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adenhailemariam's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 I just finished this—overall I liked it and there were plenty of relatable parts in the book. Some weren’t relatable and that was ok. I wanted to read this because of my interest in graphic medicine but I was honestly influenced by more negative reviews of the book I read a while ago. So I started the book with hesitation but, again, I did end up liking it. I can understand what people might not like about different things in the book. By the end, I did have a little confusion about the timeline/how the book parts were ordered but it was also the last part of the book that had some relatable parts in it and that is what stuck with me. I enjoyed the illustration.
morganrondo's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed the first story, but then it became hard to follow what this book was about. The pages on OCD were interesting, but I wish he hadn't discredited therapy and medication so easily.
oldpatricka's review against another edition
5.0
A really compelling look at illness, and its affects on John Porcellino's life.
The chapters on anxiety were particularly interesting.
Will read again.
The chapters on anxiety were particularly interesting.
Will read again.
surlygrrrl's review against another edition
3.0
More like 2.5. The bulk of this was unbearable for me (a person who has lived with anxiety, depression & suicidal ideation for 40+ years). Too much woo & god/religion & apparent ignorance of the placebo effect, before he finally figures it out. Therapy actually helps?? A combination of meds might work?? Whodathunk?!? UGH. Also, even before the pandemic I would’ve told any therapist who so much as suggested I touch a city sidewalk & then my face to fuck right off. That’s just nasty. I’m glad John was doing much better by the end, but HOO BOY was this a frustrating read.
ashleyholstrom's review against another edition
4.0
There’s a single panel where Porcellino’s post-surgery anxiety reaches its peak and he fears any movement will rip open his stitches. It brought me to tears. That was the fear that kept me up for years after both of my back surgeries.
tlindhorst's review against another edition
4.0
I admire the bravery of this writer. A difficult walk thru the inner life of a person with severe mental illness.
saidtheraina's review against another edition
3.0
Several different pieces about the author's experiences with bodily dysfunction. While totally educational (for someone who hasn't had a lot of medical treatment), the constant physical pain was rather overwhelming (which, don't get me wrong, I totally get was probably how it felt to live these stories).
I found myself reflecting on how Porcellino works at all - I think I would have appreciated a little more context to his life. Was he ill from childhood? Or was all of this sudden? I feel like the experience would feel different depending on your personal norm.
His line drawings feel very much like something straight from the brain onto the page, like they could come from a sketchbook.
I wonder if my experience of this would be different if I'd read something else that he'd written. I feel like there's an assumption that one is familiar with his work.
I think my favorite part was the selection of Anxiety Comics at the end, where he shows what it's like to live with anxiety problems from the inside.
I found myself reflecting on how Porcellino works at all - I think I would have appreciated a little more context to his life. Was he ill from childhood? Or was all of this sudden? I feel like the experience would feel different depending on your personal norm.
His line drawings feel very much like something straight from the brain onto the page, like they could come from a sketchbook.
I wonder if my experience of this would be different if I'd read something else that he'd written. I feel like there's an assumption that one is familiar with his work.
I think my favorite part was the selection of Anxiety Comics at the end, where he shows what it's like to live with anxiety problems from the inside.
helpfulsnowman's review against another edition
I've decided to try a new thing here on Goodreads. Basically, unless I think something is a 5 or a 1, I won't be giving it a star rating.
There are a couple reasons, and I'll list them here in the interest of full disclosure:
First and foremost, I'll be putting in a proposal to Boss Fight Books, and I'm hoping to interview the publisher for LitReactor. And while I still want to talk about some of the contents, I'm not going to tear apart a book from a publisher I'm going to try and work for/with. I guess you could view this as the death of my honesty, but I don't see it that way at all. I think this is me being honest about how it's impossible for me to be objective in this situation, and I'm proud to be able to tell you and be upfront about it. My objectivity is pretty questionable when I'm reviewing a small press I want to work for, and I think I'll better serve everyone by being honest about it.
Second, for me personally, I think the star system doesn't really work. I can only tell you what I thought of something, but I think I'd rather use my words in the space provided than just click a star. It's just too easy to make a snap judgment and give something a two-star rating, when really it might deserve more. And while that doesn't matter much to me, it probably really sucks for the author.
Now, all that said, I'm still going to 5-star and 1-star stuff. The reason being, 5-star books deserve 5-star attention. If I give something 5 stars, it's because I think it's truly great. And I'm not too generous with those. I've got 87 5-star ratings on here, which amounts to 8% of the books I've starred.
Also, 1-star reviews will still be happening. Because I believe in that too.
So cheers to a new system, and we'll see how it goes.
There are a couple reasons, and I'll list them here in the interest of full disclosure:
First and foremost, I'll be putting in a proposal to Boss Fight Books, and I'm hoping to interview the publisher for LitReactor. And while I still want to talk about some of the contents, I'm not going to tear apart a book from a publisher I'm going to try and work for/with. I guess you could view this as the death of my honesty, but I don't see it that way at all. I think this is me being honest about how it's impossible for me to be objective in this situation, and I'm proud to be able to tell you and be upfront about it. My objectivity is pretty questionable when I'm reviewing a small press I want to work for, and I think I'll better serve everyone by being honest about it.
Second, for me personally, I think the star system doesn't really work. I can only tell you what I thought of something, but I think I'd rather use my words in the space provided than just click a star. It's just too easy to make a snap judgment and give something a two-star rating, when really it might deserve more. And while that doesn't matter much to me, it probably really sucks for the author.
Now, all that said, I'm still going to 5-star and 1-star stuff. The reason being, 5-star books deserve 5-star attention. If I give something 5 stars, it's because I think it's truly great. And I'm not too generous with those. I've got 87 5-star ratings on here, which amounts to 8% of the books I've starred.
Also, 1-star reviews will still be happening. Because I believe in that too.
So cheers to a new system, and we'll see how it goes.