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rookdigoo's review against another edition
5.0
So. I started out expecting a cute, maybe a little creepy, middle grade book by an author I've really enjoyed previously.
It's ended with me sobbing because, possibly more so than any other book in a very literal sense, it saw me. This book saw me.
Violet, I am old enough to be your mom, but I am you, and you are me. My invisible illness may have started a lot later in life than yours did, but I've been in those same doctor's offices where they ask about my history with anxiety and shrug because my labs and blood tests were normal. I've had people who believed me, and people that didn't, and I know how so, so heavy the fear of being a burden, the fear of being disbelieved, the fear of people leaving is. I've never had a ghost girl crawl out of my wallpaper, but. 😅
I just. Wow. I've never seen my illness on the page before. I am an almost 30something adult woman literally sobbing over a beautiful children's book at 4:30 in the afternoon. I've cried over books before, felt seen and loved by stories, seen myself in characters before, but there's something really different about seeing the literal words describing your illness on a page that's not a print out from the one doctor's office that finally believed you. I saw myself in her symptoms even before they said the words "post exertional malaise", or "postviral syndrome", but seeing those words on the page... (and when the one doctor dismissed the suggestion from Violet's mom asking about Long Covid, which is what I have, which I'll say here I guess publically for the first time since I started getting sick. Hi. I have Long Covid. It is, as Mia might say, a butthead.)
Anyway.
Violet, I love you. I'm proud of you. And because of you, I'm able to love my body a little more than I did before I picked up your book. It's terrifying to not know what's happening to your body and feel like it's fighting against you. And maybe this is something we're going to have to live alongside for a while, maybe for the rest of our lives. I don't know. We just don' have any way to know. But it's not our fault. And it's my body. It's mine. And because you were able to say that and believe it, Violet, I'm able to too. So thank you.
And thank you to the haunted house I call my body, for doing its best even when the wallpaper is really ugly and there's ghosts in it.
This is not an "inspiration porn" book, about a brave disabled child who everyone cries over and feels bad for and then feels really uncomfortable thinking about too long because she's still sick after the credits roll. It's a book about a haunted house trying its best to keep the family that lives inside it safe, and a girl who is also trying her best, even when her body isn't working the way she wants it to.
Anyway. I've rambled long enough. I checked this out from the library so I'm going to go buy my own copy now. And blow my nose because I've still been crying off and on while writing this review. So, yeah.
Thank you. <3
It's ended with me sobbing because, possibly more so than any other book in a very literal sense, it saw me. This book saw me.
Violet, I am old enough to be your mom, but I am you, and you are me. My invisible illness may have started a lot later in life than yours did, but I've been in those same doctor's offices where they ask about my history with anxiety and shrug because my labs and blood tests were normal. I've had people who believed me, and people that didn't, and I know how so, so heavy the fear of being a burden, the fear of being disbelieved, the fear of people leaving is. I've never had a ghost girl crawl out of my wallpaper, but. 😅
I just. Wow. I've never seen my illness on the page before. I am an almost 30something adult woman literally sobbing over a beautiful children's book at 4:30 in the afternoon. I've cried over books before, felt seen and loved by stories, seen myself in characters before, but there's something really different about seeing the literal words describing your illness on a page that's not a print out from the one doctor's office that finally believed you. I saw myself in her symptoms even before they said the words "post exertional malaise", or "postviral syndrome", but seeing those words on the page... (and when the one doctor dismissed the suggestion from Violet's mom asking about Long Covid, which is what I have, which I'll say here I guess publically for the first time since I started getting sick. Hi. I have Long Covid. It is, as Mia might say, a butthead.)
Anyway.
Violet, I love you. I'm proud of you. And because of you, I'm able to love my body a little more than I did before I picked up your book. It's terrifying to not know what's happening to your body and feel like it's fighting against you. And maybe this is something we're going to have to live alongside for a while, maybe for the rest of our lives. I don't know. We just don' have any way to know. But it's not our fault. And it's my body. It's mine. And because you were able to say that and believe it, Violet, I'm able to too. So thank you.
And thank you to the haunted house I call my body, for doing its best even when the wallpaper is really ugly and there's ghosts in it.
This is not an "inspiration porn" book, about a brave disabled child who everyone cries over and feels bad for and then feels really uncomfortable thinking about too long because she's still sick after the credits roll. It's a book about a haunted house trying its best to keep the family that lives inside it safe, and a girl who is also trying her best, even when her body isn't working the way she wants it to.
Anyway. I've rambled long enough. I checked this out from the library so I'm going to go buy my own copy now. And blow my nose because I've still been crying off and on while writing this review. So, yeah.
Thank you. <3
katischr's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Such a powerful story about invisible illness and the power of having friends and family who love and support you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting and Medical trauma
Moderate: Bullying
msaceyreads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
jnishi's review against another edition
5.0
Ursu does it again! What a great book. So relevant themes that middle graders will totally relate to from friendship breakups to the struggle of making new friends, distant teenager siblings, and blended families. Don’t even get me started on the chronic illness rep, which is just fantastic btw. The ghostly spookiness is not too overwhelming, it was the perfect amount of creep and spookiness.
awelsh's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
chitownjr's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Middle grade novel. Spooky. Good writing
grace_ace's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book is so good! I think it expanded on and added to the conversation that The Yellow Wallpaper, the short story it was inspired by, started.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Chronic illness, and Medical trauma
Minor: Mental illness and Medical content
There are a handful of doctor visits that Violet goes to where the medical professionals think she is faking it or that her mental health is physically manifesting itself into her symptoms. There is also a chapter that takes place in the ER where Violet has her blood drawn but it is not graphic.readsforlove's review against another edition
5.0
This. Book. WOW. What an incredible representation of chronic illness. Violet was so genuine and kind and gentle--she didn't want to be an inconvenience to anyone, so she continued to downplay symptoms of her illness and withhold help those around her were eager to give. She was such an empathetic character, and I hope this book makes rounds in middle schools. There are so many important lessons here. Her friendships were so good, too, with how that all worked out. Just. AH. Also the writing? *chefs kiss* I LOVED all the descriptions. And Violet's internal monologue was so relatable. And all the characters?? I want more of them! (Will is my fav tho)
All in all, an amazing book that I highly recommend. (I was already recommending it to my sister before I'd even finished!)
All in all, an amazing book that I highly recommend. (I was already recommending it to my sister before I'd even finished!)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Toxic friendship, and Medical trauma
brulereads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
A middle grade retelling of The Yellow Wallpaper!? Yes, thank you! I appreciated this spin on illness, mental and physical (enjoyed is not the correct word bc it was sad). The cover is what hooked me to read this yet the story was great too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Medical content