Behind Blue Eyes by Seamus Paul Corcoran is a psychological fiction novel that takes readers through an authentic life journey filled with stories of healing and recovery. Joe Marley has a successful and prominent career, but the death of a son and the end of a marriage leave him feeling numb and empty. As many in his position do, he eventually falls into the arms of addiction, abusing alcohol and drugs. Due to the wrongs committed under the influence of addiction and rage, Joe ends up in court, accepting to go into rehabilitation to avoid jail. Hopeless, he arrives at the Janus Clinic where he struggle to turn his life around against all odds.

The description of the Janus Clinic is simply splendid: a health center with the true mission of helping and curing people, giving them love and tenderness. Through Joe’s eyes, we get to see the power and importance of meaningful human connections, which Joe gets to fully live, experience and appreciate after a few days at the clinic. Dr. Janus has a big heart and uses all his ability to provide a safe haven for those unfortunate souls that have forgotten how to live and have given up on life. This is a story of a man’s path through recovery, where the soul awakens and the heart starts to feel alive again. The story is centered around the Janus Clinic. The outsiders don’t seem to understand how it is possible that only one place seems to have the ability to cure the minds and hearts of so many people. The mystery though, is no secret, there are no magic words nor strange drugs involved. The Janus Clinic’s success is due to its wholehearted dedication to its patients, where love, attention, understanding and companionship are given priority, portraying a natural and healthy mindset for the medical approach to mental health.

The story is beautiful and meaningful, with characters that excellently present the intense emotions that come with life, making the reader feel a variety of sensations throughout the book. The intrigue also increases when unknown forces try to sabotage the fame and success of the clinic, introducing a mystery into the plot and letting the excitement grow. The story is highly entertaining and the reader almost gets to heal alongside Joe. The reading experience is a absorbing one that awakens the human spirit, and reminds us to reconcile with ourselves and with life itself. It’s very calming to read about Joe’s recovery path and readers will be able to relate to him.

A plus is Corcoran’s writing which is very beautiful and poetic, making the story even more enthralling and captivating. There’s pain and hurt in the story, but there’s also love, hope and healing, mixing all the human emotions into a wonderful experience. Behind Blue Eyes is an impassioned novel that brilliantly portrays the real path to recovery and the path to life, with a beautiful narration style that’s soothing and reminds us of what truly matters.

Pages: 295 | ASIN: B098KBHVXS