alisonmac86's review
4.0
4.5 stars
Firstly, I owe James Josiah a big apology, because I have been procrastinating over this review forever and, because he's a gentleman, he hasn't nagged me. The fact is, I don't really know how to articulate my opinions about Stay Happy and I've finally given up trying, so what follows is likely to be a jumbled mess.
I finished Stay Happy around 3 weeks ago, and it is still with me. I can't shake the lingering, mingled feelings of joy and sadness that pervade throughout the book and kept me gripped for the few days it took me to read it.
To delve too deep into the plot in this review would be to spoil the effect of the story Josiah has crafted, and that's the last thing I want to do. It needs to be felt and experienced without prior knowledge of the direction it takes. Suffice to say we are dropped into Ryan's world not long after where Days of Madness left off, and we journey with him through the intense, beautiful and often hilarious early days of parenthood. The way Josiah writes about this subject is gorgeous, being at once joyfully flowery and no-holds-barred realistic. Ryan takes to fatherhood like his much-fed ducks to water, and the strength of Ryan's love for his child is palpable, but never does it feel hammy and overdone.
In true Ryan style, all is not smooth sailing, and that is all I will say on the matter, lest I spoil anything, but the writing remains fantastic throughout. I've never come across writing about depression that's quite so raw and relatable as I have in this book and its predecessor. I think the main point I want to express in this review is that James Josiah, humble as he is, does not realise how very talented he is. This is the third book of his that I've read and his writing spans intense highs and crippling lows with the same understated skill. He makes me laugh, he makes me cry, he makes me cringe... he makes me feel. That is a true gift, right there.
James, congratulations on another beautiful book, and I look forward to the next one.
You also get extra points for the mention of David Sneddon.
Firstly, I owe James Josiah a big apology, because I have been procrastinating over this review forever and, because he's a gentleman, he hasn't nagged me. The fact is, I don't really know how to articulate my opinions about Stay Happy and I've finally given up trying, so what follows is likely to be a jumbled mess.
I finished Stay Happy around 3 weeks ago, and it is still with me. I can't shake the lingering, mingled feelings of joy and sadness that pervade throughout the book and kept me gripped for the few days it took me to read it.
To delve too deep into the plot in this review would be to spoil the effect of the story Josiah has crafted, and that's the last thing I want to do. It needs to be felt and experienced without prior knowledge of the direction it takes. Suffice to say we are dropped into Ryan's world not long after where Days of Madness left off, and we journey with him through the intense, beautiful and often hilarious early days of parenthood. The way Josiah writes about this subject is gorgeous, being at once joyfully flowery and no-holds-barred realistic. Ryan takes to fatherhood like his much-fed ducks to water, and the strength of Ryan's love for his child is palpable, but never does it feel hammy and overdone.
In true Ryan style, all is not smooth sailing, and that is all I will say on the matter, lest I spoil anything, but the writing remains fantastic throughout. I've never come across writing about depression that's quite so raw and relatable as I have in this book and its predecessor. I think the main point I want to express in this review is that James Josiah, humble as he is, does not realise how very talented he is. This is the third book of his that I've read and his writing spans intense highs and crippling lows with the same understated skill. He makes me laugh, he makes me cry, he makes me cringe... he makes me feel. That is a true gift, right there.
James, congratulations on another beautiful book, and I look forward to the next one.
You also get extra points for the mention of David Sneddon.
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