What do you think?
Rate this book
Safe Space: A True Story of Faith, Betrayal, and the Power of the Force
Memoir:
Nicholas was nine years old when he accidentally walked into a movie theatre playing Star Wars: A New Hope. It was 1977, and he unknowingly had just stumbled upon the thing that he would later credit in saving his life.
From kindergarten through grade four, Nicholas endured horrific abuse at the hands of the Catholic priests who were entrusted with his education. As he grew up, he blamed himself for what had been done to him. His childhood had been stolen from him and he had no way to cope. Star Wars gave Nicholas hope at the time he needed it most.
His path to healing has been long and often dark, but that band of Rebels he met in his childhood proved to him that light could ultimately triumph. In this shocking, heartbreaking, yet forever hopeful memoir, Nicholas takes readers with him on his journey from victim, to survivor, to Jedi.
Safe Space: A True Story of Faith, Betrayal, and the Power of the Force is for anyone who wants to understand how abuse continues to affect victims and their families long after the act.
Nicholas was nine years old when he accidentally walked into a movie theatre playing Star Wars: A New Hope. It was 1977, and he unknowingly had just stumbled upon the thing that he would later credit in saving his life.
From kindergarten through grade four, Nicholas endured horrific abuse at the hands of the Catholic priests who were entrusted with his education. As he grew up, he blamed himself for what had been done to him. His childhood had been stolen from him and he had no way to cope. Star Wars gave Nicholas hope at the time he needed it most.
His path to healing has been long and often dark, but that band of Rebels he met in his childhood proved to him that light could ultimately triumph. In this shocking, heartbreaking, yet forever hopeful memoir, Nicholas takes readers with him on his journey from victim, to survivor, to Jedi.
Safe Space: A True Story of Faith, Betrayal, and the Power of the Force is for anyone who wants to understand how abuse continues to affect victims and their families long after the act.
293 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2021
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 1, 2022
This book is incredibly bold, raw, terrifying, funny, and inspiring. I was initially hesitant to read it, but I am so glad I did. The author bares all. A horrific childhood of abuse at the hands of catholic priests sets the author off on his own to piece his shattered soul back together. His healing is not the quick fix, but a lifetime of lessons, challenges and paths to choose from. Thankfully for the author, he finds lessons and healing through the story of Star Wars. I am so glad he was able to find his way, and this book proves that popular culture and cult cinema can have a long-lasting and healing effect upon trauma survivors. There is an incredible introduction by Dr. Ernest Mathijs in the book, a bonus essay that contextualizes the author's experience. This really is a must read for those who want to know how survivors carry on and heal when they have only themselves and the force to guide them.
September 29, 2024
Way to go Nic. I was honoured to have read your book as a sister survivor.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews