Light At The End Of The Tunnel

You can view a free online evalution copy of issue 8 of the magazine – just click here.

Category:	Self-Help
Author:	Chris Mallon
Publisher:	Apex Publishing
Price:	£5.99
ISBN:	9781904444817
Pages:	128
Reviewed in issue:	11

I thought I wouldn’t like this book after reading the first chapter and that it would be an effort to finish. In part, this was due to my resistance to the subject matter of sexual abuse, but also although Mallon clearly can write, I felt the book needed more revision. But after chapter 2 I’d got it; Mallon wasn’t trying to be a sensational misery memoirist but was presenting an honest account of his life, about how abuse affected him and then sharing with us his journey through therapy.

The book was better for having the slow parts left in. In fact, this was part of the book’s charm, if charm is the right word for a book about sexual abuse. In particular, Mallon produces excellent writing when he introduced us to the perpetrator. The fear that this man induced leapt off the page.

I recommend this book to anyone employed in counselling or social work, and for those who are supporting a friend through a similar situation. One of Mallon’s long-term life-goals was publication of this book and he said that he hoped his account would, “…give positive assistance to others.” It did. I learnt much about myself from reading this book. It was a healing book to read.

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