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folklaureate's review
3.0
More reviews at Rondo of a Possible World: YA Book Reviews
I ended up reading this novel without really skimming through the synopsis (which I find I've been doing often with the books I review, it seems to be impulsive reading on my part) and mainly relying on the cover. Again, I seem to be doing this now and again with novels. But that way there really isn't much of an expectation to live up to while reading.
I gave this novel an average reading because of the fact that I couldn't really find myself believing some parts of the novel with Sabrina and Alec, the dull and mundane pace the novel goes at towards the beginning, but the beautiful and fluid writing that Brian James weaves through the pages.
It was a bittersweet read. I did enjoy the ending but I disliked the relationship between Sabrina and Alec in the beginning, with how fast they moved towards each other and how fast feeling flourished. But playing off the fast-paced love and turning Alec into a crutch for Sabrina was another factor that happened to turn me off. Half the time I was up in arms about the mental predicament Sabrina was going through, the encouraging support from Alec to stop taking the things that would make her better, and then irresponsible actions they take together had my self-control limits breaching maximum. But in the end, after events that I will not reveal because of spoiler warnings up the wazoo, I found myself content with Sabrina's choice to get better and Alec getting his shit straight and finally telling her to get better. I wanted to smack the boy upside the head half the time throughout the novel, I tell you!
A novel that can be predictable for the most part, it is still a beautifully written prose with some character annoyance but something I think people should give a try to see if they like it.
I ended up reading this novel without really skimming through the synopsis (which I find I've been doing often with the books I review, it seems to be impulsive reading on my part) and mainly relying on the cover. Again, I seem to be doing this now and again with novels. But that way there really isn't much of an expectation to live up to while reading.
I gave this novel an average reading because of the fact that I couldn't really find myself believing some parts of the novel with Sabrina and Alec, the dull and mundane pace the novel goes at towards the beginning, but the beautiful and fluid writing that Brian James weaves through the pages.
It was a bittersweet read. I did enjoy the ending but I disliked the relationship between Sabrina and Alec in the beginning, with how fast they moved towards each other and how fast feeling flourished. But playing off the fast-paced love and turning Alec into a crutch for Sabrina was another factor that happened to turn me off. Half the time I was up in arms about the mental predicament Sabrina was going through, the encouraging support from Alec to stop taking the things that would make her better, and then irresponsible actions they take together had my self-control limits breaching maximum. But in the end, after events that I will not reveal because of spoiler warnings up the wazoo, I found myself content with Sabrina's choice to get better and Alec getting his shit straight and finally telling her to get better. I wanted to smack the boy upside the head half the time throughout the novel, I tell you!
A novel that can be predictable for the most part, it is still a beautifully written prose with some character annoyance but something I think people should give a try to see if they like it.
angelcwrites's review
3.0
You can find this review and many more at Mermaid Vision Books!
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 234
Format: Hardcover
Source: ARC received from publisher
Tell Me More: Perspective is a volatile and explosive part of being human. A slight change in the way an event is seen can mean the difference between life and death. History is written by the winners, and lamented by the defeated. But possibly the scariest thing about perspective is not knowing if you can trust your own.
Brian James pens the story of an artistic, ethereal girl named Sabrina and her struggles with seeing the world in the "right" way. As hard as it must already be to receive a diagnosis of schizophrenia, Sabrina is also a teenager, on the fence between childhood and adulthood. Learning how to believe in yourself is challenging enough without the added pressures of feeling like two or three different people. What is there left for you to believe in, anyway?
James' writing is simply electric, pulsing with all the potential readers will find in Sabrina. Relating to her disillusionment and insecurities comes easily--we have all been in her shoes once or twice. The descriptions of what Sabrina sees on a daily basis are particularly captivating, and make her later decisions that much more poignant. Her relationship with her family also interested me, and I wish there had been more of it to fully flesh out the history behind her diagnosis.
Despite the brilliant characterization, the love story falls flat, and as I read, I wished it had just been relegated to a tiny subplot. I understood why James may have decided to have Alec play such a big role in Sabrina's development, but there were times when it felt contrived. Much of the reason why has to do with the ending, which I don't want to spoil for people who are considering picking this book up. It wasn't an awful ending, but I do think that a bit more length and development would have given it more justification.
