I love this book. It did not grasp me at first but I loved the concept of the story so i kept going and it did not disappoint. I suffer with mental illness myself and the author did an amazing job giving the perspective of everyone involved in the life of someone with mental illness. I truly felt I was pulled into her life and felt like someone else knew what i go through on a daily basis. I will definitely recommend this book to others.

I had to keep reminding myself that this was a novel. It was written so well and absolutely could have been the true story of a young woman and her battle with schizoaffective disorder. Mental disease is horrible for those with it as well as the friends and family of these victims. In this novel, Sunny is a young woman affected by this disease. The author chose to tell the story from Sunny’s perspective as well as those of her father, Peter, and her boyfriend/husband Joshua. It was interesting to hear all of these points of view to better understand the terror of someone who has the disease and believes people are after her (in Sunny’s case, Nazis), and how people who are close to her feel and how they are dealing with it. We follow along on their journey from before Sunny was diagnosed, to her diagnosis and hospitalizations, and through her fight to get through it all. It’s such a sad and horrifying story and I could not read it in one sitting, as I felt too disturbed and had to put it aside every once in a while. That’s how well written it is.
Thank you to Netgalley, Ivy Lane Press, and Heather Lonczak for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

It took me longer than normal to get through this book due to the length and heavy nature of it. Trigger warnings include discussion surrounding the Holocaust, genocide, abuse of humans, severe mental illness, and suicide.

We begin the book with Sunny, a 22 year old who is extremely smart with a desire to edit books professionally and whom is engaged to the love of her life, Josh. The book is told in alternating viewpoints from Sunny, Josh, and Peter (Sunny’s father). Soon after the book starts, Sunny experiences her first psychotic break, brought on by the death of her grandparent’s, who helped raise her and with whom she is especially close. Her grandparents are both Holocaust survivors and Sunny has spent years researching and learning all she can about the genocide of her people. As Sunny’s mental health deteriorates, she believes she is being hunted by the Nazi’s. Through Sunny, Josh and Peter’s different viewpoints, the reader learns about the pervasive and debilitating impact severe mental illness has on patients, family and friends alike. As a licensed clinical social worker, I found Sunny’s experiences realistic to what I have seen in a clinical setting.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you for the Advanced Reading Copy from Ivy Lane Press

4 stars-This was a really tough read, emotionally. The amount of detail that the author goes into makes you fully understand what thoughts occupy the mind of someone who is schizophrenic (later diagnosed as schizophrenia-affective because of the mania and depression.) The toll it takes on the loved ones is also explored. I did find that I had to skip a few pages here and there because there was so much detail, which makes the book about an eight hour read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Fragility of Light is the story of one woman's descent into mental illness. Such illnesses, while often genetic in nature, are strongly impacted by life events, and an understanding of the life events of the patient is necessary to developing an understanding of how the illness progresses. To do this, the author spends considerable time providing background information about Sunny, the main character, who has what appears to be a perfect life, right up until the symptoms begin - which, from a psychological perspective, is necessary to understanding her experiences, but from a story-telling perspective, means that nothing actually happens for the first quarter or more of the book, which reads more like a diary than a novel. Once events trigger Sunny's illness, however, things begin to move more quickly.

This is a work of fiction; nonetheless, the events surrounding and following the onset of Sunny's illness are filled with reality; there are no polite synonyms, no bleeping out of profanity. The novel is told in the first person, primarily from Sunny's perspective, but with occasional chapters told by her husband and father, who fill in their own perspectives on events. Once the novel passes the introductory information, it moves fairly quickly, but until then, it drags. The writing is occasionally flat and struggles to convey the emotions that accompany events; nonetheless, it was compelling, and readers will want to reach the end and find the outcome, which reaches a conclusion that implies an ending, but leaves it open, as Sunny realizes that her mental illness is an ongoing issue, not something that can be treated and then ignored.

This is a difficult novel to read because of the frank discussion of mental illness, homelessness and how mental illness is a part of that issue, the ultimate outcome of some mental illnesses, and the conditions inside facilities for the mentally ill; therefore, it is recommended for readers 16 to adult.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Fragility of Light by Heather S Lonczak is a deep read. A tough read. But one that is done so intricately and so well it absorbs you.

At the heart is Sunny, a Jewish woman in her mid-20’s. She is very curious about everything her grandparents went thru during the Holocaust, and that becomes the background of her story. Sunny begins hearing voices and thinking everyone around her is SS and going to harm her.

Joshua is Sunny’s husband, and Peter is her father. You’ll also read from their POV about what they go thru when Sunny is triggered.

This book has 3 different POV’s, but the transitions are seamless, and you’ll have no difficulty keeping up. I honestly thought this was a true story it was written so well.

Wow. I don’t know if my words will do justice to the beauty of this book, but I’m going to try. From the second I opened this book I knew it was going to grab on tight and not let go.

This book explores what it is like to live with mental illness as well as what it is to love someone with mental illness. The pain and the stigma, but also the strength and resilience that it takes to overcome it all.

As a mother to a teen who suffers with mental illness this book tore me apart and then stitched me back together. I am so thankful to NetGalley, Ivy Lane Press, and Heather Lonczak for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I look forward to reading more books from this author in the future.

Oh this was such a beautiful story about a young woman dealing with mental illness. The storytelling was amazing and made me tear up so many times. Autoread author from now on. I’d love a physical copy of this book❤️❤️

Wow this story almost reads like non fiction. It is strikingly realistic. As someone who personally has had a family member with this illness, I must say the author displayed an amazing amount of knowledge about it. I felt like I was looking back into the past and what my mother went through.
Anyone struggling with mental illness or who has had or currently has a family member with mental illness will undoubtably see the parallels in this book.

Lonczak has been through a lot in her life and she shares so much of it in her book. I enjoyed the glimpses into her personal story. The writing is excellent and drew me in. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Five stars.