Imagine being 14 years old. You’re young and hopeful and full of life.
Then imagine the black bird of illness descending over your head, striking you with blindness.
This is what it felt like for Janina Rivera.
A Night Bird Sings of Blindness and Fear is a compelling memoir written by an author who struggled with Arterio-Venous Malformation (AVM), a congenital birth defect. She was 14 years old when the artery in her brain burst, leaving her with partial blindness, migraines, and mental health struggles. Anxiety and agoraphobia, the twin monsters of fear, captured her mind at a young age.
Janina Rivera depicts her journey of illness with a sense of wonder and vivid imagery. She bears her heart open, revealing a world inside made of monsters and sunflowers, symbolizing the harrowing and beautiful realities of illness and hope. Reading her story felt like watching a movie–I saw the world through the eyes of a young girl. And I saw that girl take take ginger steps towards victory despite her physical and mental pain.
This is an extraordinary real-life story on how invisible sicknesses can challenge a young person—and how God can enable the heart to live with courage.
This book is a must-read for anyone struggling with illness and fear, for anyone praying to live out a hope that overcomes.
