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willardpilled's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This might be my new favorite book. I was entranced. It got me out of a reading slump. This book was full of aha! moments and hope, and it was so insightful and relatable as someone who experiences mental illness.
I really loved how the contrast between the pirate ship and the hospital got less and less obvious as the book went on, both signifying Caden’s inability to identify reality, and as a way to show the reader parallels between the two stories more clearly. I wish I were better with words, because I don’t think I’m capable of capturing how truly brilliant this book is.
I really loved how the contrast between the pirate ship and the hospital got less and less obvious as the book went on, both signifying Caden’s inability to identify reality, and as a way to show the reader parallels between the two stories more clearly. I wish I were better with words, because I don’t think I’m capable of capturing how truly brilliant this book is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
212keatsk's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
God what an phenomenal representation of mental illness. I felt viscerally uncomfortable as Caden did as he spirals into his own world and begins to lose touch of the reality he perceives. I’m never going to read this again, but I hope that everybody does read it. I didn’t understand what it was truly like to have bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and now I feel I can better empathize with those that experience it.
Neal shusterman strikes again with another profound and powerful commentary on the human psyche.
Neal shusterman strikes again with another profound and powerful commentary on the human psyche.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
mjkouele's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Self harm, Mental illness, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt
eponineeurydice's review against another edition
4.0
4.75 stars. Oh... wow... this book is, first and foremost, incredibly harrowing. It's one that will stay on my mind for a long time to come. And before you read this, please be mindful that this book is one that could be extremely triggering. But at the same time, it is an encridible journey. It is beautiful. It is life-changing. And in the end, I'm so glad that I read it.
lottie1803's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hollidayreadswithme's review against another edition
5.0
Imagine for a moment that your realities are split and that you are fully in both and you can hear all these voices and you do things that no one understands.
The protagonist in this book is feeling all of that and more. This has to be the most in-depth rendering of mental illness I have ever read.
The writing, flawless, reminded me of the way Chuck Palahniuk and David Foster Wallace use language to create new idioms and scenes. I found myself stopping and rewinding to check what I had just heard. The success of the push and pull between Caden’s two realities depended on reliable imagery. In its 166 chapters, short and vivid, we were taken back and forth and each time, though jarring, was completely immersive.
I appreciated the author focusing Caden’s mental illness and not using it as a plot point for romance, of which a lot of YA is guilty. He could have gone that direction but he didn’t.
Thank goodness!
This is supposed to be a YA novel but I would recommend it to anyone simply because it’s a beneficial experience. This book answers the question: what if I could see inside his head? Thanks to Neal Shusterman we know what it’s like.
I would reread this in a heartbeat.
Audiobook comments: The voices were good and I’m glad that he didn’t try to do female voices too much because it sounded a little off. The flow was great to pull me in. It was really soothing.
2019 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge - A book with the “pop”, “sugar” or “challenge” in the title 2019 ATY Challenge - A book that was a finalist or winner for the National Book Award for any year (2015)
The protagonist in this book is feeling all of that and more. This has to be the most in-depth rendering of mental illness I have ever read.
The writing, flawless, reminded me of the way Chuck Palahniuk and David Foster Wallace use language to create new idioms and scenes. I found myself stopping and rewinding to check what I had just heard. The success of the push and pull between Caden’s two realities depended on reliable imagery. In its 166 chapters, short and vivid, we were taken back and forth and each time, though jarring, was completely immersive.
I appreciated the author focusing Caden’s mental illness and not using it as a plot point for romance, of which a lot of YA is guilty. He could have gone that direction but he didn’t.
Thank goodness!
This is supposed to be a YA novel but I would recommend it to anyone simply because it’s a beneficial experience. This book answers the question: what if I could see inside his head? Thanks to Neal Shusterman we know what it’s like.
I would reread this in a heartbeat.
Audiobook comments: The voices were good and I’m glad that he didn’t try to do female voices too much because it sounded a little off. The flow was great to pull me in. It was really soothing.
2019 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge - A book with the “pop”, “sugar” or “challenge” in the title 2019 ATY Challenge - A book that was a finalist or winner for the National Book Award for any year (2015)
sunbathingturtle's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
cbrett's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
lyakimov's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book!! It was a very quick read. I thought it was an interesting, concise story.
This book is what “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” wishes it could be. I saw a small amount of similarities between that book and “Challenger Deep” but this book was so much better in my opinion.
I don’t have many concise thoughts on this book because it was just so…….intense, but it was definitely a good read!
This book is what “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” wishes it could be. I saw a small amount of similarities between that book and “Challenger Deep” but this book was so much better in my opinion.
I don’t have many concise thoughts on this book because it was just so…….intense, but it was definitely a good read!