upgirlcd's review against another edition
4.0
What a great topic to address in a novel. The author does a great job of drawing the reader in to the lives of someone who struggles with mental illness; and of those who love someone in the struggle. Profoundly sad at times, heartfelt and touching all the way through. I give 5 stars plus for the subject matter; 4 stars because the dialogue read as if it were forced or trite for me.
magiklee's review against another edition
5.0
Sometimes Love Means You Have to Let Them Go...
Eden West lived the life that most people never have to experience. She struggled with the love she felt for her father and the confusion of not being enough to be well for. She only wanted acceptance and the unconditional love that we all long for from our parents, that we all take for granted. And as a child it would have been devastating to feel that your father didn’t want you or love you, and then as an adult it is the one reason why relationships aren’t successful due to the fear of not being “enough” for the person to stick around.
This book covers all the emotional walls that society has defined for us – to have to be something “important” or “healthy” in order to be accepted as a human being. It touches on the thoughts of depressives and possibly schizophrenics and gives you a little bit of an insight into the everyday struggle that they go through just to get through the day.
It was a fabulous book because it didn’t hold back anything. It showed David in his “good” state of mind and the “worst” state of minds. When he could handle things well and when he felt himself becoming his darker self. And the more you read, the more you understand his plight. He wanted to be the best that could for his wife and his child. He remembered the type of person he had once been and longed to be that person for them again. He struggled so much and tried so hard that the longer he did it, the worse he got until finally one day he did something unthinkable – he frightened his only daughter and would forever be haunted by that memory. But with that event came about an understanding for him, a chance to be who he really was and feel happy with what he could be without having to answer to anyone, without having to feel “boxed” in or judged. And for David that was the perfect life. But society would deem it an unhealthy lifestyle, to which Eden also became a victim of despite all the times she worked at the “Hope House” shelter.
Eden was a likable character, a gentle (although lost) and lovable soul. She felt things deeply and made you feel them too. If you were never a single parent child, it helped you to understand the feelings of loss, confusion and regret of losing a parent. And for Eden it defined her adulthood because who could love a person who's own father couldn’t love enough to get well for? In one of the pages you read there’s a simple sentence that just hit me – “My father. The man I loved first and who first loved me.” It’s the perfect summation of all her life, for any daughter’s life. And if your own father couldn’t love you enough to be with you, then why would anyone else? I imagine that thought would run through any woman’s head at some point, but maybe not take over their lives as completely as Eden’s. But she was the type of person who just wanted to understand, needed to understand why she wasn’t enough. And by the end of the book, she does understand, with a little bit of help from that wonderful boyfriend of hers, who is undoubtedly a “knight in shining armour” and one who will forever be in my good books!!!
So if you’re looking for a book that’s a bit emotional, a bit romantic, a bit informative and just a wonderfully creative read that please read Amy Hatvany’s book “Outside the Lines” because you won’t regret it…nor will you want to put it down, which I never would have had I not had two young children to care for as well. It was a fantastic book and I will surely read it again!!!
Eden West lived the life that most people never have to experience. She struggled with the love she felt for her father and the confusion of not being enough to be well for. She only wanted acceptance and the unconditional love that we all long for from our parents, that we all take for granted. And as a child it would have been devastating to feel that your father didn’t want you or love you, and then as an adult it is the one reason why relationships aren’t successful due to the fear of not being “enough” for the person to stick around.
This book covers all the emotional walls that society has defined for us – to have to be something “important” or “healthy” in order to be accepted as a human being. It touches on the thoughts of depressives and possibly schizophrenics and gives you a little bit of an insight into the everyday struggle that they go through just to get through the day.
It was a fabulous book because it didn’t hold back anything. It showed David in his “good” state of mind and the “worst” state of minds. When he could handle things well and when he felt himself becoming his darker self. And the more you read, the more you understand his plight. He wanted to be the best that could for his wife and his child. He remembered the type of person he had once been and longed to be that person for them again. He struggled so much and tried so hard that the longer he did it, the worse he got until finally one day he did something unthinkable – he frightened his only daughter and would forever be haunted by that memory. But with that event came about an understanding for him, a chance to be who he really was and feel happy with what he could be without having to answer to anyone, without having to feel “boxed” in or judged. And for David that was the perfect life. But society would deem it an unhealthy lifestyle, to which Eden also became a victim of despite all the times she worked at the “Hope House” shelter.
Eden was a likable character, a gentle (although lost) and lovable soul. She felt things deeply and made you feel them too. If you were never a single parent child, it helped you to understand the feelings of loss, confusion and regret of losing a parent. And for Eden it defined her adulthood because who could love a person who's own father couldn’t love enough to get well for? In one of the pages you read there’s a simple sentence that just hit me – “My father. The man I loved first and who first loved me.” It’s the perfect summation of all her life, for any daughter’s life. And if your own father couldn’t love you enough to be with you, then why would anyone else? I imagine that thought would run through any woman’s head at some point, but maybe not take over their lives as completely as Eden’s. But she was the type of person who just wanted to understand, needed to understand why she wasn’t enough. And by the end of the book, she does understand, with a little bit of help from that wonderful boyfriend of hers, who is undoubtedly a “knight in shining armour” and one who will forever be in my good books!!!
