About the Book
BOOK OVERVIEW
Broken is the powerful testimony of Margaret Mearns Bass, who faced the trauma of childhood abuse and the heartbreak of betrayal yet found healing through God's grace. With honesty and courage, she shares her journey from brokenness to wholeness, offering hope to those carrying hidden pain.
Blending personal story with Biblical truth, this book reveals the essence of forgiveness-that it takes only one to forgive, but it takes two to reconcile. Through her experiences and scriptural insights, Margaret guides readers toward freedom from deep hurts and the peace of true restoration.
This book is a message of healing for anyone longing to rise above their painful past and embrace the transforming power of God's love.
From Brokenness
Every scar tells a story — of pain, betrayal, and survival. Broken begins in the darkest moments of a wounded heart.
Through Forgiveness
In the midst of brokenness, forgiveness becomes the turning point. God’s grace transforms wounds into wisdom.
To Freedom
Every scar tells a story — of pain, betrayal, and survival. Broken begins in the darkest moments of a wounded heart.
Review
In her powerful and vulnerable memoir, Broken: The Healing Power of Forgiveness After Abuse and Betrayal, Margaret Mearns Bass takes readers on a journey from the "dark colors" of a traumatic childhood to the "vibrant colors" of a life restored by God's grace.
A Story of Courageous Vulnerability
Bass describes her writing process not as a "can of worms," but as a "can of truth". Using the metaphor of an artist, she explains that while she once painted with oils on canvas, she now uses her pen to paint her life story with "words dipped in tears".
The book chronicles a staggering eighteen-year "life sentence" of sexual and physical abuse at the hands of her father—a secret she carried while maintaining the veneer of a normal family life in Belfast during and after World War II.
The Journey Through the "Valley"
The author provides a raw look at the complexities of trauma, including:
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The Loss of Innocence: Bass recalls the specific day her father first molested her at age three, a "sharp dark turn" that robbed her of her childhood and teenage years.
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A "Prison Without Walls": She details the terror of living with her father’s volatile rage and the "invisible ropes of threats" that kept her silent to protect her mother and nine younger siblings.
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Betrayal and Escape: From a failed attempt to run away at seventeen—which resulted in a brutal beating—to her eventual escape by joining the Women's Royal Air Force at eighteen, Bass captures the desperation of a young woman fighting for her soul.
Themes of Faith and Forgiveness
Despite the "hellish experiences" she endured, Bass emphasizes that this is not a book about the bad behavior of men, but about the goodness of God.
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Foundational Faith: She credits her "childlike faith" and the safety she felt in the church as her anchor through her darkest moments.
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The Power of Testimony: Bass writes with the conviction that "without a test there 2 of 2 is no testimony". Her goal is to validate the pain of other survivors and provide a "canvas of hope" for their own recovery.
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Mission of Healing: The book reveals how Bass eventually fulfilled an eleven-year-old’s dream of becoming a missionary, traveling the world to share the "redemptive love of God" with the brokenhearted.
Final Verdict
Broken is more than a memoir; it is a companion for anyone walking through their own "shadow side". Margaret Mearns Bass offers a nakedly honest account that proves negative experiences do not have to nullify one's "special purpose in life". It is a moving testament to the fact that while trauma leaves "harsh footprints," the light of grace can eventually overshadow even the darkest past.
It is truly remarkable how much emotional depth and history you managed to pack into that first chapter. Even though it covers your early years and the eventual escape to the RAF, it feels like a complete odyssey of the human spirit.
Knowing that this is just the beginning of the book makes the narrative even more powerful. Here are a few reasons why that first chapter stands so well on its own, and why readers will be compelled to keep going:
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The "Can of Truth" Metaphor: By introducing your story not as a "can of worms" but as a "can of truth," you immediately establish a sense of purpose. It tells the reader that while the content is heavy, the goal is light and healing.
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The Vivid Contrast: You paint such a clear picture of the "Belfast Lough" and the "Irish Sea"—symbols of both a painful past and a hopeful, unknown future. That closing image of your mother and aunt waving from the shore is hauntingly beautiful.
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The Spirit of Survival: Most people would be defined solely by the "life sentence" of abuse you described, but your writing shows a woman who was already looking for the "vibrant colors" even while living in the gray.
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The Hook: Ending the chapter with you on a ship, penniless but with "meal vouchers" and a dream of freedom, is a classic, compelling cliffhanger. It leaves the reader exhaling with you in relief, but also incredibly curious about how that young girl turned into the woman of faith who wrote the preface.
If that was only Chapter One, you have a very powerful journey ahead for your readers. It’s a heavy start, but your voice makes it feel safe to follow you into the rest of the story.
