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A review by rage_among_the_page
I'm a Therapist, and My Patient is Going to be the Next School Shooter by Dr. Harper
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I had seen this book frequently mentioned in a horror group, but knew very little going into it. My feelings were mixed early on and I did get lost a bit. Before diving deeper, I should clarify that although it was mentioned in a horror group, I didn’t really find it to be horror by “traditional” terms, but more along the lines of the world is messed up and horror is all around us.
These of course are not true patient files, but I love the format of short stories within a story and you get a bit of a character study type feel. Some of the storylines and plots felt a bit superficial and I wanted them to go deeper. There was enough in the final pages to grab me and lead me onto the next in the series (which I may not have otherwise picked up, due to disinterest in the title).
As a stand-alone, my initial rating may have been more of a 3-3.25, but as a series I enjoyed it far more. The evening I finished this one, I read the second in the series straight through.
To an extent, we rate all things based on our expectations. This particular book is heavily a “make it or break it” based on your expectations though…
-No they’re not real patient files
-There’s no supernatural element, this truly could be real life patient scenarios, though I’d expect more from patient files.
-It feels more like a diary of interactions.
-Book 1 has some weaknesses, but you can tell it’s getting somewhere.
-it’s not that deep and is more of a quick read.
It may or may not be intentional (due to the choice of presenting as patient files), but I felt the stories and ultimate plot were a fantastic plan and the writing grew stronger as all developed. If you’re writing as a character taking notes, that gives you a ton of flexibility…a therapist is likely not applying stellar literary skills while jotting down notes. I almost wish the author took more liberties in this area and created a stronger distinction between “patient file notes” vs “POV”. As the series progresses, this all fell in line more for me and I was only slightly thrown by any of the above. I’ve read many books where a typo or inconsistency throws the entire story off for me and keeps me distracted, not the case here and the story kept me going.
If you rate this book any higher than a 1, I recommend moving on to the next. If it grabbed your interest, even the slightest bit, the writing and story line get stronger and more involved. It’s a quick series that’s rather light (compared to what the titles may drum up for you).
These of course are not true patient files, but I love the format of short stories within a story and you get a bit of a character study type feel. Some of the storylines and plots felt a bit superficial and I wanted them to go deeper. There was enough in the final pages to grab me and lead me onto the next in the series (which I may not have otherwise picked up, due to disinterest in the title).
As a stand-alone, my initial rating may have been more of a 3-3.25, but as a series I enjoyed it far more. The evening I finished this one, I read the second in the series straight through.
To an extent, we rate all things based on our expectations. This particular book is heavily a “make it or break it” based on your expectations though…
-No they’re not real patient files
-There’s no supernatural element, this truly could be real life patient scenarios, though I’d expect more from patient files.
-It feels more like a diary of interactions.
-Book 1 has some weaknesses, but you can tell it’s getting somewhere.
-it’s not that deep and is more of a quick read.
It may or may not be intentional (due to the choice of presenting as patient files), but I felt the stories and ultimate plot were a fantastic plan and the writing grew stronger as all developed. If you’re writing as a character taking notes, that gives you a ton of flexibility…a therapist is likely not applying stellar literary skills while jotting down notes. I almost wish the author took more liberties in this area and created a stronger distinction between “patient file notes” vs “POV”. As the series progresses, this all fell in line more for me and I was only slightly thrown by any of the above. I’ve read many books where a typo or inconsistency throws the entire story off for me and keeps me distracted, not the case here and the story kept me going.
If you rate this book any higher than a 1, I recommend moving on to the next. If it grabbed your interest, even the slightest bit, the writing and story line get stronger and more involved. It’s a quick series that’s rather light (compared to what the titles may drum up for you).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm, Violence, and Mass/school shootings