Official Review: Set Free from Darkness

[sherrenee]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Set Free from Darkness" by Susan Klarkowski-Rasmussen.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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The book, Set Free from Darkness, by Susan Klarkowski-Rasmussen is a collection of memoirs by a woman who's misdiagnosis of a mental illness ultimately lead to the death of her daughter at her own hands. She writes about the seriousness of mental illness, the dark time of her life when she took her daughter's life, the subsequent medical treatment she received to overcome her illness, and the redemptive power of Jesus Christ in healing a person's soul after sin. I rated the book 2 out of 4 stars.

Ms. Klarkowski-Rasmussen has a powerful story to tell. It can be a light for anyone struggling with the sins of their past. Often, people feel as if they are unworthy of forgiveness because their sins are too terrible. This book tells a different story. It tells a story of forgiveness from God and relief from guilt for actions of the past. The author shows how God lifted her from the depths of pain and misery after killing her own daughter and brought her back into society through the intervention of medicine and faith. She shows that there is redemption and a chance for blessings after tragedy.

Through the story, the author gives the reader an in-depth view of the thoughts and feelings of someone enslaved by mental illness. She explains that the mentally ill don't know they are sick and it can be very difficult for others to detect it as well. She also explains her mental state before she killed her daughter and how her fragmented mind convinced her that she was dreaming after she had killed her daughter. I liked how the author jumped right into her narrative and didn't sugar-coat her actions. Instead, she told readers about the tortured thoughts that plagued her daily convincing her that she had to do this terrible deed. I did not like the cavalier and often light-hearted tone the author used to tell the story. While I understand that the author is writing with the hindsight of twenty years, the events in the story are still very fresh for the reader. For this reason, a more sombre writing style would have gone a long way toward make the reader feel empathy with the author's search for forgiveness and a fresh start on life.

After detailing the darkest days of her life, the author shows how a correct diagnosis and proper medication was only the beginning on the road to recovery. She was able to function in society but struggled with guilt until she found Christianity. After becoming a Christian, she was finally able to receive forgiveness from God and from herself to the point where she was able to remarry and find happiness. I found the remainder of the book after the tragic death of her daughter to be quite confusing and disorganized. It was as if the author gathered up her notes from the past twenty years and had them bound and published without a thought to making them clear and orderly. There were several times in the book when I felt as if the story should have ended, yet it continued. There were also many accounts of minor everyday struggles thrown into the book that ultimately have nothing to do with the main theme of redemption.

The author has a powerful story of forgiveness and life after tragedy. She givse examples of the power of Christ's love to forgive and heal even the worst of crimes. It would appeal to any Christian struggling with feelings of guilt and unworthiness. If she polishes up her writing a bit I think she could have a narrative worth reading.

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Set Free from Darkness
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[kimmyschemy06]

That was a very honest review. The story sounds really inspiring. One of the most difficult thing to do is to forgive oneself.