Anna Gazmarian tells the story of how her evangelical upbringing in North Carolina failed to help her understand the mental health diagnosis she received, and the work she had to do to find proper medical treatment while also maintaining her faith.
While Gazmarian’s writing is marked by an elegant clarity that suggests a close communion with Scripture’s commanding simplicity, there’s not much insight offered into what makes faith worth holding onto — especially when it’s so often weaponized ... The most receptive readers, ultimately, might be those who believe relatability is the primary gift authors owe their audience. And if such readers feel seen by this book and thus saved from the stigma they, like Gazmarian, might have carried like a cross, that’s no small accomplishment.
Despite Gazmarian’s exploration of and consequent qualms about certain facets of the church, her memoir reads as a testimonial to the enduring power of faith ... The book offers bracing truths about the limitations a condition like bipolar disorder can impose on an individual’s personal trajectory ... Gazmarian has done us all a service with the way she has shaped her memoir.
