Natasha's Prison: Healing From Your Prison I Never Knew I Was In by Stefan Stevens is about a man named Harry who deeply loved a woman named Natasha, but it was not meant to be. The stories of Harry and Natasha's time together in a relationship are provided in two parts, and within them the memories Harry narrates are told in slice-of-life vignettes. Part one is something of a rose-colored version of the relationship where Harry speaks of an intense, consuming love they shared, and when and how this began to change. It ends with poems and writing that read like veiled suicide notes. Part two is written after the break-up and is not as flattering, dissecting how it all fell apart and describing Natasha in a far less favorable light. It also reveals Harry's genuine misconceptions about what love is, and the difficulty of reconciling acceptance and understanding with pain when the true sexual identity of a former partner comes to light.

Natasha's Prison by Stefan Stevens is going to split readers into two camps, with almost no middle ground. Team Harry are the readers who view love as meaning to fight for what you want and the person you want, no matter what. Harry is a man who sees all he ever desired in Natasha and believes himself incapable of life without her. He is so desperately attached to the idea of having only her that even when Natasha has moved on and is practically married to another woman, he cannot accept that she is gone for good. More importantly, although she is gay, he still tries to get her back. Team Natasha are the readers who view love as a well that is shared but still drifts freely. They will agree that a relationship is between two individuals who are together, relishing time shared without losing respect for personal boundaries, while recognizing that the relationship is stronger and healthier when individual identities remain intact. From a technical literary standpoint, the writing takes a while to piece together the plot, but for readers looking for a raw account from the point of view of a male lover left by his partner, this will likely fit the bill.

Natasha’s Prison by Stefan Stevens follows Harry’s account of his relationship with Natasha and the bond that the two shared. As soon as they met, they were practically inseparable, doing everything together and facing the world head-on by each other’s side. The duo spent the first couple of years travelling in China before moving to Thailand. In the end they decide to move back to China and settle down there for good. Everything seemed to be going perfectly between them until a text message changed the course of their relationship. In the wake of severe depression Harry decides to tell his story for any person who may be going through the same thing or something similar.

Natasha’s Prison by Stefan Stevens was a heartwrenching and emotionally provocative story. Starting out very light-hearted, we see the progression of Harry and Natasha’s relationship from the first time they meet. The story is told from Harry’s perspective, making it that much more personal and emotionally driven. We see the ups and downs, the fights, and the moments of pure love between the two and it truly allows you to become immersed in the story. It’s like having a close friend tell you their life story. I truly enjoyed reading this book and was left in quite a state at various moments throughout. It takes true talent to write a book that can evoke such deep emotion within the reader and that’s why I would highly recommend this book to anyone.