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silentnpale's review against another edition
4.0
Heartbreaking but worth a read. I found parts of the story annoying since it jumped around or it seemed like he wasn't finishing his thought completely. However having been in situations where a child is struggling with reality and violent, I understand it. I did find it odd how he favors his daughter over his other family but when you are trying to save your child, I guess others don't fit in that bubble from time to time. The story ended with hope and you can feel the heartbreak at times. Overall a good read.
merlin_thewitch's review against another edition
1.0
This book was recommended by a friend’s friend and I should have researched the author beforehand than to blindly trust the recommendation.
Early schizophrenia is a very interesting subject matter and usually I really like memoirs - if this book were approaching the topic with more care I would not be this hard but aaaaah the author was SO SO self righteous and savior-like that I questioned his sanity more than his daughter’s. Plus he was incredibly sexist, rude to his wife and continued to discredit everything anyone ever suggested for helping Jani by claiming that he’s the only one that can understand and possibly save her.
At one point he talks to her psychiatrist about her medication and that he doesn’t think that the one the psychiatrist is prescribing will help and then THE DOCTOR ASKS THE DAD ABOUT HIS OPINION AND PRESCRIBES WHAT THE DAD THINKS WILL HELP… I don’t know much about the U.S. health system but that does not sound right to me.
Everything I researched after finishing the book about what happened to the family after 2011 was also very concerning. Would NOT recommend.
Early schizophrenia is a very interesting subject matter and usually I really like memoirs - if this book were approaching the topic with more care I would not be this hard but aaaaah the author was SO SO self righteous and savior-like that I questioned his sanity more than his daughter’s. Plus he was incredibly sexist, rude to his wife and continued to discredit everything anyone ever suggested for helping Jani by claiming that he’s the only one that can understand and possibly save her.
At one point he talks to her psychiatrist about her medication and that he doesn’t think that the one the psychiatrist is prescribing will help and then THE DOCTOR ASKS THE DAD ABOUT HIS OPINION AND PRESCRIBES WHAT THE DAD THINKS WILL HELP… I don’t know much about the U.S. health system but that does not sound right to me.
Everything I researched after finishing the book about what happened to the family after 2011 was also very concerning. Would NOT recommend.
lottie1803's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
3.75
bookgirl1209's review against another edition
3.0
This is another one I read as a complement to my Psychology course.
A fascinating memoir by Michael Schofield that chronicles his 6 year old daughter January's schizophrenia. And yes, you read that right, she was diagnosed (finally!) at SIX years old.
I had many feelings about this book. At first I found myself saying a lot of times "Holy crap! There's some bad parenting choices" and then I realized that part of what made the Schofields act and react the way they did was denial, of course, I mean who wants to think that their adorable little girl with the awesome intelligence and huge imagination is actually mentally ill? But there was also the fact of how do you act, what do you do when your child is suffering from such severe mental illness that she has hundreds of "imaginary friends" who tell her to do increasingly violent and dangerous things? What parenting plan do you follow for that? What do you do when the mental health system offers no real help or hope?
I think you do what you can, you do what you have to.
I've done a little research and it seems January is doing much better. She's not cured, there is no cure but she's better.
P.S. To publishing houses everywhere...please, for the love of God, do some copy editing. Spelling errors, grammar errors and even typesetting errors are distracting.
salgalruns's review against another edition
3.0
Definitely a fast read for me - read in a few hours late into the night. I'm sure I had a different take on January's story based on my job. I'm a school principal who has worked with Severely Emotionallly Disturbed children and have had my share of violent elementary age students who have been hospitalized in UCLA on occasion. With that in mind, I cringed at the accounts of the family's dealings with the school. In some ways, they were very accepting of Jani's illness, but in the case of school, they really struggled and kept going back to how brilliant she was. I've watched parents struggle as they try to support their child only to be called repeatedly or told about behaviors - sometimes, they just need that break. It is a controversial issue to balance the needs of the one student with the needs of all others.
As for the descriptions of Jani's behavior, it was quite believable. I have watched students (this age or slightly older) do similar things in a disassociative state, hitting, kicking, and even destroying the inside of vehicles or rooms. Scary doesn't begin to describe it, even when you are "used to it." I am glad she finally got some positive support through the team at UCLA - I have heard the same thing about these experiences and they have a great reputation.
There were two things that I had difficulty with while reading. 1) Michael seems to be the ONLY one he trusts to take care of his daughter. I realize that the story was autobiographical, but he pushed all other people away who he didn't agree with, and he came across as a jerk in many ways as a result. 2) He was very condescending of his own wife. It was as if she was weak and couldn't do any right by him. To be honest, I am amazed that they are still together in their "out of the box" way.
As for the descriptions of Jani's behavior, it was quite believable. I have watched students (this age or slightly older) do similar things in a disassociative state, hitting, kicking, and even destroying the inside of vehicles or rooms. Scary doesn't begin to describe it, even when you are "used to it." I am glad she finally got some positive support through the team at UCLA - I have heard the same thing about these experiences and they have a great reputation.
There were two things that I had difficulty with while reading. 1) Michael seems to be the ONLY one he trusts to take care of his daughter. I realize that the story was autobiographical, but he pushed all other people away who he didn't agree with, and he came across as a jerk in many ways as a result. 2) He was very condescending of his own wife. It was as if she was weak and couldn't do any right by him. To be honest, I am amazed that they are still together in their "out of the box" way.
dennyhb's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
Brutally honest depiction of life with a schizophrenic child. Very disturbing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
mesy_mark's review against another edition
sad
fast-paced
1.0
Yes, Janni (name changed mid-through to Jani) is a disturbed trouble. And since this book has been published a lot has come out pointing to her having autism, not sz. But to the content of the text I read. Wow is this an ego lord character? January's dad thinks only he can save his daughter from her disturbing behaviors. Not professionals who have dealt with countless children. I heard enough of her in of being in the 140s. This book mainly speaks out to family dysfunction creating a turbulent home life and aggravating January's internal.
sare1125's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Violence
amyharman70's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
acanthae's review against another edition
This book is gross. The parents are gross.