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Cover of "Three Promises for Jane: A True Story of Madness and Redemption" by Aerial Liese.  Photo courtesy of Aerial Liese jwigelsworth@abqjournal.com Tue Aug 25 15:27:06 -0600 2015 1440538025 FILENAME: 197988.jpg
Cover of "Three Promises for Jane: A True Story of Madness and Redemption" by Aerial Liese. Photo courtesy of Aerial Liese jwigelsworth@abqjournal.com Tue Aug 25 15:27:06 -0600 2015 1440538025 FILENAME: 197988.jpg

Review: Three Promises For Jane is a window into the dark world of mental illness

For many people, the joy of books is a simple one.

Typically, they serve as a quiet form of entertainment that stimulates the mind by allowing readers to experience the story in their heads. They are nothing more than “movies for the mind” to many.

For some, though, they are much more. Books can be an escape from reality. They take the mind out of this world and create a new reality in which to live, if only for a short while. For those people, the joy of books is complex and vital. Books serve as a lifeline that provides a different life to live.

As John Hughes once excellently put it, “Those who say ‘you only live once’ have never read a book.”

Some of the lives you live through books forever change the way you see the world.

“Three Promises For Jane: A True Story of Madness and Redemption” by A.J. Liese, a UNM alum, is one of those books.

Liese states many times in her novel that books were exactly that – a means of escape from the harsh reality she lived. “Three Promises For Jane” is somewhat the opposite of that. Instead of providing an escape, this novel puts the reader through that bitter life, guided by Liese’s narrative. This memoir takes you all the way from her painful, psychologically damaging childhood to her hope-filled present.

There is no better way to describe this tale than what it says in the title: a true story of madness and redemption. Liese shares the details of her painful journey through Hell, in the form of mental illness, and the long road she crawled down to escape it – or, at least, to deal with it.

This novel is not for the faint of heart. It uses sometimes profane language to describe graphic, traumatic memories including a dog shot in the head, kittens drowned in the bathtub and a bulimic fit of vomiting food and blood into a dumpster.

On top of these disturbing scenes, there are less graphic, but just as psychologically tormenting moments that left this critic in tears multiple times. This novel is an emotional roller coaster that readers should mentally prepare for before picking up.

But do not let these warnings deter you. If you read only one novel this year, make it “Three Promises For Jane.” The emotional turmoil is worth the insight and perspective gained from this book.

Liese’s writing is personal, honest and straightforward. She doesn’t spare the reader with euphemisms, except for when referring to the nightmarish “games” that torment her memory. Though she proudly tells of her extensive vocabulary gained at a young age, the author keeps the language throughout this novel simple and concise. Though not every reader will be able to empathize with the life she lived, the language she uses makes her relatable and easy to understand.

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Some may find her frequent references to God and Jesus Christ a turn-off, but Liese masterfully ensure these references do not come off as “preachy” or pushy in any way. God is simply a strong influence in her life, and this story would not be the same without her inclusion of these experiences regarding her relationship with Him.

It is through this relationship, among other things, that Liese transitions to telling the mindset she holds today.

For those who struggle with mental illness, this book could be a beacon of hope that there can be a way out. This is coming from someone who has witnessed the effects of mental illness and the hopelessness that comes with it. Liese’s story is full of powerful triggers, but it also leads to a sense of hope and understanding.

For those who have never experienced mental illness or seen the effects of it, this book is a profound story that exposes the reader to the mindset of someone who has lived it. If you wish to understand how powerful the effect of this condition is, go read this book. You will never see the world the same, but that’s not entirely a bad thing.

Liese will be at the UNM bookstore signing copies of “Three Promises For Jane” from 10 a.m. to noon today.

Skylar Griego is a culture reporter and book reviewer at the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @TDLBooks.

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