The Broken Mirror is a raw and unflinching account of a soldier’s life after war. It begins with his transition from military service into civilian life, tracing the jagged path of PTSD, broken family ties, and personal battles that stretch across decades. He writes about his service, his divorce, the loss of his parents, the distance with his daughter, and the constant shadow of invisible demons. This isn’t a straight line memoir. It’s more like a series of entries pulled directly from his mind and heart, sometimes sharp, sometimes wandering, always honest. This is a story about survival, regret, and the hope that love, especially the love between a father and daughter, can outlast the damage of war.

Some passages were tough to get through because of how blunt he is. I could feel the pain dripping from them. I admired his bravery for putting it all out there. He’s not pretending to be a hero. He’s showing the ugliness and the shame alongside the small moments of healing. His style jumps around, which mirrors the chaos of PTSD. It was hard to follow at first, but then I realized it pulled me closer to his state of mind. It felt less like I was reading a neatly packaged book and more like I was sitting across from him while he unloaded years of grief and rage.

There’s also a tenderness in these pages that surprised me. His love for his daughter is obvious and heartbreaking. I could feel his desperation to make sure she knows he tried, that he never stopped caring, even when he fell apart. Those parts made me pause and think about the weight kids carry when parents stumble. His reflections on family, loyalty, and betrayal were heavy, but they were also deeply relatable. He doesn’t ask for pity. He just wants someone to hear him out, to acknowledge that the fight doesn’t end when the uniform comes off.

I walked away from this book feeling grateful. I’d recommend this stirring memoir to anyone who wants to understand what living with PTSD feels like from the inside. It’s especially important for family members of veterans because it shows the ripple effects of war long after the battlefield is gone. And for veterans themselves, it might feel like sitting with a brother-in-arms who isn’t afraid to tell the truth. The Broken Mirror is powerful, and it left me with a deep respect for the fight he continues every day.

Pages: 142 | ASIN : B0DLLD2CXC