The Fear is a thought-provoking hybrid of memoir, philosophy, art, politics, and cultural critique: an exploration of the darker side of the human psyche and the ways in which our fears and demons manifest themselves in our everyday lives. Christiana Spens examines the impact and aftereffects of trauma, on personal, collective, and cultural levels, and considers the reasons behind our most deep-rooted fears, as well as the influences that inform them.

She takes moments from her life and uses them as a springboard to discuss psychological and philosophical ideas, considering not only why trauma causes and evokes these fears, but how we can eventually move past trauma, and how fear can be overcome through stronger feelings, such as love. For such a cerebral book, it is also tender and humane; Spens counterbalances her intellectual considerations with moments of stark honesty, and it is touching to see her find inner calm toward the end of the book.

It is also a testament to her talent that, although she is dealing with heavy subjects, the reader feels lighter for having taken the journey with her. The Fear contains more depth than most books twice its length; it deserves a wide readership.