The Confession A Journey to Acceptance

LoveReading Says

The loss of a loved one is one of the hardest experiences we go through. Having a bereavement due to suicide adds a whole additional layer of struggle - regardless of the circumstances it often feels sudden and there’s a sense of a potential that just vanishes. In The Confession, Maike Mullenders shares that life with her father was difficult, “he left me a complicated legacy which I spent years trying to wade through”, detailing two previous failed suicide attempts when she was a child and teenager before receiving the devastating news that her father had taken his own life when she was 21. Part of the note he left behind was a confession of multiple things including being “physically inappropriate” with his daughter. With no recollection of this, Maike is left in even greater turmoil, forced to come to terms not only with the loss of a parent but with a shocking revelation about her past and with questions that could never be answered.

With honesty and vulnerability, posing questions to herself and the reader as she goes, Maike shares her story with us from the beginning. From a complicated family dynamic to her parents relationship and how this model impacted her behaviour and connection to others in early adulthood. I’ve used “shared” more than once in talking about this book intentionally, as Maike tells her story we are invited right into it, even the places where nothing but uncertainty and confusion lie. As you can imagine this isn’t a light-hearted read but Maike’s honesty and growth throughout is compelling and by the end, when she has managed to find solace in her yoga practice and meditations there is a feeling of hope. In Maike’s words, “Sharing our humanness is the most incredible gift we can give ourselves and those around us”, and I’d like to end by thanking her for having the strength to share this gift with us.

Charlotte Walker

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