Belgium - Toen het donker was (When It Was Dark)

Belgium - Toen het donker was (When It Was Dark), a story of language, light, and recovery Jonathan Bruyns (°1995) is a writer, musician, and illustrator. As a child, he already invented stories and illustrated them himself. For years, he wrote poetry, song lyrics, and short stories - and now, his first book is arriving: Toen het donker was (When It Was Dark). In this debut, Jonathan invites readers to explore themes of psychosis, recovery, and the courage it takes to put words to what often remains unspoken. “There’s a lot to learn when printing a book, the wrong shade on the cover, a missing comma, doubts about chapter order… I accepted those imperfections as part of life itself. But learning to accept imperfection wasn’t always easy. A few years ago, I had to learn that lesson the hard way.” Toen het donker was (When It Was Dark) gives language to experiences that defy easy words, confusion, silence, and the fragile process of finding yourself again. “Writing this book helped me process my experience, in the hope that someone else might find something meaningful in it,” Jonathan says. Psychosis is deeply human, and both recovery and acceptance are possible. With this book, Jonathan aims to create a space for recognition and connection, because a psychosis is, after all, something that happens to you. 🧠 Book presentation Join Jonathan on February 7 at Cornichon, Antwerp to celebrate the launch of Toen het donker was. Listen, connect, reflect — and raise a glass with him after the talk.