Review of Keys to Harmony
Posted: 05 Jul 2025, 23:11
[Following is a volunteer review of "Keys to Harmony" by Margalit Jakob.]
This book was a very pleasant read. Keys to Harmony by Margalit Jakob is a memoir detailing Jakob’s life journey, her ups and downs, and her ultimate acceptance of herself and her talents after a long battle with depression. It starts with a young Margalit who is ready to make a life in Israel, and the book spans about two to three decades.
I would not describe Keys to Harmony as a self-help book, but if you are struggling with depression and mental health, it could be a powerful support tool. Jakob is real and authentic as she details everything, including her doubts, fears, and innermost thoughts. I like that the author destigmatises depression and antidepressants, despite growing up in an era where those things weren’t widely recognised. Rather than shy away from the topic, Jakob acknowledges the reality of mental health stigma and the harm it can cause, especially when it comes from within. She acknowledges that depression is an illness, and it takes work to overcome it. She acknowledges that medication is helpful and sometimes necessary. While Jakob doesn’t give preachy advice, she inspires the reader in the way she shows up for herself, and I took away amazing messages after reading. As the author says, “Staying true to myself speaks its own worth.”
Apart from the messaging, I liked the technical formatting of Keys to Harmony. I liked the narrative voice, which allowed me to feel connected to the author, and I liked the weight of the narration. Jakob speaks a lot about visualisation, and she includes a lot of examples of what that looks like for her and her clients, which is nice. There is also a glossary at the end of the book. Since Keys to Harmony includes many Hebrew words, I found the glossary very helpful. My one suggestion would be to mark the words with superscripts in the main text so that readers can easily find them in the glossary. Other than that, I found nothing to dislike in the book.
Overall, I would rate Keys to Harmony a 5 out of 5. I would recommend it to those who struggle with or have struggled with depression or other mental health issues.
******
Keys to Harmony
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
This book was a very pleasant read. Keys to Harmony by Margalit Jakob is a memoir detailing Jakob’s life journey, her ups and downs, and her ultimate acceptance of herself and her talents after a long battle with depression. It starts with a young Margalit who is ready to make a life in Israel, and the book spans about two to three decades.
I would not describe Keys to Harmony as a self-help book, but if you are struggling with depression and mental health, it could be a powerful support tool. Jakob is real and authentic as she details everything, including her doubts, fears, and innermost thoughts. I like that the author destigmatises depression and antidepressants, despite growing up in an era where those things weren’t widely recognised. Rather than shy away from the topic, Jakob acknowledges the reality of mental health stigma and the harm it can cause, especially when it comes from within. She acknowledges that depression is an illness, and it takes work to overcome it. She acknowledges that medication is helpful and sometimes necessary. While Jakob doesn’t give preachy advice, she inspires the reader in the way she shows up for herself, and I took away amazing messages after reading. As the author says, “Staying true to myself speaks its own worth.”
Apart from the messaging, I liked the technical formatting of Keys to Harmony. I liked the narrative voice, which allowed me to feel connected to the author, and I liked the weight of the narration. Jakob speaks a lot about visualisation, and she includes a lot of examples of what that looks like for her and her clients, which is nice. There is also a glossary at the end of the book. Since Keys to Harmony includes many Hebrew words, I found the glossary very helpful. My one suggestion would be to mark the words with superscripts in the main text so that readers can easily find them in the glossary. Other than that, I found nothing to dislike in the book.
Overall, I would rate Keys to Harmony a 5 out of 5. I would recommend it to those who struggle with or have struggled with depression or other mental health issues.
******
Keys to Harmony
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon