sandraagee's review
3.0
There are tons of books about kids with cancer and kids with autism, but I've never encountered one about someone with schizophrenia. Getting inside of Sabrina's head was interesting, and Alec was a nice counterpart as both an outsider and an insider to Sabrina's treatment.
What was actually most disturbing to me was. I debate how necessary this was for showing Sabrina's condition.
EDIT: A week after finishing the book, I've had more time to digest it. I've decided that even if the book could have potentially functioned just fine without the above spoiler, this content still served a purpose and does have a place in the story.
What was actually most disturbing to me was
Spoiler
the amount of sexual abuse Sabrina encountered from her peers. That was creepy, especially considering that these characters are only 14-15 years old and the kids taking advantage of her were "normal"EDIT: A week after finishing the book, I've had more time to digest it. I've decided that even if the book could have potentially functioned just fine without the above spoiler, this content still served a purpose and does have a place in the story.
cupcakegirly's review
3.0
I am sucker for a pretty cover and this one is no exception! It's also very fitting for the storyline.
"Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream..."
Set within the walls of a psychiatric ward, Life is But a Dream is a story of love and hope that follows the journey of Sabrina, a young schizophrenic who struggles with finding normalcy amidst the noise and colors the threaten to swallow up her life. (Author Brian James' prose is so beautiful in it's imagery that you feel as if your reading a song instead of a book.)
Sabrina's parents send her to the Wellness Center after her "episodes" reach a breaking point and she's suspended from school as a result. It's there that she meets Alec, a boy dealing with his own anger issues and whose convinced that everyone else is the problem and they're the ones who are normal. (That's the way it always is, right?) They strike up a quick friendship because he doesn't treat Sabrina as if she's crazy like everyone else in her life does. He's enthralled by her view of the world which always seems dreamlike and filled with colors and creatures that only appear in the world of make believe.
As the weeks go by and Sabrina begins to see things as they really are, (thanks to her meds) Alec tells her it's because the doctors are trying to change her, to take away all that makes her "who" she is. This frightens her so she decides, at Alec's suggestions, to go off of her medications, neither of them realizing the deadly effects this could have. When reality and delusion begin to collide, Sabrina's true sanity will be tested and she'll need the support of those who love her in order to survive.
As difficult as it is to watch Sabrina struggle for her reality, it's even harder to watch as those around her come to the realization that she does, in fact, have a serious problem. Her parents love her and want nothing more than for her to have a normal life. It's obvious that Alec loves her too and when he sees what his actions have done to her, your heart breaks for him.
There is hope though and that was what I enjoyed most about this book. Hope in knowing that with the correct treatment and a good support system, people living with Schizophrenia can lead lives full of love, wonder and color, just like the rest of us.
"Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream..."
Set within the walls of a psychiatric ward, Life is But a Dream is a story of love and hope that follows the journey of Sabrina, a young schizophrenic who struggles with finding normalcy amidst the noise and colors the threaten to swallow up her life. (Author Brian James' prose is so beautiful in it's imagery that you feel as if your reading a song instead of a book.)
Sabrina's parents send her to the Wellness Center after her "episodes" reach a breaking point and she's suspended from school as a result. It's there that she meets Alec, a boy dealing with his own anger issues and whose convinced that everyone else is the problem and they're the ones who are normal. (That's the way it always is, right?) They strike up a quick friendship because he doesn't treat Sabrina as if she's crazy like everyone else in her life does. He's enthralled by her view of the world which always seems dreamlike and filled with colors and creatures that only appear in the world of make believe.
As the weeks go by and Sabrina begins to see things as they really are, (thanks to her meds) Alec tells her it's because the doctors are trying to change her, to take away all that makes her "who" she is. This frightens her so she decides, at Alec's suggestions, to go off of her medications, neither of them realizing the deadly effects this could have. When reality and delusion begin to collide, Sabrina's true sanity will be tested and she'll need the support of those who love her in order to survive.
As difficult as it is to watch Sabrina struggle for her reality, it's even harder to watch as those around her come to the realization that she does, in fact, have a serious problem. Her parents love her and want nothing more than for her to have a normal life. It's obvious that Alec loves her too and when he sees what his actions have done to her, your heart breaks for him.
There is hope though and that was what I enjoyed most about this book. Hope in knowing that with the correct treatment and a good support system, people living with Schizophrenia can lead lives full of love, wonder and color, just like the rest of us.
booksenvogue's review
4.0
I have a new found respect for people with mental health issues. This story doesn’t asks for sympathy or begs to poke fun at psychological issues rather pulls you into the world of walking into the sun to get to Heaven; where bad people have static inside of them; the world is crumbling within itself; and people are stolen bit by bit by technology and replaced with imposters. We see the world from Sabrina’s eyes. (A teenager battling schizophrenia from within the walls of a wellness center.) We see her meet the boy from her dreams, Alex, who’s also a patient, but admitted under false pretense. The romance aspect of their relationship is sweet, innocent and enduring. The overall story sporadically switches back and forth between Sabrina’s life before diagnosis and after; and has twists and turns that’s definitely a page turner. It left me wondering, if you read a book about crazy people, told from the delusional perspective of a crazy person, and like it…does that make you crazy? Well if so, strap me in a straight jacket and commit my name to the logs because this story is truly a humbling heart touching, believable, enjoyable, read that I will not soon forget.
nematome's review
3.0
One of the many things that fascinate me about mental disorders is the thought that some of these symptoms that we’ve labeled and classified as illnesses might not be illnesses at all. For most of the twentieth century, homosexuality was classified as a mental illness. “Schizophrenia” appears in cultures around the globe, but its manifestations tend to differ from one culture to another –as do the cultural attitudes surrounding it. Our “normal” perception of the world is really just a hallucination created by the brain in response to environmental stimulae, so is it really so strange when someone’s perception is slightly different than the norm? Pondering all of these things was what kept me the most engaged with this book.
Sabrina’s point of view is a very ambitious one to take on –that of a schizophrenic girl. I am in no way qualified to tell you whether this is a realistic portrayal, but I was really impressed. The writing is beautifully descriptive without feeling gratuitous and further than that I think that for a man, the author did an amazing job of writing a realistic teenage girl. I was especially moved by Sabrina’s attitude toward her illness. She’s experienced some form of hallucination since early childhood, so it feels comforting and normal to her. She doesn’t feel right without her hallucinations. And my heart broke a little bit when her parents – who used to be so encouraging of her imaginative games – began to disapprove.
“My dad smiles and pulls me so close my shoulder bumps into his ribs and I have to cross my legs to catch my balance. –You know, Sabrina, sometimes I wish you could stay a kid forever– he says. –Promise something? Even when you do get older and grow up, stay this perfect for me.– My eyes light up and I smile. –Sure thing, Dad– I tell him. –I promise.–“
As you can probably tell from that passage, there are a few interesting quirks to the writing. There are no quotation marks: all dialogue is shown in italics and separated by dashes. Also, the narrative skips back and forth abruptly in time with almost nothing to indicate that it’s happening. Flashbacks and the main story are told in present tense. All of that may seem annoying, but I have to say that while I was reading this, none of it bothered me. I think that the abrupt shifts in time are confusing and unsettling, but they illustrate Sabrina’s mental state perfectly.
So here's the source of my disappointment: all pondering aside, I guess in the end I do believe that schizophrenia is a mental illness, and that hallucinating your way through the world is quite a bit more dangerous than it is beautiful. I thought that the author and I were on the same page about that for most of this book. When the love interest Alec was introduced –so full of angry convictions – I was fascinated by the idea that Sabrina’s view of him was incorrect. She's so wrapped up in her visions of his glowing eyes and familiar shape and the future that she imagines they've already had together. When you read just his words – his plain words – without any of her extra perceptions, he seems antagonistic and foolish – maybe even a little dangerous. She seems to miss out on who he really is – a confused, violent young man. Or so I assumed, and that assumption fueled a lot of my interest in this book.
And then I got to the ending. (I swear – I should just have that engraved on my tombstone. It would work on so many levels! Okay, maybe just two levels.) The ending is just incredibly unrealistic, in my opinion. Alec proves himself to be everything Sabrina thought he was, even appearing magically at exactly the right time – just as her hallucinations told her he would. Sabrina achieves near perfect lucidity just in time to regret her actions, and of course they all learn a very important lesson. Blah blah blah. I guess I wanted the consequences to be more real, and I didn't want to see Sabrina realize so quickly and easily that she needed help. And I don’t think that schizophrenic hallucinations are likely to lead a person to her soul mate.
However, if you love happy endings and you’d like to read a very well written book from the point of view of a schizophrenic person, I think this would be a great choice. For this old skeptic, it was just okay.
Perfect Musical Pairing
Cate Le Bon - Greta
This is one sad, sad case where a you tube video of the song that I chose does not exist (reviewer problems). And there's no way that I'm picking a different song, because this one is just perfection. Luckily I found it on her myspace page - so click the link above to listen. Cate Le Bon creates eerily beautiful, almost unsettling music. These lyrics are so perfect:
"In the morning
The universe shines
From under her skin
The delicate pattern
Of places she's been
Her baby days
Coiled up inside her
Like ribbons all tied"
Also seen on The Readventurer.
Sabrina’s point of view is a very ambitious one to take on –that of a schizophrenic girl. I am in no way qualified to tell you whether this is a realistic portrayal, but I was really impressed. The writing is beautifully descriptive without feeling gratuitous and further than that I think that for a man, the author did an amazing job of writing a realistic teenage girl. I was especially moved by Sabrina’s attitude toward her illness. She’s experienced some form of hallucination since early childhood, so it feels comforting and normal to her. She doesn’t feel right without her hallucinations. And my heart broke a little bit when her parents – who used to be so encouraging of her imaginative games – began to disapprove.
“My dad smiles and pulls me so close my shoulder bumps into his ribs and I have to cross my legs to catch my balance. –You know, Sabrina, sometimes I wish you could stay a kid forever– he says. –Promise something? Even when you do get older and grow up, stay this perfect for me.– My eyes light up and I smile. –Sure thing, Dad– I tell him. –I promise.–“
As you can probably tell from that passage, there are a few interesting quirks to the writing. There are no quotation marks: all dialogue is shown in italics and separated by dashes. Also, the narrative skips back and forth abruptly in time with almost nothing to indicate that it’s happening. Flashbacks and the main story are told in present tense. All of that may seem annoying, but I have to say that while I was reading this, none of it bothered me. I think that the abrupt shifts in time are confusing and unsettling, but they illustrate Sabrina’s mental state perfectly.
So here's the source of my disappointment: all pondering aside, I guess in the end I do believe that schizophrenia is a mental illness, and that hallucinating your way through the world is quite a bit more dangerous than it is beautiful. I thought that the author and I were on the same page about that for most of this book. When the love interest Alec was introduced –so full of angry convictions – I was fascinated by the idea that Sabrina’s view of him was incorrect. She's so wrapped up in her visions of his glowing eyes and familiar shape and the future that she imagines they've already had together. When you read just his words – his plain words – without any of her extra perceptions, he seems antagonistic and foolish – maybe even a little dangerous. She seems to miss out on who he really is – a confused, violent young man. Or so I assumed, and that assumption fueled a lot of my interest in this book.
And then I got to the ending. (I swear – I should just have that engraved on my tombstone. It would work on so many levels! Okay, maybe just two levels.) The ending is just incredibly unrealistic, in my opinion. Alec proves himself to be everything Sabrina thought he was, even appearing magically at exactly the right time – just as her hallucinations told her he would. Sabrina achieves near perfect lucidity just in time to regret her actions, and of course they all learn a very important lesson. Blah blah blah. I guess I wanted the consequences to be more real, and I didn't want to see Sabrina realize so quickly and easily that she needed help. And I don’t think that schizophrenic hallucinations are likely to lead a person to her soul mate.
However, if you love happy endings and you’d like to read a very well written book from the point of view of a schizophrenic person, I think this would be a great choice. For this old skeptic, it was just okay.
