The Fog of Faith: Surviving My Impotent God

by Leona Stucky

Leona is cast into bewildering disgrace and poverty—with a baby, a violent husband, and shattered faith. She hacks through the bones of her Mennonite naïveté to confront harsh realities. This riveting and morally unflinching memoir, recommended by MS Magazine, delivers intense suspense, humor and unusual wisdom.

340 pages, Paperback

Published May 25, 2017

Reviews

[Michael Messner · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fog of Faith is a moving and beautifully written personal chronicle that at once presents a deep understanding of the emotional impact of intimate partner violence, as it also illustrates the profound (if still incomplete) historical changes in the ways we view violence against women. With clear and beautiful prose, Leona Stucky describes horrific abuse that terrorized her for many years, seeming at times as though it would never end--partly due to massive and repeated institutional failures from police, courts, and even Stucky's own Mennonite community to believe her and to support her. The author's brave determination to carry on with her life in the face of continued violence and fear is fueled in part by empowering ideas she absorbs in the early 1970s about women's empowerment from feminist communities and writers. Her struggle with her faith--built in to her book's title--is an important and powerful thread running through the story, as is her enduring love and appreciation for her mother and father.

[Deborah Blanchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very moving portrayal of Leona Stucky's life in dealing with domestic abuse while trying to maintain her faith through it all. Having been a victim of domestic violence myself, this book touched me on a personal level. I felt her fear and her struggle to find herself amid there struggles. It is a vividly descriptive book, as she brings us into her world. Living as a Mennonite, she is a strong believer in her faith. It is this faith that gives her strength to endure such abuse. It is not easy to get out of an abusive relationship, though some may think it is. It takes away your sense of self worth. It takes away your sense of self. She finds strength through the feminist movement in the 1970's. She learns that she is worth it. Leona is a very strong woman and she refused to be defeated by her circumstances. This book is so well written, with true to life dialogue.It draws you in from the very beginning as she takes us into her life. I felt what she felt, her fear, her struggle and her will to survive. This book moved me to tears at times and uplifted me at others. I highly recommend this memoir.

[Christina’s Word · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Leona's journey through the struggles of love and faith. Her childhood on the farm, her relationship with her wonderful dad, the doubts and blind acceptance of her faith are all rendered with detail and clarity. The awful relationship with Ron, the struggle for selfhood, the rising consciousness of feminism are themes. There are times I felt a professional editor could have enhanced the story. There are long dialogues that do little to move the story forward, and monologues that cause one's eyes to glaze over.

[Ed Mendez · Rating 5 out of 5]

How does a person who probably should have been dead 16, or 18, or 22 years old, keep living? How does a person who should have been a welfare mother work to obtain multiple advanced degrees? How does a woman who had a hand held upon her mouth and a knife held at her throat not merely survive but thrive? This is part the incredible journey of Dr. Leona Stucky. The other part is her long wrestling match with god. I was astonished and inspired by by this incredible true tale of an extraordinary woman. Moreover, in this second decade of the 21st Century, it is relevant and timely reading. Please read it. You will sometimes want to put it down and rest, but you will continue because Dr. Stucky compels you to do so.

[Penny Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book overall was a good read, but I felt that there were places in the book that were just too slow, with information added that did not add to the movement of the story.