My Heart and Other Black Holes

by Jasmine Warga

[jesstheaudiobookworm]

This book was a rare combination of simple and complex. The topic it addressed (teenage depression/mental illness and suicide) is definitely a profound issue, yet I was able to breeze through this story fairly easily. Warga's writing brings a somber reverence to the discussion of life and death that is extremely thought-provoking, but I never felt overwhelmed by the subject (as can often happen when discussing something so "heavy", such as death). I can understand how this story could be triggering to certain individuals who may be battling depression and/or mental illness. I liken it somewhat to Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park (which I thoroughly enjoyed, as well). Both stories tackle serious (and potentially triggering) issues, but do so in a way that is extremely realistic and compelling. I can also understand how someone would need to be in the "right mood" to read this type of story. If you are looking for a light hearted and frivolous beach read, Honey, this ain't it! But if you want something on the more serious side to make you really think about life, then this is absolutely perfect. To me, it was better than The Fault in Our Stars.

Coincidentally, the narrator for this audiobook (Rebecca Lowman) also narrated Eleanor & Park. Lowman's voice lent an extra air of sobriety to the words. She was the perfect choice for narrator. Someone with a more "perky" or lilting voice would have undermined Warga's work and been completely wrong for Aysel. Lowman is fast becoming one of my favorite narrators.