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itsnotalakeitsanocean's review against another edition
For some reason I thought the premise of the book was different to the blurb. If I knew it was going to be a boring, confusing ableist snoozefest I wouldn't have picked it up. I ended up looking up spoilers because it was that boring, and I'm glad it saved me from another book where mental illness is demonized as a plot point.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Violence and Gaslighting
mandala_eyes's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, and Abandonment
Moderate: Body shaming and Blood
tbwhite23's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Medical content, and Grief
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Eating disorder and Violence
bookrants's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Minor: Violence
fivestillalive's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm and Violence
caidyn's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
CW: mental illness, psychosis, eating disorders, and serious injury
While this was a good read, I had my issues with it. Perhaps that's because I'm coming at it as a person in the field. I work at a psych facility and some of the things in this didn't ring quite true. However, I don't work with kids and don't get how children's facilities work. I also am not a psychiatrist, nor am I working with those who are there for criminal cases.
For one, I wasn't a fan of the MC. I didn't like her comments on eating disorders. It pulled me straight out of the book because they were entirely unneeded for the story as a whole. It rubbed me entirely the wrong way to read someone making comments about how you can tell by looking at a girl who's anorexic or bulimic. It just was disgusting and pissed me off. The comments were unneeded to the extreme.
I also just didn't love the rep for mental health. Again, I work in the population and I just didn't like how Hannah wasn't told anything and how things didn't seem to be explained to her. I'd never do that as a professional. I'd want them to know what's going on and what's happening. I also didn't like how the psychiatrist had her own agenda rather than work with the patient and the patient's concerns. She's concerned about missing the start of school? Why brush that off? It's a valid thing to process and to help someone process.
Still, I enjoyed the book. I've met people like Hannah, people who have some psychosis but are able to recognize it in some ways. It's hard to see them recognize it fully and actually understand what they're experiencing. I liked how the book wasn't drawn out and ended as it did, although it's clear that this is only the start of her journey because it is a lifelong diagnosis and, usually, symptoms don't entirely go away.
Overall, a fine book, but not without its issues.
While this was a good read, I had my issues with it. Perhaps that's because I'm coming at it as a person in the field. I work at a psych facility and some of the things in this didn't ring quite true. However, I don't work with kids and don't get how children's facilities work. I also am not a psychiatrist, nor am I working with those who are there for criminal cases.
For one, I wasn't a fan of the MC. I didn't like her comments on eating disorders. It pulled me straight out of the book because they were entirely unneeded for the story as a whole. It rubbed me entirely the wrong way to read someone making comments about how you can tell by looking at a girl who's anorexic or bulimic. It just was disgusting and pissed me off. The comments were unneeded to the extreme.
I also just didn't love the rep for mental health. Again, I work in the population and I just didn't like how Hannah wasn't told anything and how things didn't seem to be explained to her. I'd never do that as a professional. I'd want them to know what's going on and what's happening. I also didn't like how the psychiatrist had her own agenda rather than work with the patient and the patient's concerns. She's concerned about missing the start of school? Why brush that off? It's a valid thing to process and to help someone process.
Still, I enjoyed the book. I've met people like Hannah, people who have some psychosis but are able to recognize it in some ways. It's hard to see them recognize it fully and actually understand what they're experiencing. I liked how the book wasn't drawn out and ended as it did, although it's clear that this is only the start of her journey because it is a lifelong diagnosis and, usually, symptoms don't entirely go away.
Overall, a fine book, but not without its issues.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Violence, and Medical content