Perfect Musical Pairing
Cate Le Bon - Greta
This is one sad, sad case where a you tube video of the song that I chose does not exist (reviewer problems). And there's no way that I'm picking a different song, because this one is just perfection. Luckily I found it on her myspace page - so click the link above to listen. Cate Le Bon creates eerily beautiful, almost unsettling music. These lyrics are so perfect:
"In the morning
The universe shines
From under her skin
The delicate pattern
Of places she's been
Her baby days
Coiled up inside her
Like ribbons all tied"
Also seen on The Readventurer.
heykellyjensen's review
2.0
2.5.
This story, set in a psychiatric ward, follows Sabrina through her struggles with schizophrenia. It's told both in the present and in flashbacks. Unlike many books dealing with schizophrenia, this one is actually about schizophrenia and not dissociative identity disorder. James doesn't conflate the two.
That said, the writing never quite worked for me. I felt too distanced from Sabrina to build sympathy for her. It makes sense because it's Sabrina's voice, but it felt more like it pushed me away than let me in. I was also not a huge fan of the use of Alec in the story; I do think he'll be an interesting discussion point, though..
Setting this in a psych ward was fascinating, and though it doesn't go the route of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, I do think this book would be an interesting pairing with that classic.
Full review here: http://www.stackedbooks.org/2012/02/pair-of-contemporary-reviews.html
This story, set in a psychiatric ward, follows Sabrina through her struggles with schizophrenia. It's told both in the present and in flashbacks. Unlike many books dealing with schizophrenia, this one is actually about schizophrenia and not dissociative identity disorder. James doesn't conflate the two.
That said, the writing never quite worked for me. I felt too distanced from Sabrina to build sympathy for her. It makes sense because it's Sabrina's voice, but it felt more like it pushed me away than let me in. I was also not a huge fan of the use of Alec in the story; I do think he'll be an interesting discussion point, though.
Spoiler
I don't think he exists at all. I wanted to be mad because I thought maybe this was going down the road of a boy saving a girl, but really, I think he was all in Sabrina's mind. I can see many readers thinking that interpretation is wrong and believing Alec really exists. There's evidence for both sides here. But because I'm impressed with James's handling of honest schizophrenia, I choose to believe he's part of Sabrina's dream world.Setting this in a psych ward was fascinating, and though it doesn't go the route of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, I do think this book would be an interesting pairing with that classic.
Full review here: http://www.stackedbooks.org/2012/02/pair-of-contemporary-reviews.html
bstaats's review
4.0
I was initially unsure of what to expect from Life Is But a Dream, because mental health can be dealt with in so many different ways when people talk about it, and this topic really is the driving force of the book.
But Brian James successfully delivers an open-minded and refreshing glance into the mind of Sabrina, one that is utterly captivating and leaves you dreading the ending, wondering how it could possibly work out but hoping for the best.
Reasons to Read:
1.Extraordinary point of view:
Sabrina has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, which makes her a rather unique narrator. As her mental health fluctuates, so does the writing and the story itself. There's nothing stable about it, and it works rather well without anything becoming convoluted. This is truly outstanding, and Brian presents a fantastic look into her mind which is surely a credit to his talent as a writer.
2.A psychological and open-minded read:
Mental health is something that still isn't talked about much, so I applaud Brian for bringing this up and making it central to his story. Now, I have to admit that I'm a person who has done quite a bit of thinking and has strong opinions regarding it, but this book even made me question some of my well-rooted beliefs. It isn't as simple of a situation as we would like to think, and it really does bring up the question of what "normal" and "crazy" are, even what "healthy" means. This was easily my favourite aspect of the book.
3.THAT ENDING:
It isn't a tortured, cliffhanger ending. But as you're reading, you can just feel everything escalating and you know it's going to culminate into one big explosion but what can you do to stop it? And my jaw literally dropped at the last couple chapters. I was so taken back by the end, and really pleasantly surprised by it because my predictions had been wayyyy off. It's really satisfying however, and much better than I had thought it would end up being.
Now, as much as I loved the ending it seemed somewhat contrary to where the book had been leading up to and kind of out of the blue. Was I happy with it? Yes, absolutely. Was it unexpected? Yes, because I wasn't sure it added up to everything else that had happened.
I was speechless when I finished reading this beautiful story. Never before have I read a book that both made me question my opinions and solidified them at the same time, and made me into a wrecked ball of tumultuous emotions. But thank goodness for this book, which will leave you with a greater sense of understanding and appreciation for the complications that come with mental health.
ARC received from Raincoast books for review.
But Brian James successfully delivers an open-minded and refreshing glance into the mind of Sabrina, one that is utterly captivating and leaves you dreading the ending, wondering how it could possibly work out but hoping for the best.
Reasons to Read:
1.Extraordinary point of view:
Sabrina has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, which makes her a rather unique narrator. As her mental health fluctuates, so does the writing and the story itself. There's nothing stable about it, and it works rather well without anything becoming convoluted. This is truly outstanding, and Brian presents a fantastic look into her mind which is surely a credit to his talent as a writer.
2.A psychological and open-minded read:
Mental health is something that still isn't talked about much, so I applaud Brian for bringing this up and making it central to his story. Now, I have to admit that I'm a person who has done quite a bit of thinking and has strong opinions regarding it, but this book even made me question some of my well-rooted beliefs. It isn't as simple of a situation as we would like to think, and it really does bring up the question of what "normal" and "crazy" are, even what "healthy" means. This was easily my favourite aspect of the book.
3.THAT ENDING:
It isn't a tortured, cliffhanger ending. But as you're reading, you can just feel everything escalating and you know it's going to culminate into one big explosion but what can you do to stop it? And my jaw literally dropped at the last couple chapters. I was so taken back by the end, and really pleasantly surprised by it because my predictions had been wayyyy off. It's really satisfying however, and much better than I had thought it would end up being.
Now, as much as I loved the ending it seemed somewhat contrary to where the book had been leading up to and kind of out of the blue. Was I happy with it? Yes, absolutely. Was it unexpected? Yes, because I wasn't sure it added up to everything else that had happened.
I was speechless when I finished reading this beautiful story. Never before have I read a book that both made me question my opinions and solidified them at the same time, and made me into a wrecked ball of tumultuous emotions. But thank goodness for this book, which will leave you with a greater sense of understanding and appreciation for the complications that come with mental health.
ARC received from Raincoast books for review.
amberinpieces's review
3.0
Rating: 2.5
An artistic and imaginative teenage girl is out of touch with reality and after an incident at school, she meets with a doctor who diagnoses her with schizophrenia. Sabrina’s parents check her into the Wellness Center, but just as she begins to get better, she meets Alec, who tells her the world is crazy, not them. On top of that, she worries her treatment will dry out all of her creativity.
Told in the first person from Sabrina’s point-of-view, Life is But a Dream provides an interesting and disturbing fictional account of life through the eyes of a schizophrenic. There were things I liked about the book, but the majority of it was just okay for me.
The formatting was unique. Instead of quotation marks for dialogue, there were dashes throughout the whole book to indicate speech. Quite honestly, the dashes bothered me. They made it seem like everything was happening in Sabrina’s head or everything was just thoughts instead of speech, which I assumed was the point until it turned out to be constant and consistent. Additionally, Brian James wrote all of the action in the present tense despite Sabrina’s present stay at the hospital and some of the parts being her memories, but that also seemed to add to her delusional state.
Alec, the boy who falls for Sabrina and vice versa, brought up very good points about conformity and how Sabrina saw the world. I did feel bad for her and how she thought she was losing part of herself. Alec had good intentions for her that turned out disastrous because he did not see the narrower picture in this case.
Life is But a Dream did disturb me a little as I got further into the book. Sabrina’s “dreams” sometimes distracted me and made me lose my place or forget where the train of thought started but without firsthand experience with schizophrenia, I can only guess I was meant to feel that way.
Life is But a Dream had a slow pace, but it really sped up at the end and I became more interested. I did like the ending, but I felt like the interaction between Alec and Sabrina’s parents was unrealistic, and the majority of the book was okay for me.