So if you’re looking for a book that’s a bit emotional, a bit romantic, a bit informative and just a wonderfully creative read that please read Amy Hatvany’s book “Outside the Lines” because you won’t regret it…nor will you want to put it down, which I never would have had I not had two young children to care for as well. It was a fantastic book and I will surely read it again!!!
adelamercedes's review against another edition
4.0
I appreciated reading the book from both points of view; the daughter's and the Father's. The book gave a realistic view of dealing with a family member's mental illness. Easy to follow storyline. I rather enjoyed reading it.
left_unsupervised's review against another edition
5.0
I just loved this story! I hated some of the mental health misunderstandings, but they were true. Mental health is not understood by many.
dl2000's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed the storyline dealing with David's mental illness - especially the dual perspectives -hearing David's point of view was definitely what made this worth 4 stars. On the other hand I thought the romance part of the story was a little too cliche and easy - it would've served the whole book better had there been more substance to the developing romance between Jack and Eden and for me it detracted a bit from the book. Overall though grealy enjoyed.
renflew's review against another edition
4.0
Once again, another fantastic book from Amy Hatvany. Outside the Lines tells the story of Eden's search for her father, who suffers from an undiagnosed mental illness. It's a heartbreaking story of a father/daughter relationship told from both Eden's side as well as her father's.
Highly recommend the novel, as well as Hatvany's previous book 'Best Kept Secret'.
Highly recommend the novel, as well as Hatvany's previous book 'Best Kept Secret'.
marryallthepeople's review against another edition
3.0
I felt myself buying into this story and wished everyone well. The ending threw me as it wasn't perfect but I guess that was the point of the book. No-one is perfect and it's balancing that with society's expectations. Wow, look at me get deep!
3.65 stars. So not quite a 4!
3.65 stars. So not quite a 4!
gettinglostinagoodbook's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not sure if this is a true 4 stars.
There is so much I really like about this book. However there is enough i don't for me to question my rating.
First of all - I really liked Eden. She was a character that I really responded to. She was likeable, but had enough flaws to be believable. She grew as the story progressed, not just in age as we jumped in and out of her childhood but also in strength and determination. Growing up with a mentally ill father was difficult for Eden. She loved when he was "good". He was fun loving, creative, giving. He lived for his daughter. But when he was "off" he was something else entirely.
I loved how Hatvany showed us that this was a struggle for David as well. He wanted to be a good father and husband but he wanted to be himself as well. Living in the fog that the meds left him in was not an option for him. Living with the screaming voices and other struggles wasn't either. David did not know how to live with his wife and child, be responsible, lead a "normal" life and still be himself. Unfortunately he also struggled to live without them.
Finding a happy medium living a homeless life was the only way that David was able to manage. He was able to make enough money doing what he loved in order to survive. He wanted nothing other than a bed to sleep in and a bottle to help him keep away the trouble.
Eden had to not only find her father, but find a way to accept him as he was. Jack (the typical romantic hero -the part I found lacking because it was do predictable) truly helped her to see this. He treated the homeless not as people who needed rescuing, but as people who were living the way they did by choice. They didn't need saving, just a helping hand every now and then.
Thank you Hatvany for portraying the mentally ill and the homeless in a manner that few before ever have. An honest open approach to a very timely and sensitive subject.
There is so much I really like about this book. However there is enough i don't for me to question my rating.
First of all - I really liked Eden. She was a character that I really responded to. She was likeable, but had enough flaws to be believable. She grew as the story progressed, not just in age as we jumped in and out of her childhood but also in strength and determination. Growing up with a mentally ill father was difficult for Eden. She loved when he was "good". He was fun loving, creative, giving. He lived for his daughter. But when he was "off" he was something else entirely.
I loved how Hatvany showed us that this was a struggle for David as well. He wanted to be a good father and husband but he wanted to be himself as well. Living in the fog that the meds left him in was not an option for him. Living with the screaming voices and other struggles wasn't either. David did not know how to live with his wife and child, be responsible, lead a "normal" life and still be himself. Unfortunately he also struggled to live without them.
Finding a happy medium living a homeless life was the only way that David was able to manage. He was able to make enough money doing what he loved in order to survive. He wanted nothing other than a bed to sleep in and a bottle to help him keep away the trouble.
Eden had to not only find her father, but find a way to accept him as he was. Jack (the typical romantic hero -the part I found lacking because it was do predictable) truly helped her to see this. He treated the homeless not as people who needed rescuing, but as people who were living the way they did by choice. They didn't need saving, just a helping hand every now and then.
Thank you Hatvany for portraying the mentally ill and the homeless in a manner that few before ever have. An honest open approach to a very timely and sensitive subject.
bethreadsandnaps's review against another edition
4.0
Mental illness is rarely touched in contemporary novels. This seemed like a realistic portrayal of someone with bipolar disorder. As I've heard, people with bipolar disorder don't want to take their medication. They enjoy the highs of the disorder so much and don't want to be numb.
The main character of this novel has a father who has had bipolar disorder for most of her life. This book shows their relationship over the span of three decades, and really how her father didn't change over all of those years.
There's a love story, but it's a little too convenient and without much drama. Thus, the relationship between the father and daughter are center to the story, especially since numerous chapters are from the father's perspective.
The main character of this novel has a father who has had bipolar disorder for most of her life. This book shows their relationship over the span of three decades, and really how her father didn't change over all of those years.
There's a love story, but it's a little too convenient and without much drama. Thus, the relationship between the father and daughter are center to the story, especially since numerous chapters are from the father's perspective.