Review: Off Stage: 'In the Wings'
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 13, 2014
"You always hurt the one you love, the one you should not hurt at all; You always take the sweetest rose, and crush it till the petals fall; You always break the kindest heart, with a hasty word you can't recall; So if I broke your heart last night, it's because I love you most of all." ~ The Mills Brothers'In the Wings', by Jaime Samms, is about Lennie Stevens and his horrific ability to hurt the ones he loves; in particular, his life-long friend, Trevor. Lennie and Trevor have an unhealthy co-dependent relationship. They are so close they are almost literally part of each other. Their boundaries are so blurred that neither can be objective about the other. Being close is one thing; not being able to discern your needs and fears from each other's is another. In Len and Trevor's case, it has the power to destroy them and everyone around them.Lennie learned, early in life, that those who are supposed to love and protect you don't always live up to that expectation. Lennie grew up believing he was unlovable. Lennie has gone through life surmising that bad things happen to him because that's all he deserves. Until he can regain his self-worth, he's not capable of doing anything other than spewing his venomous negativity on everyone and everything. He almost destroys Trevor whom he claims to love more than anyone. The harder Trevor tries to help, the worse Lennie treats him. As damaged as Lennie seems, he's actually the stronger of the two. He's the one who realizes what he's doing to Trevor is wrong and removes himself from the situation. When Lennie leaves with Vance, he makes a commitment to change which takes an enormous amount of courage. Learning how to accomplish it is far more monumental than either he or Vance can imagine. It's a rough, long road with lots of setbacks, but for every layer of sludge Len exposes and dispenses from his nightmarishness past, is another layer that feels that much better.Vance Ashcroft whisks Lennie away, realizing he has problems, but confident that with time, patience, and discipline he can help Lennie get himself under control. They love each other, but soon realize that Lennie's problems are far deeper than either of them anticipates. Vance is so afraid of doing something wrong that he doesn't do enough. Without enough guidance, Lennie is left out there hanging in his misery and anger, without knowing what to do about it and with no one to catch him when he falls. This only leads to more violence and anger, making matters worse. Frustrated, Vance admits that he's been taking the wrong approach, and calls in Lennie's friends. After Lennie reaches his limit and confesses all the gory details of his past, they are able help get to the root of Lennie's problems. With everything out in the open, Vance and Lennie are able to make a stronger commitment, setting them on a better path toward healing.Reading this well-written, intense story was all-consuming, but quite emotionally satisfying. Lennie's story is difficult to accept, but it's enlightening and cautionary. Abuse isn't an easy topic to discuss, much less comprehend. The dynamics are so intertwined and seemingly contradictory that it takes a lot of digging to even begin to understand its how it works. But one of the points made in this story is that with enough desire, courage, and commitment it can be overcome; people like Lennie can turn this vicious, ugly circumstance into something healthy and strong. I recommend this to everyone who appreciates a book that will entertain, educate, and satisfy. Thanks, Jaime, for a thought provoking, intense reading experience.Originally published at Rainbow Book Reviews.