Recommended for young adult readers sixteen and older who are interested in reading about mental illness.
Read this review in its original format here.
An artistic and imaginative teenage girl is out of touch with reality and after an incident at school, she meets with a doctor who diagnoses her with schizophrenia. Sabrina’s parents check her into the Wellness Center, but just as she begins to get better, she meets Alec, who tells her the world is crazy, not them. On top of that, she worries her treatment will dry out all of her creativity.
Told in the first person from Sabrina’s point-of-view, Life is But a Dream provides an interesting and disturbing fictional account of life through the eyes of a schizophrenic. There were things I liked about the book, but the majority of it was just okay for me.
The formatting was unique. Instead of quotation marks for dialogue, there were dashes throughout the whole book to indicate speech. Quite honestly, the dashes bothered me. They made it seem like everything was happening in Sabrina’s head or everything was just thoughts instead of speech, which I assumed was the point until it turned out to be constant and consistent. Additionally, Brian James wrote all of the action in the present tense despite Sabrina’s present stay at the hospital and some of the parts being her memories, but that also seemed to add to her delusional state.
Alec, the boy who falls for Sabrina and vice versa, brought up very good points about conformity and how Sabrina saw the world. I did feel bad for her and how she thought she was losing part of herself. Alec had good intentions for her that turned out disastrous because he did not see the narrower picture in this case.
Life is But a Dream did disturb me a little as I got further into the book. Sabrina’s “dreams” sometimes distracted me and made me lose my place or forget where the train of thought started but without firsthand experience with schizophrenia, I can only guess I was meant to feel that way.
Life is But a Dream had a slow pace, but it really sped up at the end and I became more interested. I did like the ending, but I felt like the interaction between Alec and Sabrina’s parents was unrealistic, and the majority of the book was okay for me.
Recommended for young adult readers sixteen and older who are interested in reading about mental illness.
Read this review in its original format here.
folklaureate's review
3.0
More reviews at Rondo of a Possible World: YA Book Reviews
I ended up reading this novel without really skimming through the synopsis (which I find I've been doing often with the books I review, it seems to be impulsive reading on my part) and mainly relying on the cover. Again, I seem to be doing this now and again with novels. But that way there really isn't much of an expectation to live up to while reading.
I gave this novel an average reading because of the fact that I couldn't really find myself believing some parts of the novel with Sabrina and Alec, the dull and mundane pace the novel goes at towards the beginning, but the beautiful and fluid writing that Brian James weaves through the pages.
It was a bittersweet read. I did enjoy the ending but I disliked the relationship between Sabrina and Alec in the beginning, with how fast they moved towards each other and how fast feeling flourished. But playing off the fast-paced love and turning Alec into a crutch for Sabrina was another factor that happened to turn me off. Half the time I was up in arms about the mental predicament Sabrina was going through, the encouraging support from Alec to stop taking the things that would make her better, and then irresponsible actions they take together had my self-control limits breaching maximum. But in the end, after events that I will not reveal because of spoiler warnings up the wazoo, I found myself content with Sabrina's choice to get better and Alec getting his shit straight and finally telling her to get better. I wanted to smack the boy upside the head half the time throughout the novel, I tell you!
A novel that can be predictable for the most part, it is still a beautifully written prose with some character annoyance but something I think people should give a try to see if they like it.
I ended up reading this novel without really skimming through the synopsis (which I find I've been doing often with the books I review, it seems to be impulsive reading on my part) and mainly relying on the cover. Again, I seem to be doing this now and again with novels. But that way there really isn't much of an expectation to live up to while reading.
I gave this novel an average reading because of the fact that I couldn't really find myself believing some parts of the novel with Sabrina and Alec, the dull and mundane pace the novel goes at towards the beginning, but the beautiful and fluid writing that Brian James weaves through the pages.