I am hesitant to say I enjoyed this book, because I don't think that's the right word for it. Rather, I was left in awe of what beautiful, committed writing can do to heighten an already emotional and unique story.
The Final Say: Life is But a Dream is a story for those who are coming to trust in themselves more than the world, and for those who want to find the strength to do it.
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 234
Format: Hardcover
Source: ARC received from publisher
Tell Me More: Perspective is a volatile and explosive part of being human. A slight change in the way an event is seen can mean the difference between life and death. History is written by the winners, and lamented by the defeated. But possibly the scariest thing about perspective is not knowing if you can trust your own.
Brian James pens the story of an artistic, ethereal girl named Sabrina and her struggles with seeing the world in the "right" way. As hard as it must already be to receive a diagnosis of schizophrenia, Sabrina is also a teenager, on the fence between childhood and adulthood. Learning how to believe in yourself is challenging enough without the added pressures of feeling like two or three different people. What is there left for you to believe in, anyway?
James' writing is simply electric, pulsing with all the potential readers will find in Sabrina. Relating to her disillusionment and insecurities comes easily--we have all been in her shoes once or twice. The descriptions of what Sabrina sees on a daily basis are particularly captivating, and make her later decisions that much more poignant. Her relationship with her family also interested me, and I wish there had been more of it to fully flesh out the history behind her diagnosis.
Despite the brilliant characterization, the love story falls flat, and as I read, I wished it had just been relegated to a tiny subplot. I understood why James may have decided to have Alec play such a big role in Sabrina's development, but there were times when it felt contrived. Much of the reason why has to do with the ending, which I don't want to spoil for people who are considering picking this book up. It wasn't an awful ending, but I do think that a bit more length and development would have given it more justification.
I am hesitant to say I enjoyed this book, because I don't think that's the right word for it. Rather, I was left in awe of what beautiful, committed writing can do to heighten an already emotional and unique story.
The Final Say: Life is But a Dream is a story for those who are coming to trust in themselves more than the world, and for those who want to find the strength to do it.
olivianoack's review
5.0
I don't know what made me pick up this exact book, but I am glad that I did. I was looking for a novel about somebody struggling with schizophrenia. It was a new topic to me and I was curious and excited to learn more. I really enjoyed this book. I loved imagining the things that Sabrina was imaginary seeing. Also the romance was so perfect. Just a really great novel about illness and healing.
jowillread's review
4.0
“I know how to stand still even when the Earth spins faster and faster than it ever did before. The rest of them try to keep up with the rhythm until it makes them dizzy. And with dizzy eyes, they stare at me and say I’m crazy.”
I absolutely adored this book. I wasn’t so sure at first because mental illness will always be an incredibly sensitive subject for me. It seems that mental illness is a subject that can either be done really, really badly, or really, really well.
Thankfully, this book falls into the latter category.
I have to admit I’m not an expert in schizophrenia, unless a B in a psychology A-Level module makes me one nowadays. But I doubt it. So please keep that in mind when I say that this book felt like an honest and accurate portrayal of what it would be like to suffer from schizophrenia. I’d be interested to know how this portrayal holds up with someone who does have experience with it.
From the first few pages, I realised that this book wasn’t going to be for everyone. It’s full of surreal imagery, bizarre concepts portrayed as if they were every day and lots of beautiful writing. Now I normally hate beautiful writing. I know that sounds stupid because, surely, everyone should love beautiful writing, I mean… it’s beautiful, right?
But I’m not a fan of flowery prose and obscure metaphors that don’t make sense. I like my writing to be to the point and gimmick-free. When I read a book, I’m much more interested in knowing whether the author knows how to tell a story than whether they can write a pretty sentence.
I fell in love with Sabrina’s narration after I read the following paragraph:
That’s the second paragraph, by the way. It didn’t take me long.
I feel I need to amend my thoughts of beautiful writing: I hate it when it feels fake and forced and “Hey, look what I can do!”
But through Sabrina’s eyes, I believed that she saw the sky above her changing colours with every breath.
I hate it when authors try to make mental illness a glamorous disease. When they make it out to be a beautiful yet tragic illness I always wonder whether they’ve done any research at all. What I loved about Mr James’ portrayal of schizophrenia is that even though the world that Sabrina saw was absolutely stunning and it would be tempting to stay within the safety of her dreams, with all their colours and lights, there was always that sense of danger and of unease.
