Lianne
Written on Mar 20, 2014
The Isolation Door is narrated from Neil’s point of view as he struggles to carve out his own life while dealing with a major illness in the family. I do admit that I was a little perplexed somewhere halfway while reading the novel because it felt as though Neil’s social life–the friends he hangs out with, his new relationship–was more in the forefront of the story than Neil’s family life and his mother’s situation. Then I realised that this was exactly the point: Neil was just trying to live a life that wasn’t overshadowed by his mother’s illness.
The descriptions of what Neil’s mother was going through at the institution and the treatments and routine were both horrifying and brutal to read but also eye-opening in how difficult mental illness is. The Isolation Door overall was an interesting read that brings a lot of awareness on the topic of mental illness and its effect on both the individual and the family. Culture also factors into Neil’s experience in coming to an understanding of his mother’s illness as well as in his life in general, which was interesting to read. However I think his personal journey was far more affecting; it’s a stressful thing to experience and reactions to it is not always pretty but it’s human.