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loveleareads's review
4.0
The premise to Life is But a Dream seemed so unique and intriguing. I wasn't sure how I would like something like this. As it turns out, Life is But a Dream is as beautiful and unique as it sounds.
Sabrina, who is schizophrenic, is put int a center. While I definitely knew she wasn't normal, I never felt like she was crazy. She felt emotion, wanted to belong, and wanted to be loved, just like everyone else. I could connect and feel with her. Through past and present events, we really get to know Sabrina.
Schizophrenia is a touch subject to tackle. I felt that Brian James did a good job with this. As stated before, I never felt that Sabrina was crazy. I saw the things that she saw and, even though I knew they weren't real, they were real to Sabrina.
There were definitely some very heartbreaking moments in this novel. But it was overall powering and beautiful. I really enjoyed this novel and am looking forward to more of Brian James's work.
Sabrina, who is schizophrenic, is put int a center. While I definitely knew she wasn't normal, I never felt like she was crazy. She felt emotion, wanted to belong, and wanted to be loved, just like everyone else. I could connect and feel with her. Through past and present events, we really get to know Sabrina.
Schizophrenia is a touch subject to tackle. I felt that Brian James did a good job with this. As stated before, I never felt that Sabrina was crazy. I saw the things that she saw and, even though I knew they weren't real, they were real to Sabrina.
There were definitely some very heartbreaking moments in this novel. But it was overall powering and beautiful. I really enjoyed this novel and am looking forward to more of Brian James's work.
booksandbosox's review
4.0
http://librarianosnark.blogspot.com/2012/03/review-life-is-but-dream.html
audiblybooked's review
4.0
Life is but a Dream tells the story of a teenager named Sabrina who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and committed to a psychiatric ward. Soon after, she meets Alec, another patient in the psych ward, and together they begin to question whether they even want to “fit in” with society. Sabrina wonders if the medications are designed to turn her into a robotic version of herself, a version that everyone else is comfortable with, but is it really who she is?
The beautiful writing brings to life in vivid detail the strange and colorful world that Sabrina inhabits when lost in her visions. She tries to connect her two realities with her drawings that seem to express all of the things she can’t put into words. There were times when I couldn’t begin to wrap my mind around her logic, but was fascinated all the same. Sabrina’s unusual way of perceiving the world was captured perfectly so that I was able to empathize with her even though I often couldn’t follow her logic. The world she envisioned for herself was filled with color and connection and emotion and once she met Alec, she felt she finally found someone who understood her, who could see the world the same way that she did.
Alec was also a very complex character. He seemed to be always just on the edge of becoming violent, so full of rage and anger. But he seemed to focus all of that negative energy into protecting Sabrina. He also felt like she was the only person who understood him, who saw him for the person that he really was. Together they viewed anyone outside of their little bubble as the enemy. I alternately felt sorry for Alec because he was also just a kid with very real problems, and annoyed with him because he refused to see things that were so obvious and instead made some very stupid impulsive decisions.
There was definitely an aspect of insta-love and obsessive love, but it seemed to be fitting considering the mental issues that Alec and Sabrina each struggled with. Their relationship made sense and was even rather beautiful in its own way. It was so obvious that Alec really cared about Sabrina that I couldn’t help but root for them even when I wasn’t sure whether being together was the best thing for either of them.
Life is but a Dream was an enjoyable, thought provoking story. There were several unexpected surprises. I never felt like I knew exactly where the story was headed. The doctors, nurses, and other background characters were very much in the background but still did not feel one dimensional. The story meandered back and forth from past to present which sometimes became a little confusing. And the choice to forego quotation marks was a bit distracting sometimes when I had to determine who was speaking and whether it was dialog or thoughts. There were, however, very few flaws and I definitely enjoyed reading this.
The beautiful writing brings to life in vivid detail the strange and colorful world that Sabrina inhabits when lost in her visions. She tries to connect her two realities with her drawings that seem to express all of the things she can’t put into words. There were times when I couldn’t begin to wrap my mind around her logic, but was fascinated all the same. Sabrina’s unusual way of perceiving the world was captured perfectly so that I was able to empathize with her even though I often couldn’t follow her logic. The world she envisioned for herself was filled with color and connection and emotion and once she met Alec, she felt she finally found someone who understood her, who could see the world the same way that she did.
