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A Note Of Madness
A Note Of Madness
Tabitha Suzum | 2007 | Music & Dance, Philosophy, Psychology & Social Sciences, Young Adult (YA)
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Mental health awareness (1 more)
Likeable chapters
Long chapters (0 more)
This novel was the authors debut, for a debut novel it's well written and flows fairly well. The portrayal of bipolar disorder / manic depression is realistically unsettling. It really shows how damaging a misdiagnosis could be and the serious effect of being dismissed. To avoid spoilers I'm not going to say if this story ends with a happy or an unfortunate end. I will advise you NOT to read this if you suffer from a mental illness and are triggered easily, this could be a serious trigger.
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Following on, although I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and really appreciate the mental health awareness in it which is a rare find in a book, I found this a hard one to score higher than 7/10. This is solely due to the fact that the chapters are long, ranging on average at about 25+ pages. This made it difficult to stay focused and I found myself having to read back a couple of pages to recap. This is completely my own problem as I enjoy shorter chapters and I really dislike stopping half way through a chapter.
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Overall I 100% recommend this book. It's very underrated and deserves more awareness
  
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Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Dear Amy in Books

Jul 26, 2017  
Dear Amy
Dear Amy
Helen Callaghan | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
6.8 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Intense, fabulously strong protagonist
Pretty horrific from the outset, this disturbing tale of a serial killer and abuser leaves you feeling breathless by the end. I managed to listen to this in one sitting.

The main character is brilliant, she is stronger than you can ever imagine and I salute Helen Callaghan for raising the issue of mental health and the stigma surrounding it.

Great twist in the end although it may seem disjointed and there are unanswered questions.
  
Wishful Drinking
Wishful Drinking
Carrie Fisher | 2009 | Biography
9
7.5 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
Actually quite sad reading it post-death
This is almost a bittersweet memoir about the great Carrie Fisher who battled mental health issues, substance abuse, and being brought up in a slightly dysfunctional family. It is witty, snarky and sarcastic despite all the upheavals. It begins with her experience with electroshock therapy and her subsequent loss of memories. The book is also short and filled with interesting images from her life, so it's a treat to read.
  
The Vegetarian: A Novel
The Vegetarian: A Novel
Deborah Smith, Han Kang | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
10
8.3 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
Incredibly creative and disturbing look at transformation
Han Kang is an absolute gem in terms of creative writing and The Vegetarian does not disappoint. It's difficult to explain without completely spoiling the plot but it consists of a woman becoming vegetarian and her subsequent 'transformation'.

The beautiful imagery and the graphic details about mental health is unique, and at times the insanity of the novel resembles Kafka's Metamorphosis. It is definitely in that league of magical realism.
  
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Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated Wildsky in Books

Jun 30, 2018  
Wildsky
Wildsky
Magnolia Robbins | 2018 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
9
9.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I really enjoyed the love story in this book but more importantly the messege about depression an mental health. The author dealt with these issues in a very thoughtful and caring manner. The love story shows how important having someone to confide in and care is to someone dealing with the demons in their own head. I would definately recommend this book. I think, besides being and enjoyable read, that it may be able to help some people.
  
Joker (2019)
Joker (2019)
2019 | Crime, Drama
A great Joker portrayal that isn't over egged. (0 more)
It takes a while to get into it. (0 more)
Interesting take on the Jokers past
Contains spoilers, click to show
Although not set in modern day, it could easily show the issues of right now. The way mental health is dealt with showing budget cuts and the lack of support leading to a crisis. The riots also show the unhappiness of many in the status quo. Great soundtrack that fits well with the cinematic experience.