Sabrina was an absolutely glorious character. As I glimpsed the world through her eyes, I could really sense the level of frustration she felt as she tried to articulate what she was going through. It was incredibly sad but really affective.
My only real criticism is that I’m not entirely sure I understood what led to Sabrina being committed in the first place. I have an idea and I get the basic gist but there were a few questions I have about it. I don’t really want to go into it too much, and it’s probably just me being a bit dim, but I just thought it was a bit too vague and confused for such an important aspect of the story.
< Mini spoilers >
I feel like I need to talk about Alec, the love interest.
Eeeh, this kid had me having kittens all over the place. He was so destructive, and so adamant that he was right all the time. It would be easy to label him as the baddie but I didn’t really see him as that. I think he was just a teenager who didn’t really understand how dangerous his words would be to someone like Sabrina. I don’t think there was any malice behind his words. He was such an interesting character and, I’m glad to say, he really redeemed himself in the end.
< End of mini spoilers >
And, on a completely girly point, the scenes between him and Sabrina were so, so sweet that, if I ignored all the implications and ramifications and focus purely on their relationship, it could well be one of the most beautiful and innocent YA relationships I’ve read.
But I’m not completely sure I can ignore them all, even if he did learn his lesson the hard way. The jury’s still out on Alec.
*narrows eyes*
Also, if I read one more prologue that I absolutely love, I’m going to seriously damage my reputation as Jo, The Prologue Hater.
But Sabrina got her perfect ending and that last line… yesyesyes.
Theme Tune.
I always think of Patrick Wolf when I read a beautiful and poetic book that has one foot set firmly in the surreal. There is actually a better song for this book and I was this close to choosing it but it’s the theme song I’m using for my own WIP and… well… I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I don’t like to share my Wolf.
But this one is just as suitable.
The Days by Patrick Wolf.
I had your love once
Seized my body whole
And in our first dance
I thought by chance
God had matched my soul
But time bought its travelling
Its distance and solitude
My self-damaging
I took my love
Far, far from you.
I promise, I will meet you
I will meet you
At the end of the days.
This book could be seen as a love story in the same way this song could be seen as a love song, but it can also be seen as the beginning of a journey that is difficult and there are no guarantees that everything will work out, but the heroine is hopeful and determined to give it a try.
I’m calling it both.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley.
You can read this review and lots of other exciting things on my blog here.
I absolutely adored this book. I wasn’t so sure at first because mental illness will always be an incredibly sensitive subject for me. It seems that mental illness is a subject that can either be done really, really badly, or really, really well.
Thankfully, this book falls into the latter category.
I have to admit I’m not an expert in schizophrenia, unless a B in a psychology A-Level module makes me one nowadays. But I doubt it. So please keep that in mind when I say that this book felt like an honest and accurate portrayal of what it would be like to suffer from schizophrenia. I’d be interested to know how this portrayal holds up with someone who does have experience with it.
From the first few pages, I realised that this book wasn’t going to be for everyone. It’s full of surreal imagery, bizarre concepts portrayed as if they were every day and lots of beautiful writing. Now I normally hate beautiful writing. I know that sounds stupid because, surely, everyone should love beautiful writing, I mean… it’s beautiful, right?
But I’m not a fan of flowery prose and obscure metaphors that don’t make sense. I like my writing to be to the point and gimmick-free. When I read a book, I’m much more interested in knowing whether the author knows how to tell a story than whether they can write a pretty sentence.
I fell in love with Sabrina’s narration after I read the following paragraph:
“I exhale swirling colors that streak across the clouds like rainbows on soapy water. I reach upward with my free hand. The evening sunlight touches my skin like golden water and I feel safe- almost like heaven is falling from the sky to protect me. It should be confusing but somehow it all makes sense to me. It makes sense the way a dream makes sense. The only difference is, I’m awake.”
That’s the second paragraph, by the way. It didn’t take me long.
I feel I need to amend my thoughts of beautiful writing: I hate it when it feels fake and forced and “Hey, look what I can do!”
But through Sabrina’s eyes, I believed that she saw the sky above her changing colours with every breath.
I hate it when authors try to make mental illness a glamorous disease. When they make it out to be a beautiful yet tragic illness I always wonder whether they’ve done any research at all. What I loved about Mr James’ portrayal of schizophrenia is that even though the world that Sabrina saw was absolutely stunning and it would be tempting to stay within the safety of her dreams, with all their colours and lights, there was always that sense of danger and of unease.
