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
would not recommend.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Mental illness, Rape, Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Grief, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death, and Sexual assault
mrmarshall591's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- 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
I was conflicted on what to think if this book as although I thoroughly enjoyed the story and was captivated throughout, I was shocked at how for a book recomendad for 14 years and up, how many of the darkest topics were suddenly introduced in the book (I recommend looking at StoryGraph’s content warnings if you want to be prepared for anything specific.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Child death, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and Sexual content
Minor: Pedophilia, Alcohol, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, and Vomit
kredeprnz's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
The way this book handled the MC's sexuality, and used it as a plot device was absolutely awful. The way it handled Sexual Assault and Rape was atrocious as well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Eating disorder, Ableism, Hate crime, and Homophobia
yallternativeaj's review against another edition
3.0
The situation involving Rankin made me deeply uncomfortable and I wish the story would have existed without it. I also feel like there are a lot of loose ends that I wish I knew more about. But, I like stories with a solid ending so that is a personal preference.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Ableism
lcsea's review against another edition
fast-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia and Ableism
Minor: Addiction, Eating disorder, and Suicide
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