Alec was also a very complex character. He seemed to be always just on the edge of becoming violent, so full of rage and anger. But he seemed to focus all of that negative energy into protecting Sabrina. He also felt like she was the only person who understood him, who saw him for the person that he really was. Together they viewed anyone outside of their little bubble as the enemy. I alternately felt sorry for Alec because he was also just a kid with very real problems, and annoyed with him because he refused to see things that were so obvious and instead made some very stupid impulsive decisions.
There was definitely an aspect of insta-love and obsessive love, but it seemed to be fitting considering the mental issues that Alec and Sabrina each struggled with. Their relationship made sense and was even rather beautiful in its own way. It was so obvious that Alec really cared about Sabrina that I couldn’t help but root for them even when I wasn’t sure whether being together was the best thing for either of them.
Life is but a Dream was an enjoyable, thought provoking story. There were several unexpected surprises. I never felt like I knew exactly where the story was headed. The doctors, nurses, and other background characters were very much in the background but still did not feel one dimensional. The story meandered back and forth from past to present which sometimes became a little confusing. And the choice to forego quotation marks was a bit distracting sometimes when I had to determine who was speaking and whether it was dialog or thoughts. There were, however, very few flaws and I definitely enjoyed reading this.
canadianbookworm's review
3.0
This teen novel is told from the point of view of 15-year-old Sabrina. She has alway had a good imagination, and until recently her parents encouraged her use of imagination and creativity. Her best friend has also been drawing away from Sabrina's stories and pictures, in favour of an interest in the opposite sex. But an incident at school, coming to light to the reader as the novel progresses, has resulted in Sabrina being sent for treatment in a youth mental health facility. Sabrina struggles with the sense of losing herself to become "normal", and yet also feels scared when faced with the real world.
When she encounters another troubled teen, Alec, she feels drawn to him, and becomes involved emotionally. As the two grow closer, Sabrina relies on Alec to support her dreams, while Alec doesn't entirely understand the issues Sabrina is facing.
This is an interesting novel around mental illness, society's attitudes, but mostly the internal struggle of a person dealing with their own illness. A wonderfully immersive novel of a troubling experience.
When she encounters another troubled teen, Alec, she feels drawn to him, and becomes involved emotionally. As the two grow closer, Sabrina relies on Alec to support her dreams, while Alec doesn't entirely understand the issues Sabrina is facing.
This is an interesting novel around mental illness, society's attitudes, but mostly the internal struggle of a person dealing with their own illness. A wonderfully immersive novel of a troubling experience.
midnightbookgirl's review
4.0
I ended up liking this book so much more than I thought I would! Not that it's a happy, hug a puppy kind of read. It's pretty dark since it deals with mental illness, but James does a fantastic job pulling you into Sabrina's mind and explaining her world. I was really impressed with his portrayal of a teenage girl dealing with schizophrenia.
amongthepages's review
4.0
Wandering through Sabrina's head was like walking through a magical wonderland filled with colors and sounds. She sees things almost in technicolor and her perception of the world is so vastly different from everyone else.
When the story starts, Sabrina is in the hospital and has been taking medication. She rarely speaks to anyone. In comes Alec, who takes her breath away and convinces her that it's the doctors who are wrong, not her.
She clings to Alec and stops taking her medication, because she really misses seeing the clouds move the way they do and she misses her perception of the world. Slowly, she starts going backwards in her treatment.
The story jumps around a lot from present to her memories, and as the story goes on, the reader starts to find out more and more about Sabrina's illness and just how it was affecting her life when her parents made the decision to put her into the hospital.
I devoured this book in one sitting because it was so easy to fall into Sabrina's life and see things through her eyes.
When the story starts, Sabrina is in the hospital and has been taking medication. She rarely speaks to anyone. In comes Alec, who takes her breath away and convinces her that it's the doctors who are wrong, not her.
She clings to Alec and stops taking her medication, because she really misses seeing the clouds move the way they do and she misses her perception of the world. Slowly, she starts going backwards in her treatment.
The story jumps around a lot from present to her memories, and as the story goes on, the reader starts to find out more and more about Sabrina's illness and just how it was affecting her life when her parents made the decision to put her into the hospital.
I devoured this book in one sitting because it was so easy to fall into Sabrina's life and see things through her eyes.
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