“Lately, I’ve been feeling like the wires in my brain have been switched around- disconnected from where they belong. It makes everything too sharp – makes my skin tingle like little shocks made of glitter. Without the medicine, they are growing back to where they belong. Already, my dreams are coming back- little by little.”
Sabrina was an absolutely glorious character. As I glimpsed the world through her eyes, I could really sense the level of frustration she felt as she tried to articulate what she was going through. It was incredibly sad but really affective.
“When I was little, they encouraged me to use my imagination. They bought me posters of unicorns and fairies. Everything I had, from my little girl makeup to my glittery pink sneakers, was bathed in make-believe and came from a place where every girl could be a princess. I guess I never knew I was supposed to stop believing.”
My only real criticism is that I’m not entirely sure I understood what led to Sabrina being committed in the first place. I have an idea and I get the basic gist but there were a few questions I have about it. I don’t really want to go into it too much, and it’s probably just me being a bit dim, but I just thought it was a bit too vague and confused for such an important aspect of the story.
< Mini spoilers >
I feel like I need to talk about Alec, the love interest.
Eeeh, this kid had me having kittens all over the place. He was so destructive, and so adamant that he was right all the time. It would be easy to label him as the baddie but I didn’t really see him as that. I think he was just a teenager who didn’t really understand how dangerous his words would be to someone like Sabrina. I don’t think there was any malice behind his words. He was such an interesting character and, I’m glad to say, he really redeemed himself in the end.
< End of mini spoilers >
And, on a completely girly point, the scenes between him and Sabrina were so, so sweet that, if I ignored all the implications and ramifications and focus purely on their relationship, it could well be one of the most beautiful and innocent YA relationships I’ve read.
But I’m not completely sure I can ignore them all, even if he did learn his lesson the hard way. The jury’s still out on Alec.
*narrows eyes*
Also, if I read one more prologue that I absolutely love, I’m going to seriously damage my reputation as Jo, The Prologue Hater.
But Sabrina got her perfect ending and that last line… yesyesyes.
Theme Tune.
I always think of Patrick Wolf when I read a beautiful and poetic book that has one foot set firmly in the surreal. There is actually a better song for this book and I was this close to choosing it but it’s the theme song I’m using for my own WIP and… well… I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I don’t like to share my Wolf.
But this one is just as suitable.
The Days by Patrick Wolf.
I had your love once
Seized my body whole
And in our first dance
I thought by chance
God had matched my soul
But time bought its travelling
Its distance and solitude
My self-damaging
I took my love
Far, far from you.
I promise, I will meet you
I will meet you
At the end of the days.
This book could be seen as a love story in the same way this song could be seen as a love song, but it can also be seen as the beginning of a journey that is difficult and there are no guarantees that everything will work out, but the heroine is hopeful and determined to give it a try.
I’m calling it both.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley.
You can read this review and lots of other exciting things on my blog here.
lpcoolgirl's review
5.0
Really great book, a bit sad, but so good! Loved the way she saw the world, and how considerate she was, and yeah, it was just great!
carmenrm's review
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
yoongoongi's review
4.0
This book was very beautifully written. Everything was just so lyrical, the way it was described. It was a book about a girl suffering from schizophrenia, a disease that I never really understood until now. I picked this book up at a yard sale for less than a quarter and I'm surprised by how much I liked it. I don't usually get lucky like that.
I like this quote from the book:
"My dad believes that bad disguises itself - that danger hides. I think it's the opposite. The truly horrible things about the world are always reaching out for you."
So true.
I like this quote from the book:
"My dad believes that bad disguises itself - that danger hides. I think it's the opposite. The truly horrible things about the world are always reaching out for you."
So true.
juhina's review
3.0
Life is but a dream was definitely a foreign and interesting journey! Getting to see how a schizophrenic person thinks and what really goes inside their mind fascinated me. All that paranoia, the voices, the feeling as if Sabrina, the protagonist is watching a different channel or listening to a different radio station from the rest of the world, as if the whole book is set in her mind. At the beginning, Sabrina lived in her own little colorful world, but as the days passed while she was in the Wellness Center, she actually got better. The world started becoming less colorful, and well.. more harsh, sharper, scarier,and well.. "real".
