Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
A Young Woman's Descent into Madness and Fight for Recovery
Sunny Zielinski is an eccentric twenty-two-year-old woman who experiences her first psychotic break. Having just graduated from college and soon to be married, Sunny's life is on course. She lands her dream job as a book editor and is close to her family, particularly her fiercely loving grandparents-Holocaust survivors who raised her following the death of her mentally ill mother. But as the stress of the wedding intensifies, Sunny's anxiety and odd manner become more evident, exposing a fragile constitution. Ultimately, she succumbs to her predisposition toward mental illness, spiraling into the depths of psychosis. As her delusions, hallucinations and mood symptoms take over, Sunny traverses a devastating journey in which she believes herself to be a current victim of the Nazis. Sunny's mind fluctuates from being mercilessly hunted and abused to more lucid moments when her shame and disillusionment about being mentally ill, fierce determination to get better, and unique wit are revealed. Interwoven into the story are Sunny's relationships with her devoted family, her mental health team, and the colorful and often tragic patients she meets as she struggles to find her way out of the darkness.
Synopsis
Introducing "The Fragility of Light," Heather S. Lonczak's debut novel-a poignant exploration of mental health, resilience, and the enduring power of familial bonds.
Sunny Zielinski is a beautiful and talented young woman with a promising future. A recent college graduate, Sunny has landed her dream job as a book editor and is soon to be married. Her close-knit family is her strength, particularly her fiercely loving grandparents-Holocaust survivors who helped to raise her.
Following two major losses, Sunny finds herself becoming unhinged. When she experiences her first psychotic break, she is plunged into a place of profound fear and confusion. As her delusions, hallucinations, and mood symptoms take over, Sunny traverses a harrowing journey into the depths of madness. Underlying her despair is the devastating delusion that she is being hunted by the Nazis.
As Sunny attempts to navigate her symptoms, she vacillates between understanding that she has a mental illness and being convinced that the doctors are conspiring against her. Adding to the narrative are Sunny's relationships with her devoted family, her nebulous history with her mother, and the colorful and often tragic patients she meets along the way. Ultimately, love, determination, and hope emerge as salient aspects of Sunny's recovery as she struggles to find her way out of the darkness.