In FORGIVENESS, Laura Throne’s moving and inspirational, the author recalls surviving a battle with cancer and finding the courage to leave an emotionally abusive marriage. Along with her personal story, Throne provides practical mental, emotional, and spiritual guidance gleaned from her experiences and her metaphysical studies. Throne grew up in Europe (certain personal details throughout the book are withheld or changed) with a cruel father and a somewhat distant mother, and she believes this prevented her from understanding what a healthy relationship should look like. She met her husband, Paul, at 24 and married him at 27. From the beginning, their marriage was a constant source of anxiety and depression. They moved multiple times for Paul’s job and Throne felt “isolated, unhappy and lonely” with few friends and no meaningful work. After 10 years of marriage, Throne was diagnosed with cancer and underwent surgery to remove part of her colon. As she recovered, Paul was rarely supportive. Three years later, she experienced a spiritual awakening and decided to leave him.
Throughout, the author is honest about her challenges and weaknesses, and the time and effort required to end the cycle of abuse involved in her relationship. By presenting her flaws and mistakes along with her triumphs, Throne presents a realistic and relatable picture of what a toxic relationship looks like. Her exploration of how a dysfunctional upbringing can result in a lifelong struggle to achieve true happiness and fulfillment is likewise illuminating. Readers will need to have an open mind toward New Age spirituality in order to fully invest in Throne’s spiritual teachings; she refers to a belief in a universal consciousness and also to using “Angel Cards and Chakra Wisdom Oracle Cards for guidance and confirmation.” However, her central message is that forgiveness is critical to maintaining a healthy and happy life, and this is an axiom that virtually all readers can benefit from absorbing. Her personal history demonstrates the point exceptionally well, particularly the final chapters in which she recalls reckoning with some difficult truths from her ex-husband after their divorce and still finding a way to move forward with him as co-parents to their children. For the author, forgiveness is a form of self-care, because letting go of past harms allows us to better appreciate our lives in the present moment.
FORGIVENESS is a refreshingly candid and engrossing memoir with a self-help angle that will resonate especially with readers who have struggled with unhealthy romantic relationships.
~Lisa Butts for IndieReader