This is a memoir that talks about a journalist Susannah Cahalan who was in the grip of a rare and mysterious disease (anti-NMDAR autoimmune Encephalitis) about which even doctors had limited knowledge then and was still the subject of research and study. This not only delayed the diagnosis but also delayed the treatment slightly.
It is a soul-stirring story of losing oneself to the state of misery and madness, silence and darkness.
A saga of struggle and tenacity with which she fought the disease that not only robbed her of her identity and existence but leaves her in a state of obscurity and ambiguity.
Her journey from illness to recovery, from darkness to light is heartbreaking and raises a lot of concerns. Will she ever be the same as her older self? will she be as talkative and cheerful as she was? Will she ever be able to live without fear of relapsing?
When someone asked her, “if you could take it all back, would you?”
Her reply was, “I wouldn’t take that terrible experience back for anything in the world. Too much light has come out of the darkness.”
Excellent review….
Thank you Ashishji so much