Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on
I have been wanting to read something by Stork since I saw him on a panel at YallFest several years ago. I knew he would write something very real and raw and honest and touching, and he did.
There were several things I thought were done so well in this book, but what stood out was the way his handling of all the different mental health issues in the book. He showed how complicated it is, and how it affected all those around us, but he also showed that there is hope for those, who suffer from mental health problems.
The friendships formed over the course of the book were my second favorite thing. Vicky formed a genuine bond with the other teens in her therapy group, and being with them opened her eyes in so many ways. She saw beyond her upper crust environment, and actually found a group of people who were a better fit for her. Instead of seeing what she wasn't, her new friends saw all the wonderful things that she was.
I admit, I struggled a lot with Vicky's dad. He reacted in the way most people react when someone they know is battling mental illness. I swear, my own sister said the some of the same things to me during one of my hospitalizations. It's hard for someone on the outside of it to fully understand what it's like for those who are sick, but I was glad that Vicky's dad made some progress with that, and I did like him more at the end of the book.
Speaking of the ending. It was so quiet and really short, but it spoke volumes as to what Vicky's future held for her.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 20 June, 2018: Finished reading
- 20 June, 2018: Reviewed