Sam Lansky’s Broken People explores a young man’s search for healing from self-induced anxieties driven by a constant, judging inner dialogue. This semi-autobiographical novel shines a light on human vulnerability—an honest and often humorous look at self-discovery’s messy, complicated process. Doing the math, the real-life Sam would have been around seven years sober when this book was published.
The story centers around Sam, a young writer trying to navigate a history of addiction, heartbreak, deep emptiness, and self-loathing. At a party, he overhears about a mysterious shaman who claims to perform “open-soul surgery”—a healing technique that promises to erase emotional pain in 3 days. The claim to be “fixed” in a three-day retreat appeals to Sam. Sam hesitates a bit because the retreat involves the use of ayahuasca, a psychoactive drink from South America, and he is concerned about what that means to his recovery.
The writing is honest and captures the reader’s attention. He gets to the roots of Sam’s inner turmoil, exploring Sam’s anxieties, insecurities, and self-destructive tendencies. A key thread throughout is Sam’s romantic relationships and genuine friendships. The characters involved in these relationships are not well developed, so the emphasis is on Sam’s internal dialogue and the nature of the relationships. At times, exploring this internal dialogue and describing all the details of the romantic relationships slow the pace, but it remains manageable and pays off in the end.
As one in recovery, there is a fundamental flaw in the plot. Granted, the book would not exist without the flaw, so maybe Lansky knew of it but thought it was still a good story to write. During the retreat, while taking ayahuasca, Sam does not have what would be considered any meaningful epiphanies. He is in a 12-step program, and working the 4th step would have yielded the same results as the retreat.
While I make that criticism, Sam contacts a higher power during the experience and remains connected to it after the experience. There is no reference to him having a higher power previously, so perhaps the taking of ayahuasca allowed him to be open enough for a higher power to emerge.
Despite minor shortcomings, Broken People is a beautifully written depiction of a flawed individual seeking redemption and escape from his incessant self-judgment. It is a story about the courage to face oneself, the difficulty of change, and the hope of becoming whole. Lansky’s novel is a worthwhile journey for readers who appreciate a raw, emotionally vulnerable story of redemption.
Addiction Fiction Sobees Score: 3.5 out of 5
TSC LIBRARY: Welcome to The Sober Curator Library! We don’t just read books; we immerse ourselves in literary journeys, tune in on Audible, and craft insightful reviews. Our digital shelves are organized into four genres: #QUITLIT, Addiction Fiction, Self-Help, and NA Recipe Books.
