The Law of Loving Others

by Kate Axelrod

After Emma returns home from boarding school, she realizes her mother is suffering from a schizophrenic break, and suddenly, Emma's entire childhood and identity is called into question, pushing her to turn to her boyfriend, Daniel, for answers, but perhaps it is the brooding Phil who Emma meets while visiting her mother at the hospital who really understands her.

• ISBN13: 9781595147899
• Publish Date: 8 January 2015
• Publish Status: Remaindered
• Out of Print: 9 August 2023
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Razorbill
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 240
• Language: English

Reviews

[Joséphine]

Audiobook rating: 4 stars
Book rating: 3.5 stars

Initial thoughts: Emma spiralled so much out of control that it became an excuse for her to treat people she loved extremely unfairly. In fact, in some cases, she was so out of line, her actions were inexcusable. She knew what she was doing was wrong and yet she continued. At the same time, she was seizing every opportunity she could to self-destruct — physically, mentally and emotionally. Given her anxiety and worries about her mother as well as her own mental health, I almost understood her. Partly that understanding stems from my own experiences, which in some ways also made me uncomfortable. Emma was a complex character who on the surface seemed very self-absorbed as she tried to hide her inner turmoil.

The Law of Loving Others is probably one of those books that many would find difficult to connect with because of all the flaws. The characters are raw, the plot is bleak and overall, there's so little happiness to be found. For me, this is precisely why I appreciated this book. It was was real and messy and the MC so torn apart, it reminded me that other people have their own struggles too.