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chyna's review against another edition
4.0
Made me happy and laugh a lot of times becayse it was actually funny and not a corny moment in sight. I even cried at one point. This book has given me the most amount of lessons and quotes I have ever read from any other book so far. ♥
colette_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
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
4.0
katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
Mental health honesty for teenagers, an engaging story and heroine.
Holly Bourne has been on my radar for several years, but this is my first. It's refreshing to read teenage-aimed books that put a spotlight on mental illness.
We meet a youth, Olive, who clearly isn't mentally well, but who refuses to know her diagnosis, though accepting she needs help after one of many increasingly disturbing episodes. From the description of her behaviour and symptoms, it feels fairly obvious what 'may' be the problem, but it doesn't matter overly. The story moves to a rehabilitation 'camp' for teenagers suffering a multitude of mental issues.
Here Olive is encouraged to join in, to talk to other residents, to look in depth at her problems. Never one to give in easily to authority, Olive tries to find her own way into understanding herself and solving her issues.
There is an enjoyable range of characters in Camp Reset, who are all recognisable as individuals, a sign of good writing. I felt a few times that this was reminiscent of Juno Dawson's 'Clean' but the premises are not the same at all.
Olive is highly likeable, though you can see her problems coming. She's funny, aware of her charms, though less so of her mental health, and keen to make a difference. It's good to see her move from examining herself to seeing the bigger picture.
Though we did get glimpses into the mental issues of the other camp residents, it was the Olive Show, despite some realistic teenagers in there.
Some uplifting ideas in here, some powerful scenes of adolescents struggling to cope with modern life and their own internal disturbances. The focus on teamwork and helping each other was a good one and there's a warm feeling awaiting you at the end...
Some slightly graphic sexual content, frank discussions on mental health and relationships, make this a book best suited to older teens.
One for ages 14 and above.
Holly Bourne has been on my radar for several years, but this is my first. It's refreshing to read teenage-aimed books that put a spotlight on mental illness.
We meet a youth, Olive, who clearly isn't mentally well, but who refuses to know her diagnosis, though accepting she needs help after one of many increasingly disturbing episodes. From the description of her behaviour and symptoms, it feels fairly obvious what 'may' be the problem, but it doesn't matter overly. The story moves to a rehabilitation 'camp' for teenagers suffering a multitude of mental issues.
Here Olive is encouraged to join in, to talk to other residents, to look in depth at her problems. Never one to give in easily to authority, Olive tries to find her own way into understanding herself and solving her issues.
There is an enjoyable range of characters in Camp Reset, who are all recognisable as individuals, a sign of good writing. I felt a few times that this was reminiscent of Juno Dawson's 'Clean' but the premises are not the same at all.
Olive is highly likeable, though you can see her problems coming. She's funny, aware of her charms, though less so of her mental health, and keen to make a difference. It's good to see her move from examining herself to seeing the bigger picture.
Though we did get glimpses into the mental issues of the other camp residents, it was the Olive Show, despite some realistic teenagers in there.
Some uplifting ideas in here, some powerful scenes of adolescents struggling to cope with modern life and their own internal disturbances. The focus on teamwork and helping each other was a good one and there's a warm feeling awaiting you at the end...
Some slightly graphic sexual content, frank discussions on mental health and relationships, make this a book best suited to older teens.
One for ages 14 and above.
farta_h's review against another edition
5.0
#Bekindtoyourself
The collage at the end was absolutely amazing.
One thing to highlight for me though is:
I understand if you have a mental illness but one thing for a FACT is, though it may explain an issue we’ve caused, it doesn’t and will never justify it.
The collage at the end was absolutely amazing.
One thing to highlight for me though is:
I understand if you have a mental illness but one thing for a FACT is, though it may explain an issue we’ve caused, it doesn’t and will never justify it.
almondcookies's review against another edition
2.0
This is an unbelievably low rating from me for a Holly Bourne book, but after stewing for a few days, I think I’ve narrowed down the problem. The MC, Olive, is fundamentally unlikeable and spends the whole book spiralling without any growth.
Stories are generally plot driven or character driven. Maybe we follow the MC through their adventures with the key aim being to see where the story goes (plot driven) or the journey MC goes on and what they learnt from whatever they experienced (character driven). The issue is that this book is neither of these. It lies in the incomplete nether region.
This book is not plot driven as evidenced by us not seeing the Notting Hill Carnival conclusion, or even the event itself. We have a rough idea of what happened at the Carnival itself, but what happens after? What is the lasting impact of the Kindness Virus? What happens to the kids after they come back from London? We don’t know, and we aren’t going to know. (Not to burst anyone’s bubble but from my personal experience of being trapped in Notting Hill Carnival - when I just wanted to take a walk from White City! - then got enveloped by this mass of gyrating bodies and ear drum shatteringly loud music, looking for an exit or bus to escape and failing for HOURS, everyone just gets high and forgets everything the next day. Ie. Lasting impact of kindness virus = close to nill.)
