Out of Darkness

Name: Out of Darkness: Rumana Monzur’s Journey through Betrayal to Revolution
Author: Denise Chong

Rumana Monzur’s Journey through Betrayal, Tyranny and Abuse

By Denise Chong

Penguin Random House CanadaDoubleday

Blinded in a brutal attack, Rumana Monzur refused to be defined by tragedy. Her extraordinary passage—from surviving domestic violence in Dhaka to earning her law degree at UBC and rebuilding her life as a Canadian advocate—is chronicled in this luminous and devastating work by bestselling biographer Denise Chong.

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Available worldwide in Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook, and eBook editions.

Penguin Random House CanadaDoubleday

01 • CRITICAL RECEPTION

As Featured in Leading National & Global Press

“An extraordinary biography that transfixed audiences across borders and inspired legal change.”

13 articles — swipe to explore

“A masterful, unsparing narrative of survival and systemic reckoning. It is distressing to hear accounts of intimate partner violence, but Denise Chong demonstrates why we must listen.”

The Globe and MailRead more

“One of the most anticipated non-fiction works of the year... An unforgettable biography of sheer will, resilience, and reinvention in the face of unspeakable tragedy.”

Toronto StarRead more

“A story of courage that galvanized international attention—tracking how one woman’s survival challenged domestic abuse taboos and reverberated through Canada’s legal system.”

The New York TimesRead more

“Rumana Monzur joins Canada Tonight to discuss the warning signs of intimate partner violence and the triumph of earning her UBC law degree.”

CBC Canada TonightRead more

“Denise Chong unpacks the multi-year collaborative process of chronicling Rumana's life with empathy, precision, and historical depth.”

CBC Radio: All In A DayRead more

“Out of Darkness draws hope from Rumana Monzur’s story of domestic abuse. A raw, heartbreaking, and ultimately triumphant journey.”

Zoomer Magazine (Zed Book Club)Read more

“A message of profound hope: Rumana Monzur tells survivors of abuse they have options, agency, and a community ready to stand with them.”

Vancouver SunRead more

“Rumana Monzur's journey from horrific violence to fierce advocacy—redefining survival, agency, and community support in Out of Darkness.”

The Georgia StraightRead more

“Denise Chong launches 'Out of Darkness', chronicling Rumana Monzur's inspiring life journey with deep empathy, clarity, and courage.”

Glebe ReportRead more

“A triumph of the human spirit: examining the cultural context and the unyielding resilience of a woman who refused to be defeated.”

e-DesiNewsRead more

“From darkness to light: A Vancouver woman's harrowing tale of abuse, resilience, and survival is chronicled in a remarkable new book.”

CityNews VancouverRead more

“The domestic assault that shocked the world—exploring trauma, courage, cultural clashes, and systemic legal changes with Denise Chong.”

Sickboy PodcastRead more

“Domestic Violence: One Woman's Story and the Systemic Impact. An essential conversation on resilience, advocacy, and trauma-informed jurisprudence.”

The Trauma-Informed LawyerRead more

02 • THE BIOGRAPHY

The Story Behind Out of Darkness

“An extraordinary true chronicle of resilience, justice, and the power to rebuild.”

2001 — 2010Dhaka, Bangladesh

Faculty of International Relations in Dhaka

Expanded

As an assistant professor of International Relations at the University of Dhaka, Rumana taught statecraft, global politics, and human rights while silently enduring escalating domestic control at home. Her acceptance to UBC as a Fulbright scholar in 2010 provided a rare opportunity to pursue independent graduate scholarship in Canada.

June 2011Dhaka, Bangladesh

The Assault & Public Truth

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During a study break in Dhaka, Rumana was brutally attacked by her husband in front of their young daughter, resulting in permanent blindness. Rather than succumbing to societal pressure to remain silent, Rumana spoke candidly from her hospital bed. Her public stance galvanized nationwide street demonstrations across Bangladesh and prompted international legal scrutiny.

2013 — 2017Vancouver, Canada

UBC Law & Overcoming Sight Loss

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Returning to Vancouver permanently blind, Rumana learned screen-reading technologies and braille to complete her Master's degree in 2013. She then entered the rigorous Juris Doctor program at UBC's Peter A. Allard School of Law. Raising her daughter as a single mother while digesting thousands of pages through audio software, she graduated in 2017 and was called to the BC Bar in 2018.

2018 — PresentVancouver, Canada

Department of Justice Canada & Public Advocacy

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Today, Rumana serves as legal counsel with the Department of Justice Canada in Vancouver. In collaboration with acclaimed author Denise Chong, her life is documented in the award-winning biography Out of Darkness. She regularly speaks at international conferences, advises public institutions, and mentors survivors of gender-based violence.

03 • THE RECEPTION

Critical Reception & Reviews

How broadsheets, scholars, and readers received Out of Darkness.

