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k0nnie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
while suicide notes does a decent job at getting inside the head of a struggling teenager who is admitted to an inpatient hospital after a suicide attempt, there are many noteworthy issues that need to be addressed. as someone who is a mental health professional & works with children/teens who are inpatient, it's very easy to spot the (many many MANY) inaccuracies in the mental health treatment described in the book, as well as the (again, many many MANY) inaccuracies regarding the inpatient facility in which the characters reside. i had multiple problems with this book & the the way the mental health treatment was handled; one problem being the death of a certain character who is also at the facility. however, the rating most definitely dropped due to the multiple overlooked and unacknowledged sexual assault scenes that happened between the main character and another patient in the clinic. these scenes were repetitive, completely non consensual, and unfortunately also used as a device for character growth & queer self-acceptance. the way all of these scenes were overlooked with absolutely no acknowledgment to the fact that they were assault is inexcusable.
books focused on mental health especially books geared towards middle aged & young adults, are so SO beyond important for kids to have access to, however books such as this have the potential to be incredibly dangerous for young and impressionable readers.
if you're searching for a book focused on a queer character or mental health, i would not recommend this book.
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
the_true_monroe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
As with Thirteen Reasons Why, I know many would say this book glorifies suicide, but I think the language used that talks about why people felt the need to attempt to tale their own life and the specific thoughts that went through their head (which often are ones of peace, and yearning) are critical to being realistic and helping people connect with the characters. People who experience mental illness and suicidal ideation do not get to sugarcoat their thoughts and feelings and often don’t realize they are not alone, so I applaud the raw emotion and deep dive into the suicidal mind. That being said, I really think there should be a forward to this book that addresses what readers will witness in the book, in a way that promotes safe messaging around suicide. And I do agree it may be detrimental if someone DOES NOT finish the book as some individual moments in fact would be read as glorifying suicide but again, it is all part of being authentic in portraying the characters experiences.
The only thing I truly did cringe at was some of the unaddressed ableism, such as with the use of the “r” word which I know in 2008 was more widely thrown around but that does not make it any less gross.
Anyway, I think this book takes a bold approach towards addressing very realistic but stigmatized experiences, that while being written with a lot of dark humor, involves a wide range of the strongest and most powerful emotions. There are horrible things that happen but also things that made me so hopeful and glad. I did love the book but also was unsettled by it and uncomfortable… but that was what I needed to feel. I just really need to stress the importance of knowing where you’re at mentally and emotionally when reading this book and checking content warnings if needed.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Alcohol
kredeprnz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Ableism, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Homophobia, Sexual violence, and Injury/Injury detail
yallternativeaj's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Ableism
lcsea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Ableism and Homophobia
Minor: Addiction, Eating disorder, and Suicide