Another example is that we don’t see how any of the kids fare after they leave Camp Reset, or indeed, Olive herself in the aftermath or even her eventual conversation with her family. There are several other reviews that complain about this, and there’s a reason that incompleteness feels so hollow to us: because up until this point, it is only half the story. We watch Olive through her highs and how she comes crashing down. What we need for some kind of closure is to see how she picks herself up again. This is an especially big problem in a mental health book, where the main character is unlikeable. You have proven to us she’s unlikeable. Show us her growth to likability.
In the wise words of Avatar, “When you reach you lowest point, that is when you are open to the greatest change.” Olive has hit that lowest point, but we have yet to see her greatest change.
Let’s face it, people with mental health illnesses are not the most likeable of individuals, because they’re caught up in their own world. Telling only half a story through this MC exacerbates the problem. Not only is she unlikeable, we never see her become likeable because the story cuts out right at the part she can decide to make a change.
In conclusion, as the book rightly states: what happened to you is not your fault, but it is your responsibility to deal with it. At this point, Olive is only on the brink of emotionally realising her mental illness is not her fault, let alone anywhere close to taking responsibility for how she treats others.
--------
Initial thoughts:
The unlikeable main character and incomplete nature of this story are so jarring, that despite the positive message, I'm not sure I like this at all.
Stories are generally plot driven or character driven. Maybe we follow the MC through their adventures with the key aim being to see where the story goes (plot driven) or the journey MC goes on and what they learnt from whatever they experienced (character driven). The issue is that this book is neither of these. It lies in the incomplete nether region.
This book is not plot driven as evidenced by us not seeing the Notting Hill Carnival conclusion, or even the event itself. We have a rough idea of what happened at the Carnival itself, but what happens after? What is the lasting impact of the Kindness Virus? What happens to the kids after they come back from London? We don’t know, and we aren’t going to know. (Not to burst anyone’s bubble but from my personal experience of being trapped in Notting Hill Carnival - when I just wanted to take a walk from White City! - then got enveloped by this mass of gyrating bodies and ear drum shatteringly loud music, looking for an exit or bus to escape and failing for HOURS, everyone just gets high and forgets everything the next day. Ie. Lasting impact of kindness virus = close to nill.)
Another example is that we don’t see how any of the kids fare after they leave Camp Reset, or indeed, Olive herself in the aftermath or even her eventual conversation with her family. There are several other reviews that complain about this, and there’s a reason that incompleteness feels so hollow to us: because up until this point, it is only half the story. We watch Olive through her highs and how she comes crashing down. What we need for some kind of closure is to see how she picks herself up again. This is an especially big problem in a mental health book, where the main character is unlikeable. You have proven to us she’s unlikeable. Show us her growth to likability.
In the wise words of Avatar, “When you reach you lowest point, that is when you are open to the greatest change.” Olive has hit that lowest point, but we have yet to see her greatest change.
Let’s face it, people with mental health illnesses are not the most likeable of individuals, because they’re caught up in their own world. Telling only half a story through this MC exacerbates the problem. Not only is she unlikeable, we never see her become likeable because the story cuts out right at the part she can decide to make a change.
In conclusion, as the book rightly states: what happened to you is not your fault, but it is your responsibility to deal with it. At this point, Olive is only on the brink of emotionally realising her mental illness is not her fault, let alone anywhere close to taking responsibility for how she treats others.
--------
Initial thoughts:
The unlikeable main character and incomplete nature of this story are so jarring, that despite the positive message, I'm not sure I like this at all.
geegee_74's review against another edition
4.0
An excellent YA book which successfully takes us inside the head of a teen struggling with severe mental health issues at a time when she's supposed to be studying and partying. The world of the rehab clinic is a superb YA device to get the teens away from their parents in order to tell their own stories.
rhidee's review against another edition
4.0
Quite triggering for anyone who has been through negative self-thoughts or mental illness of any kind, so be warned. Great ride through the mind of the main character, and while much of it was predictable, that did not make it less enjoyable. Actually felt like it was much shorter than it was because it flowed so easily. My favourite part was the literary device of blank chapters.
themisssmas's review against another edition
3.0
Rounded up to 3.5. Overall I enjoyed this book. I wished it ended a bit better and to some conclusions but guess there isn't always conclusions to mental health. Felt like we should have at least got to the very end of her journey at the facility and maybe even a bit afterwards but that's just because I'm intrigued on how things would have went with olive and Lewis.
sillycreature's review against another edition
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
3.75
jenny_564320's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-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
4.0