It was a bittersweet read. I did enjoy the ending but I disliked the relationship between Sabrina and Alec in the beginning, with how fast they moved towards each other and how fast feeling flourished. But playing off the fast-paced love and turning Alec into a crutch for Sabrina was another factor that happened to turn me off. Half the time I was up in arms about the mental predicament Sabrina was going through, the encouraging support from Alec to stop taking the things that would make her better, and then irresponsible actions they take together had my self-control limits breaching maximum. But in the end, after events that I will not reveal because of spoiler warnings up the wazoo, I found myself content with Sabrina's choice to get better and Alec getting his shit straight and finally telling her to get better. I wanted to smack the boy upside the head half the time throughout the novel, I tell you!
A novel that can be predictable for the most part, it is still a beautifully written prose with some character annoyance but something I think people should give a try to see if they like it.
angelcwrites's review
3.0
You can find this review and many more at Mermaid Vision Books!
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 234
Format: Hardcover
Source: ARC received from publisher
Tell Me More: Perspective is a volatile and explosive part of being human. A slight change in the way an event is seen can mean the difference between life and death. History is written by the winners, and lamented by the defeated. But possibly the scariest thing about perspective is not knowing if you can trust your own.
Brian James pens the story of an artistic, ethereal girl named Sabrina and her struggles with seeing the world in the "right" way. As hard as it must already be to receive a diagnosis of schizophrenia, Sabrina is also a teenager, on the fence between childhood and adulthood. Learning how to believe in yourself is challenging enough without the added pressures of feeling like two or three different people. What is there left for you to believe in, anyway?
James' writing is simply electric, pulsing with all the potential readers will find in Sabrina. Relating to her disillusionment and insecurities comes easily--we have all been in her shoes once or twice. The descriptions of what Sabrina sees on a daily basis are particularly captivating, and make her later decisions that much more poignant. Her relationship with her family also interested me, and I wish there had been more of it to fully flesh out the history behind her diagnosis.
Despite the brilliant characterization, the love story falls flat, and as I read, I wished it had just been relegated to a tiny subplot. I understood why James may have decided to have Alec play such a big role in Sabrina's development, but there were times when it felt contrived. Much of the reason why has to do with the ending, which I don't want to spoil for people who are considering picking this book up. It wasn't an awful ending, but I do think that a bit more length and development would have given it more justification.
I am hesitant to say I enjoyed this book, because I don't think that's the right word for it. Rather, I was left in awe of what beautiful, committed writing can do to heighten an already emotional and unique story.
The Final Say: Life is But a Dream is a story for those who are coming to trust in themselves more than the world, and for those who want to find the strength to do it.
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 234
Format: Hardcover
Source: ARC received from publisher
Tell Me More: Perspective is a volatile and explosive part of being human. A slight change in the way an event is seen can mean the difference between life and death. History is written by the winners, and lamented by the defeated. But possibly the scariest thing about perspective is not knowing if you can trust your own.
Brian James pens the story of an artistic, ethereal girl named Sabrina and her struggles with seeing the world in the "right" way. As hard as it must already be to receive a diagnosis of schizophrenia, Sabrina is also a teenager, on the fence between childhood and adulthood. Learning how to believe in yourself is challenging enough without the added pressures of feeling like two or three different people. What is there left for you to believe in, anyway?
James' writing is simply electric, pulsing with all the potential readers will find in Sabrina. Relating to her disillusionment and insecurities comes easily--we have all been in her shoes once or twice. The descriptions of what Sabrina sees on a daily basis are particularly captivating, and make her later decisions that much more poignant. Her relationship with her family also interested me, and I wish there had been more of it to fully flesh out the history behind her diagnosis.
Despite the brilliant characterization, the love story falls flat, and as I read, I wished it had just been relegated to a tiny subplot. I understood why James may have decided to have Alec play such a big role in Sabrina's development, but there were times when it felt contrived. Much of the reason why has to do with the ending, which I don't want to spoil for people who are considering picking this book up. It wasn't an awful ending, but I do think that a bit more length and development would have given it more justification.
I am hesitant to say I enjoyed this book, because I don't think that's the right word for it. Rather, I was left in awe of what beautiful, committed writing can do to heighten an already emotional and unique story.
The Final Say: Life is But a Dream is a story for those who are coming to trust in themselves more than the world, and for those who want to find the strength to do it.