Afraid of the Light

Cynthia Ruchti returns with a book that is off my beaten path but the kind we need more of, in both the Christian and secular markets. I applaud her for being unafraid to tackle some tough, misunderstood issues where too often, stigma and stereotypes reign supreme. Her writing style and cadence is firm yet gentle, as Camille and Eli had to be with Allison, Chester, and sometimes other characters. It reminds me somewhat of Alice Wisler, with its own distinct flavor.In Afraid of the Light, the first thing I noticed is that Cynthia is a pro at juxtaposition. Some of this is obvious; Camille is the clinical psychologist specializing in hoarding disorders, who chooses a "minimalist" (more like austere) lifestyle out of fear that she will become a hoarder. But there are other, more nuanced, and highly enjoyable layers, too. For instance, I loved the juxtaposition between Camille, who tries to stick to protocol, with Eli, who opens himself up and takes risks to understand clients better. As Camille says more than once, it is not often if ever that humans will literally bleed to understand other humans. That moment in the book, and that insight into character, sticks in my mind as an excellent example of an author doing something right.I also enjoyed the thematic explorations of fear and freedom. Cynthia clearly did her research into hoarding and trauma, and it paid off. Climbing out of any addiction, disorder, or trauma is a long, slow road to freedom, and she got that right. Yet never did her characters surrender entirely to hopelessness. Some hopelessness exists; one character is stopped just short of a suicide attempt, and for other characters, it was too late before the story began. But within that, the Light never wavers. I enjoyed Camille's podcast excerpts and scenes like Allison wading ankle-deep in the creek for that reason. (By the way, some of the descriptions of light, such as being able to see all the way down to the creek floor covered in pebbles, were spot on, too. Another point for juxtaposition--the light of a clean, pebbled creek juxtaposed with the darkness of a house of hoarding).Speaking of the Light, capital L, the spiritual thread is great here. I liked how honest Camille and Eli were about faith; Eli's was subtle but definitely present, while Camille had almost given up on hers. That's why it was so gratifying for me to see them embrace faith and surrender, whether that was Eli admitting to his money-hoarding tendencies and his struggles with Cooper, or Camille letting her job, her security blanket, go. By the way, good for her--Greta Brunwald left a bad taste in my mouth, and over-dependence on protocol in general leaves a bad taste on principle.The secondary characters are mostly well drawn. I wanted to see more of a few, especially Shyla, who came across as the "black best friend" defined by miscarriages, and who deserved better. I also enjoyed Cooper immensely, but do take points from Cynthia based on him being called, or used as, an "inspiration" because of disability. It's not "inspirational" just to live your life because you happen to have one arm. Also, just because you have a disability doesn't mean you have to spend the rest of your life partnering with "Special" Olympics or working only with disabled or "broken" people.Ahem.That said, there are some great moments with the secondary characters. Nana in particular kept my interest, and is a rare example of a character who doesn't say or do much, but comes across as an important character, not a "broken" prop for redemption of main characters. Just knowing little things, like how she loved lemon, and how she was in her own way rooting for Eli and Camille, helped with that. I also enjoyed scenes with Allison and Chester for a lot of the same reasons.Finally, I cheered for Camille and other characters because, with the help of Jesus, they were (sometimes finally) able to confront the fact that they were flawed and human. For instance, I found it wrenching but freeing that Camille needed and was able to confront her anger with her mother and father. Not only her anger, but her tendency to scream, yell, and force improvement on hoarding issues, when that didn't help. Granted, she was a kid, and she in no way deserved to live in that environment. But kid or not, it's always good to look back, learn from where you were then, and grow as a person.There are some weak points. Some I've covered, such as weaker secondary characters. There are also times where the "hoarding scenes" get a little long; I felt like I might be watching an episode of a hoarding show on TV. There're also little inconsistencies; sometimes Camille is Camille, sometimes she's Cam, that kind of thing. Overall though, this is a book full of light that I can definitely recommend, especially if you want something subtle, rich, and different.

"The emotional darkness that enshrouds a person with a compulsive hoarding disorder keeps them from seeing. Normal to them is darkness. . . . . Your loved one isn't resisting the light. He or she may be afraid of it.""She wasn't their saving grace. But if she could point them--Point them to it. Pull back the curtain and let in the light."So many of Dr. Camille Brooks' clients live their lives shrouded in darkness . . . dark rooms, dark houses, dark lives. More often than not, in order to gain entrance into their shadowy domain, Camille is literally required to squeeze through impossibly small cracks in front doors. Determined to ease the pain of hoarders and their families, (which she knows from personal experience is debilitating) Camille is hopeful that her podcast will introduce her to potential clients in such a way, that she becomes trustworthy and approachable, before a face to face encounter ever takes place. And it seems to be working, albeit slowly.When one of her clients seems to make a quicker than expected breakthrough, Camille gains an unexpected ally when she hires a new garbage retrieval service and meets a man whose impenetrable cheery attitude sets off all sorts of alarms that Camille can't seem to turn off, until she isn't sure that she even wants to. Eli Rand is as enigmatic as his cranberry jumpsuit.This book is a bit like quicksand in the sense that before you realize what is happening, you're sinking deep into issues from which few ever recover. There are certainly no easy answers, and the author understands that true healing from this, or any other addiction, takes an enormous amount of work combined with a willingness to invest in quality counsel; but the missing ingredient is often pulling back the curtains . . . . and letting in the Light."Light had a way of piercing all kinds of darkness."

The media could not be loaded.  BOOK REVIEW: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️I dont typically read fiction, but I devoured this one in the span of a single flight across the country. With exquisite writing, beautiful characters, an engaging story line, and a deep wealth of research, I was given the best Biblical Counseling case study for hoarding and freedom from its clutches that I’ve ever read. Thank you, Cynthia, for sharing your collective years of study, practice, and the love of Jesus showcased through your love of words.

People toss the word hoarder around in meaningless ways. But it wasn't until I read Afraid of the Light that I even had a glimpse of the incredible challenges that those who hoard face. Ruchti created wonderful characters whose interactions with one another kept me turning the pages. I loved Cam, especially the juxtaposition between her past and her current life. She knew how to respond to her clients in ways that made them feel seen and heard. And Eli--adored him. My heart ached for Chester and Allison, two of Camille's clients, and they made me cry. Ruchti wrote some truly heartbreaking scenes, but she also rounded out the story with wonderful dashes of humor. I didn't feel like this was a depressing book at all despite the subject matter, but instead, it offered hope...and Light. Even though this is fiction, the Truth she wove within the story spoke to my heart. I highly recommend this story, and I look forward to reading more of Ruchti's work.