Broken Pieces is first a mother’s memoir as Carr recounts her efforts on behalf of her son. She goes to great lengths—any length, really—to attempt to find him help and healing. She aptly describes the agony of not only the one who is ill, but of those who love him and care for him. She describes the crucial role of the wider support system society offers—from doctors to institutions to police officers—, all of whom are necessary at various times and in various ways. 

We all suffer in this messy, sin-stained world. Sometimes our suffering is the direct result of our own sin and sinfulness. Sometimes it’s because others sin against us. And then sometimes we suffer through the suffering of those we love. And while it can be difficult or even gruelling to walk alongside a loved one’s illness or disease, there is something particularly trying about enduring another person’s mental illness. In Broken Pieces and the God Who Mends Them: Schizophrenia Through a Mother’s Eyes, Simonetta Carr describes her experience of suffering through her son’s schizophrenia.

When Jonathan Carr was a young university student, he began to experience and display some unusual symptoms. Throughout his life so far he had proven himself clever and able and endearing. He had made a very credible profession of faith and been received into the membership of his church. He had been a loving, affectionate son, brother, and friend.

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