Featured Editorial • The Globe and Mail•National Broadsheet of Canada

“A masterful, unsparing narrative of survival and systemic reckoning. Denise Chong demonstrates why we must listen to what domestic violence survivors have endured.”

Spring Literary Review Selection•Ottawa Book Award Winner 2024

8 reflections

“One of the most powerful true stories of survival and reinvention. A book that transcends its harrowing origins to become a masterclass in human resilience.”

Toronto StarSpring Literary Selection

“A raw, heartbreaking, and ultimately triumphant read. It reminds us that courage is not the absence of fear, but the determination to move through it.”

Zoomer MagazineZed Book Club Selection

“Reading Rumana’s journey through Allard Hall Law School while completely blind took my breath away. An indispensable testament to determination for the legal profession across Canada.”

Faculty of Law ReviewUniversity of British Columbia

“This book is not just about survival—it’s about reclaiming power. Rumana Monzur’s refusal to be defeated by patriarchal violence is an enduring national inspiration.”

The Georgia StraightLiterary & Cultural Feature

“Out of Darkness changed the way our entire community discusses intimate partner violence. Denise Chong handles difficult truths with exquisite grace, dignity, and care.”

Ottawa Public LibraryCommunity Discussion Forum

“A precedent for what human will can accomplish. Rumana turned personal catastrophe into legislative and systemic advocacy that continues to protect women across Canada.”

Canadian Human Rights ReviewPolicy & Jurisprudence Dispatch

“A profound chronicle that stays with you long after the final page is turned. Rumana’s voice demonstrates the transformative power of dignity and justice.”

Vancouver Readers CollectiveNon-Fiction Reader Spotlight

“Denise Chong’s rigorous journalism and empathetic prose give voice to an unshakeable woman whose story will alter how you perceive courage forever.”

Glebe ReportOttawa Literary News

04 • THE BIOGRAPHER

Meet Acclaimed Author Denise Chong, O.C.

“Historian, former Senior Advisor in the Prime Minister's Office, and Officer of the Order of Canada.”

Denise Chong - Biographer and Author of Out of Darkness

Officer of the Order of CanadaDenise Chong

Governor General’s Literary Finalist

Two-time Non-Fiction nominee for landmark Canadian works

Senior Economic Advisor to PM

Prime Minister’s Office under Pierre Elliott Trudeau

Denise Chong is one of Canada's most celebrated narrative biographers and social historians. Known for her luminous prose and rigorous investigative craft, Chong has spent four decades exploring identity, migration, the crucible of historical conflict, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Before dedicating her life to literature, Chong served as an economist with the Department of Finance and subsequently as Senior Economic Advisor to Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau. This formidable background in policy, constitutional governance, and public institutions informs her acute understanding of systemic power, legal systems, and human rights.

In Out of Darkness, Chong approaches Rumana Monzur’s life not as a detached observer, but as a trusted chronicler. Over years of intensive dialogue, Chong mapped the complex cultural, legal, and personal contours of Rumana’s world, creating an authoritative record that honors the truth with dignity and artistic precision.

Her appointments as an Officer of the Order of Canada and recipient of multiple national honors underscore her stature as a vital guardian of Canada’s conscience and shared narratives.

Essential Works by Denise Chong

Discover other acclaimed books by one of Canada's foremost literary biographers.

93 Weeks on National Bestseller List

The Concubine’s Children

1994 • Penguin Canada

A landmark Canadian memoir of migration, identity, and family secrets across three generations between China and Vancouver’s Chinatown. Finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award.

View Edition

International Literary Acclaim

The Girl in the Picture

1999 • Viking / Penguin

The definitive, unforgettable story of Kim Phuc, the girl captured fleeing a napalm strike in the Vietnam War’s most famous photograph, and her subsequent journey to reconciliation in Canada.

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City of Ottawa Book Award Finalist

Egg on Mao

2009 • Random House

A gripping narrative of political courage recounting the sacrifice of three young men who threw paint at the portrait of Mao Zedong in Tiananmen Square during the 1989 protests.

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05 • SCREENING ROOM

Keynotes, Launches & Conversations

“Watch full-length library lectures, national news specials, and in-depth author dialogues.”

Denise Chong: Out of Darkness | Culture @ Vancouver Public Library

55:11 • Full KeynoteCLICK TO WATCH

Featured Literary Keynote

Denise Chong: Out of Darkness | Culture @ Vancouver Public Library

Denise Chong & Poet Laureate Renée Sarojini Saklikar

A landmark conversation hosted by the Vancouver Public Library. How do you rebuild a life after being blinded by an act of unspeakable violence? Denise Chong goes beyond headlines to discuss loyalty, perseverance, and Rumana Monzur's unbreakable spirit.