Suicide Notes

by Michael Thomas Ford

An unforgettable coming of age novel for fans of 13 Reasons Why, It’s Kind of a Funny Story, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Fifteen-year-old Jeff wakes up on New Year’s Day to find himself in the hospital—specifically, in the psychiatric ward.

Despite the bandages on his wrists, he’s positive this is all some huge mistake. Jeff is perfectly fine, perfectly normal; not like the other kids in the hospital with him.

But over the course of the next forty-five days, Jeff begins to understand why he ended up here—and realizes he has more in common with the other kids than he thought.

“With a sprinkling of dark humor and a full measure of humanness, Suicide Notes is quirky, surprising, and a riveting read.” —Ellen Hopkins, author of The You I’ve Never Known and Love Lies Beneath

“Like the very best teen novels, Suicide Notes is both classic and edgy, timeless and provocative.” —Brent Hartinger, author of Geography Club

“Makes a powerful emotional impact.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Jeff’s wit and self-discovery are refreshing, poignant, and, at times, laugh-out-loud funny.” —School Library Journal

• ISBN10: 0062845519
• ISBN13: 9780062845511
• Publish Date: 20 July 2023 (first published 1 October 2008)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Inc
• Imprint: HarperCollins
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 320
• Language: English

Reviews

[Angie]

Suicide Notes is a super quick read, chronically fifteen year old Jeff's stay in a mental institution. On New Year's Eve, Jeff attempted to kill himself, but was found by his parents. Now, he has 45 days to work through the whys of what he did. For being a book about teenage suicide, Jeff's story is kind of funny. Not that what he did was funny, but the way he tells his story with sarcasm and humor made it feel lighter than the situation calls for. He gives his psychiatrist and the nurses nicknames and goes off on random tangents. His voice just felt honest, even when he was avoid the root of the problem.

In the beginning of Suicide Notes, Jeff denies that anything is wrong and that he just did something stupid but wasn't trying to die. I think it's pretty obvious what caused him to do this, although not the specifics, especially knowing that this is GLBT fiction. I really liked how Jeff's sexuality wasn't the problem. He's a bit confused, but doesn't see anything wrong with being gay. I thought that was really great, since gay teens do have other issues to work through. This could have happened to anyone, but Jeff's sexuality just made it a bit more complicated.

I can't really say much about Suicide Notes, since it was super short and I don't want to give anything away. I loved the format of having Jeff take us through each day he was hospitalized. Sometimes it's just a dream he had that night, or hanging out with other patients, or his therapy sessions. Each day was something different so it never got repetitive or boring. It also ends on a hopeful note, so it's not an overly dark and heavy read. It's just real.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.