When Sabrina meets Alec, he destroys her road to recovery and then Sabrina gets worse. I had a problem with Alec at the beginning, not understanding what his intentions are or if he even belonged in the Wellness Center. I didn't trust him. I was also mad at Sabrina; she started clinging to Alec and clinging to his every word, which surprised me because any fleeting paranoia or mistrust she would feel for Alec, she would wave it away. So this leads me to question on whether being schizophrenic and paranoid at the world a choice or just an easier way with coping with the cruelty of the world?
Throughout the book there was barely any dialogue and that might have made this book less enjoyable for me, that I needed to breathe, outside of Sabrina's head and her constant losing battle against the "voices" in her head. It was very interesting, but I just wished there was more dialogue between other characters and it wasn't centered around her through 100% of the book. All in all Life Is But a Dream is unique, different, and enlightens people on schizophrenia in a realistic and contemporary story about a girl trying to find herself and if she will ever belong in this world.
When Sabrina meets Alec, he destroys her road to recovery and then Sabrina gets worse. I had a problem with Alec at the beginning, not understanding what his intentions are or if he even belonged in the Wellness Center. I didn't trust him. I was also mad at Sabrina; she started clinging to Alec and clinging to his every word, which surprised me because any fleeting paranoia or mistrust she would feel for Alec, she would wave it away. So this leads me to question on whether being schizophrenic and paranoid at the world a choice or just an easier way with coping with the cruelty of the world?
Throughout the book there was barely any dialogue and that might have made this book less enjoyable for me, that I needed to breathe, outside of Sabrina's head and her constant losing battle against the "voices" in her head. It was very interesting, but I just wished there was more dialogue between other characters and it wasn't centered around her through 100% of the book. All in all Life Is But a Dream is unique, different, and enlightens people on schizophrenia in a realistic and contemporary story about a girl trying to find herself and if she will ever belong in this world.
endlessreader's review
3.0
I'm going to start off by saying that reading Life is But a Dream was like pulling teeth for me. I had assumed that I would love this book because schizophrenia is a subject that I'm interested in learning more about whether it be through non-fiction or fiction. Of course, me being me (YA reader extraordinaire), I thought schizophrenia + YA book would equal win! But it didn't...not by a long shot.
Life is But a Dream wasn't a bad book, but for some reason, every single time I started reading it, my mind would wander and I would start daydreaming instead of focusing on the book. When I put the book down, I wasn't at all interested in picking it back up. When I did pick it up, I kept thinking "Uggh, time to continue reading Life is But a Dream." I feel bad for thinking this since like I mentioned, this isn't a bad book at all. It just failed to captivate me and due to that, this book dragged. I just couldn't connect with Sabrina. Don't get me wrong, I was sympathetic to her plight and felt bad for what she has to endure, but I just didn't get a deep read on her. I expected that I would get to know Sabrina and her problems on a more deeper level than I did. I also felt very aggravated by Alec. I don't buy the whole thing with him not knowing how fragile Sabrina was at that point in her life. She's in a mental hospital. Most people don't get there by being the most mentally healthiest person in the world. While he redeemed himself a bit towards the end, by that time, I started feeling like his redemption didn't mesh with the way his character was initially introduced and found that it rang a bit...fake. Feeling disconnected from one of the main characters and feeling aggravated by the second really isn't the best way for a novel to win me over (and yes I'm fully aware that novels don't solely exist to please me, this is just my opinion)
One good thing about Life is But a Dream was that it was amazingly written. It was descriptive and the writing just flowed instead of being stilted. The author contrased Sabrina's reality with her delusions so well, that I felt that the book was only confusing when the author intended it to be confusing so the readers could get an insight into the confusion that schizophrenics tend to feel, particularly when they're not on their medication. But again, beautiful writing couldn't really save the book for me.
In the end, I thought that Life is But a Dream was just okay. The pace was just way to slow for me and it didn't get terribly interesting until the last 50 pages or so. I just think that Sabrina, while a sympathetic character, failed to hook me into her ordeal.
Life is But a Dream wasn't a bad book, but for some reason, every single time I started reading it, my mind would wander and I would start daydreaming instead of focusing on the book. When I put the book down, I wasn't at all interested in picking it back up. When I did pick it up, I kept thinking "Uggh, time to continue reading Life is But a Dream." I feel bad for thinking this since like I mentioned, this isn't a bad book at all. It just failed to captivate me and due to that, this book dragged. I just couldn't connect with Sabrina. Don't get me wrong, I was sympathetic to her plight and felt bad for what she has to endure, but I just didn't get a deep read on her. I expected that I would get to know Sabrina and her problems on a more deeper level than I did. I also felt very aggravated by Alec. I don't buy the whole thing with him not knowing how fragile Sabrina was at that point in her life. She's in a mental hospital. Most people don't get there by being the most mentally healthiest person in the world. While he redeemed himself a bit towards the end, by that time, I started feeling like his redemption didn't mesh with the way his character was initially introduced and found that it rang a bit...fake. Feeling disconnected from one of the main characters and feeling aggravated by the second really isn't the best way for a novel to win me over (and yes I'm fully aware that novels don't solely exist to please me, this is just my opinion)
One good thing about Life is But a Dream was that it was amazingly written. It was descriptive and the writing just flowed instead of being stilted. The author contrased Sabrina's reality with her delusions so well, that I felt that the book was only confusing when the author intended it to be confusing so the readers could get an insight into the confusion that schizophrenics tend to feel, particularly when they're not on their medication. But again, beautiful writing couldn't really save the book for me.
In the end, I thought that Life is But a Dream was just okay. The pace was just way to slow for me and it didn't get terribly interesting until the last 50 pages or so. I just think that Sabrina, while a sympathetic character, failed to hook me into her ordeal.
danibene's review
5.0
A far cry from Zombie Blondes, the other Brian James novel I've read, but in a great way, because I'm having trouble finding things I don't like about Life is But a Dream.
Actually, that's not quite true. There are a few things I dislike about Life is But a Dream, but not because they're poorly written or irrelevant, but because they fill me with rage. Alec, the boy Sabrina meets at the Wellness Center, is a prime example. The false ideas he places in Sabrina's head about her doctors' intentions and the actions he compels her to take are just so utterly wrong and cruel because of their consequences that I was never happy when he showed up. However, despite the anger he invoked in me, there is something undeniably fascinating about the way he operates. He's has a sense of awareness the rest of his peers don't that the ideas he brings forth always give Sabrina a new perspective and take the book in a new direction.
Other aspects of this book I tend to love more than I love-hate, namely Sabrina. Her struggle with schizophrenia is heartbreaking because of its intensity, especially as Alec begins planting the wrong ideas in her head and flashbacks of her past reveal the harsh treatment her former peers gave her. However, I'm glad this book does not solely emphasize the ugly parts of her illness. There's a lot of beauty in the way Sabrina views the world too-- her descriptions of the colors and shapes she sees in things that no one else notices create such beautiful images that it's easy to see why she's having trouble wanting them to go away. And, because they're so lovely, it's all the more emotional to realize that the harsh aspects of her illness are slowly but surely blotting them out.
Life is a But a Dream is an excellent balance of beauty and heartache, and I loved every minute of it.
Actually, that's not quite true. There are a few things I dislike about Life is But a Dream, but not because they're poorly written or irrelevant, but because they fill me with rage. Alec, the boy Sabrina meets at the Wellness Center, is a prime example. The false ideas he places in Sabrina's head about her doctors' intentions and the actions he compels her to take are just so utterly wrong and cruel because of their consequences that I was never happy when he showed up. However, despite the anger he invoked in me, there is something undeniably fascinating about the way he operates. He's has a sense of awareness the rest of his peers don't that the ideas he brings forth always give Sabrina a new perspective and take the book in a new direction.
Other aspects of this book I tend to love more than I love-hate, namely Sabrina. Her struggle with schizophrenia is heartbreaking because of its intensity, especially as Alec begins planting the wrong ideas in her head and flashbacks of her past reveal the harsh treatment her former peers gave her. However, I'm glad this book does not solely emphasize the ugly parts of her illness. There's a lot of beauty in the way Sabrina views the world too-- her descriptions of the colors and shapes she sees in things that no one else notices create such beautiful images that it's easy to see why she's having trouble wanting them to go away. And, because they're so lovely, it's all the more emotional to realize that the harsh aspects of her illness are slowly but surely blotting them out.
Life is a But a Dream is an excellent balance of beauty and heartache, and I loved every minute of it.