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Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite
Claudia: The Girl Who Went in Search of Happiness by S. Sebastian is a heart-warming, complex, and nuanced story of a young woman finding her inner self in a world that seems to exploit and reject her. Claudia always had the makings of a true musician inside her, but for years, she had allowed doubts of her worth, even her lovability, to deny herself what she truly sought. Working as a music teacher, she found herself increasingly being used and exploited by others, to the point where she had almost lost herself in other people’s opinions and expectations of who she was and could be. Standing alone on a bridge one evening, Claudia had reached the final point of desperation and was prepared to end the soulless torment she perceived her life to be. A chance encounter with a total stranger on that bridge began the slow change in her life that she never could have anticipated. It would set her on the road to discovering the true source of happiness.
Claudia is, without doubt, one of the most profound and moving stories I have read in a very long time. Author S. Sebastian has beautifully created a character, riven by self-doubt, that every single reader on the planet will probably be able to identify with at some point in their lives. Who amongst us has not felt, at some time, that they were not enough? What I particularly loved about Claudia’s tale was the simple, no-nonsense philosophy imparted to Claudia by her rescuer, Antony. If I could take only two lessons from Claudia’s journey of discovery, it would be these: Happiness is very much an inside job. It’s not something that you gain through possessions, friends, or family. Antony’s example of smiling in the face of pain and suffering should be a clarion call to us all. Second, our opinions and our views of ourselves and others are inherently shaped by our environment, and it behooves us to ignore others' views and remember that we have the power to change our environment by our predominant thoughts and mental attitude. I love stories that affirm my philosophy on life, and this book certainly does that and provides an enjoyable adventure in doing so. I love this book and highly recommend it.
