Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

We Are All So Good at Smiling by Amber McBride

79 reviews

tangleroot_eli's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

A magical realism adventure that's also an allegory for depression. A few notes don't resonate with me, but overall, what a symphony.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, and Grief

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting

Minor: Bullying

Moderate: Mind control

christinesmith205's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Bullying

valerira123's review against another edition

dark reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Suicide attempt

malinski42's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is a beautiful book that gives incredibly specific and accurate insight into clinical depression. As someone who has struggled with depression nearly my whole life, I really connected to this book. I really appreciate Amber McBride and her bravery to share this story. It is creative, insightful, and incredibly personal. I truly loved this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, and Self harm

stephanielee's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Racism, Self harm, and Blood

smcaput2's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, and Suicide attempt

augustriver's review against another edition

emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Self harm, and Suicide

ladyhunbun's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

This book really connected with me as a therapist working with teens with depression as well as someone who was a teen with depression. At times I struggled with the pacing (though this got better once I picked up the audiobook). Overall a resonant book even if sometimes a little ethereal. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

joyreadsbuku's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

4 stars - TLDR: A book written in verse about 2 teens dealing with mental health (clinical depression) and the layers it has. Characters were likeable, pace and plot were okay, but the ending was too fast. Make sure to be (emotionally) ready for this one. 

Long(er) review: I liked the main characters (Whimsy & Faerry) and that they start talking to each other again. They go through the same trauma and help each other through it. I did not like how one parent basically told the mc to forget what happened, making the parent no help at all. But this is a reality for a lot of people, so it's important to raise this issue. 

Speaking of, another character in the book said "Black boys don't get to feel things", which is also a crucial point to speak on. I liked the Fantasy and Magical Realism, but sometimes the magical aspect felt like a lot, which leads to feeling so out of touch with reality. As a result, it's actually well done because that is how depression can feel for some. 

The middle was a bit long because it kept hovering over what happened in the past without explicitly saying what happened (it dragged on a little bit). If it didn't, it would leave space for the ending to be more explained.

Overall a good book, but please be prepared before reading this book and pay attention to the trigger warnings (which are mentioned in the beginning of this book, and are in this case; depression, self-harm, trauma, death, panick attacks, grief).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Grief

Moderate: Self harm

serenity667's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Mental illness, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide