Through the Glass

By Shannon Moroney

An impassioned, harrowing and ultimately hopeful story of one woman's pursuit of justice, forgiveness and healing.

When Shannon Moroney married in October of 2005, she had no idea that her happy life as a newlywed was about to come crashing down around her. One month after her wedding, a police officer arrived at her door to tell her that her husband, Jason, had been arrested and charged in the brutal assault and kidnapping of two women. In the aftermath of these crimes, Shannon dealt with a heavy burden of grief, the stress and publicity of a major criminal investigation, and the painful stigma of guilt-by-association, all while attempting to understand what had made Jason turn to such violence.

In this intimate and gripping journey into prisons, courtrooms and the human heart, Shannon reveals the far-reaching impact of Jason's crimes, the agonizing choices faced by the loved ones of offenders and the implicit dangers of a correctional system and a society that prioritizes punishment over rehabilitation, and victimhood over recovery.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Oct 11, 2011
• ISBN: 9780385676045

Shannon Moroney

Shannon Moroney was a high school teacher and counselor when her husband's violent crimes tore her life apart. She is now a volunteer with Leave Out ViolencE (LOVE) and a contributor to The Forgiveness Project. She lives in Toronto where she is remarried and the mother of twins.

Reviews for Through the Glass

[kraaivrouw · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Shannon Moroney is a woman coming to terms with her husband's horrific crimes - the kidnapping and rape of two women who were brought to their home to be violated while she was out of town on business. The crime is shocking and its aftermath is pretty horrible. Ms. Moroney bravely shares her journey - one that leads her into the field of victim advocacy for family members of criminals. I'll be honest and say that I often disliked her in this book - she seems self-centered and justifying, focused on the effect of what happened to her over the broader implications of the crime and its two victims. It's easy for me to judge, however, sitting in my nice chair in front of my nice computer next to my wonderful husband who's never hurt anyone. Who can say how you'd react? This is one woman's story and one woman's voice and it's definitely worth reading.

[laurenbdavis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Shannon Maroney married her husband, Jason, knowing he had committed a grievous crime as a young man, but not only did he seem completely rehabilitated now, but even the jaded folks in the criminal justice system, including the psychiatrist who had worked with Jason for a long time, felt he posed no threat to anyone.They were wrong.A month to the day after they married, Jason committed a second, truly horrible and shocking crime, and Shannon's world exploded. Not only does she lose her husband, but also her home, her job and a number of 'friends'. She becomes, in a significant way, a collateral victim to her husband's crimes -- not in the same was as the two women against whom he committed his offenses, but a victim nonetheless, and one for which the system offers no help whatsoever.This is an tragic tale, well told. There is almost no self-pity, and no self-delusion. The author is clear-eyed and searingly candid. Her journey into the murky world that is the correctional system is well written, and her compassion and despair and concern for the victims of Jason's crime feels nothing but heartfelt. Her decision not to throw Jason away, but to try and understand how he could possibly have squandered the second chance at life he was given, how the gentle man she knew could possibly have done such despicable things, and to forgive him (although never losing sight of the enormity of his offenses), certainly held my interest. Her decision to work towards finding peace and remaining Jason's friend, if not his wife, is inspiring. Rising from the ashes of such an experience takes guts, faith and the support of a number of people. It also takes, the author seems to be saying, having a purpose beyond one's own interests. Shannon finds this purpose in her education and in the Restorative Justice movement. Personally, I found the last third of the book, in which she focuses on the Restorative Justice movement, slightly less gripping than the personal events in the first part of the book, but that may be because she was preaching to the choir. Having taught creative writing in prisons, I am already a firm believer in the movement.A fine book and a worthwhile read.

[thehistorychic · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Read for ReviewOverall Rating 3.50First Thought when Finished: NonFiction is such a hard thing to review because it is so personal. Through the Glass is one of those stories that needs to be read but won't be easy.What I Thought of the "Story": Through the Glass is the story of a woman who finds out that her husband has committed a horrific crime. This is not his first offence but no one in the system saw it coming. It is about her journey as a victim, wife, activist, and daughter through the ordeal. I think much of the story shines a light on things that need to be taken into consideration when we hear stories of horrible things happening. The victims are not always just the obvious ones. How the system handles the other parties involved is often as bad as them being the perps themselves. Through the Glass did a terrific job of shining a light on that.What I Thought of Shannon: Shannon herself did not come across too sympathetic in Through the Glass almost from the beginning. Her incessant need to know who the victims were. Crossing people off her "golden circle" list because they didn't tell her was "off-putting" to say the least. Her thoughts over the baby that she might have lost were a little over-played. I did feel that she had some very bad things happen to her and there should be more of a system in place for the spouses/family of the perp. They are not responsible in most cases for the actions of the one person and should not be held accountable. Last thought: Through the Glass was a very interesting look at the victims of association and their struggle to move forward.

[lynnb_64 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Married for only one month, Shannon Moroney is writing thank you cards for wedding gifts when the police arrive to tell her that her husband has been arrested for the violent rape and kidnapping of two women. In this book, she tells her story, which is a perspective we rarely hear: that of the family of a violent criminal. Shannon was a victim herself, lost her husband, her job, much of her life. Yet, there were virtually no avenues of support for her as "the wife of the accused". She has written an honest account of her experience and feelings. In doing so, she advocates for the needs of the families of criminals and for restorative justice models. A very moving story from an inspirational young woman.

[danaburgess · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book has intrigued me ever since I heard about it. I volunteer to support and advocate for victims of crime and have often wondered, along with others in my field, who supports and advocated for the families of offenders? Especially violent offenders whose actions and crimes negatively impact not only their victims but also their families. Hard question.In her book Through the Glass, Shannon Moroney tells her story: how her storybook marriage and life fell apart one month in, the day the policeman came to her hotel room to tell her that her husband had been arrested on charges of sexual assault, kidnapping and more. Shannon writes, in a straight forward way, of her journey through pain, guilt, denial, the loss of friends and employment and the many obstacles of the Canadian criminal justice system. It is important to remember that this is Shannon's personal journey and it may not be the same journey that every one in this situation needs to take. I was impressed with how she stayed true to what she knew she needed to do for herself, despite the objections and misunderstanding of many of those around her. I was also impressed that she could write about her experiences in a way that didn't attack her attackers but simply states the facts, how she felt and what she did in a fair and understanding way. The story is very well written.I must say that I was sceptical from time to time about the author's decisions in the process and wondered if they would turn out for the best. It was frustrating to read about the lack of help and understanding she received as she tried to follow a path that was not well marked or travelled. As a victim advocate, I was especially dismayed at the response she received from the victim advocate she was referred to, when it was determined that she also was a victim of her husband's secret life. I want everyone to know that not all advocates are as insensitive and rude as the one she dealt with. Even still Shannon persevered. She took the time to look inside herself and recognise what she needed. Then she went on a no-holds-barred search for support and help in moving forward with whatever decision she had made. You'll notice that I keep calling the author by her first name. As I read, I found myself connecting with Shannon and her story in a personal way - possibly because of the volunteer work I do and possibly because of my own personal experiences, or maybe just because she is so honest and open in telling her story. There were parts of the book and the conclusions she comes to with regards to improving the justice system in Canada, that I don't necessarily agree with. And many of her decisions are not ones I would have made for myself. But each of us must process our lives and deal with our personal calamities in our own ways. What I do think this book does is open a door to discussion that has long been ignored in our society: what do the offender's family go through in the aftermath of his/her criminal behaviour? I think these silent victims of crime will benefit greatly from Shannon's experiences and her continued advocacy in this area.