to accept a narrative reminiscent of a year 8 pupil's English Language essay.'

What, Why and How?

Its quite distressing to hear how long the abuse went on for in this story and the fact this intelligent person put up with it and blamed herself for so long. I felt aggrieved she even visited him in prison. What a hold one human being can have over another and to what lengths they can be tested before they wake up. A survivors story indeed .

I Survived

She certainly did survive - not just the fall but the most manipulative awful marriage. I had heard about this on the news but had not realised the awfulness of it. What a brave and strong woman! Do not hesitate to listen to this story - really made me realise what an absolute gem of a husband I have!

Interesting listen

Found myself throughout the story shaking my head in frustration as the story was told, lots and lots of signs that Emile was selfish, self absorbed etc especially even before they married when Victoria miscarried and he decided to go on to a planned event and he gave her the car keys to drive home herself, to me personally massive red flag.
What she endured with him she has survived thankfully and hopefully now in 2021 she and her two children are living a great life x

Shame about the narrator….

An incredible story, not very well written, and unfortunately terribly narrated by someone with a saccharine tone and AWFUL attempts at accents. Please don’t let this person narrate anything else on this app!

Many lessons...especially young women

Hindsight is exactly that.. and learning how many challenges and how many career climbs Victoria made, a reaction could be about the blinders and denials so many think they would have dealt with...but this book is also a lesson in how far women...and men...have not come. Too many children are not raised to be self-sufficient, secure in the fact it is okay to get a founndation in their own life and to find the love we need and want through family and friends without the false belief that your life is not comlplete wiithout a partner. It is not that 1/2 + 1/2 = 1 but that 1 +1 = 2. So many of us find that out so late....children need this understanding as much as math and science. We cant all be rich or own homes or travel the world but we can be happy in who we are. Thanks, Victoria, for being brave enough to share your life and inner growth.. i wish you all you certainly are deserving of.

Another naive woman

Great story great naratation but once again just like the woman in tbe dear john book amazed how navie this woman was but least she is ok now amazing how she stayed with him for so long the money grabbing cheating murder're

Worth persevering

Reads more like a daily diary than a book but despite this offers a valuable insight into manipulation in the extreme. So lucky she survived to tell the tale to help other unsuspecting partners to take note of the red flags and leave before too late.

Must read!

What a women! So strong, so compassionate and so brave! Blown away by how much trauma this woman has been through and how she has come out the other side so resilient and to be able to write a book. Also a reminder that coercive control and domestic abuse can happen to anyone.