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Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite
Kaya Gibson’s Released is the story of her extraordinary life, beginning with her early childhood when she was born as Rhonda Baker in Flint, Michigan. Her troubles begin at six when she loses her mother to Hodgkin's disease and survives abuse after that. Diagnosed with muscular dystrophy that ravages her body and with a grim prognosis, she is sent home to die. But she refuses to die, recovers, and spends ten years in a wheelchair. She walks again after experimental surgery, and in college, she experiences a Pentecostal awakening. She meets Reggie Gibson, a devout man, but their marriage ends in tragedy in 1982 when a semi-truck kills Reggie and shatters her body. She experiences a near-death encounter that sends her back as “Kaya.” She believes she has a message for humanity, which worships a false patriarchal god while the true Creator is Mother. The ending features her music, poetry, and revelations.
Released is a compelling memoir about stubborn hope, devastating loss, and a fiery faith. It was hard believing what Kaya Gibson went through. Her greatest gift is her warm, candid, and surprisingly unflinching voice. She grabs your attention from the first page and walks you through her struggles and triumphs. Starting from memories of her mother and the childhood funeral, hospital ordeals, and the tender courtship with Reggie, she writes with grace about her pain and hope. She draws people like Reggie and others with exceptional human flourish and affection. The parts about her spiritual awakening are inspiring, with reflections on the DOMA, Elohim, and the Mother Creator. Faith, trust, suffering, and resilience bind this narrative together, and readers who love a one-of-a-kind spiritual journey will enjoy this memoir.
