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Ten years into her marriage, Idalia faces an identity crisis with the reappearance of one of her abusers and ironically earmarked as a longtime friend of the family. Switching over to a teenage persona—a combination of provocative dress and engaging in drugs and alcohol, Idalia blatantly disregards her marriage to Jay as she gets involved with Keegan, a new love in her life. With her life spiraling out of control, Idalia seeks counseling. It is the first time she realizes that she needs to address her past. What follows is an in-depth four-year description of Idalia's journey into self-awareness and spiritual healing.
Five years in the making, Trish Egan's fictionalized memoir has one main objective: "to help other survivors of childhood sexual abuse." Based on a ten-year-period of events and "the consequences of having been sexually abused as a child," Egan's first person narrative features a woman whose critical choices lead her to healing and wholeness. Egan's portrayal of Idalia and her journey is nothing less than candid and visceral. As Idalia goes through various programs and counseling, Egan points out the awkwardness that often accompanies people who desire change in their lives. Many times it means making decisions that go against the grain of familial and societal mores and expectations. In Idalia's case, a good handful of choices rub her family and friends the wrong way, and as a result Idalia experiences bouts of isolation.
Using Idalia's voice, Egan raises awareness to truths that aren't normally discussed in self-help books. One brazen example is that people are afraid of change, and since they are clueless to the bondage within their tainted "codependent" bubbles (or comfort zones), they ironically resort to backlashing individuals like Idalia. Highly recommended, I Am Sunshine is an on-point read for those who dare to face their demons.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review