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brilarson 's review for:
Words on Bathroom Walls
by Julia Walton
I could have finished this probably 2 days sooner if it wasn’t for finals week. It’s not a long book and while there are some heavy parts or moments that make you stop and think, it was overall a smooth read.
I know that people doc this book for predicability or cliches. It’s true, there are chapters where you could probably guess the next line or scene. But I think the cheesiness cuts through the seriousness quite nicely. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As a psych major especially, I know it can be controversial to write about mental illness if you yourself don’t have it or aren’t closely affected by it. But you can tell Walton has done enough research to depict this quite accurately. I knew from the start in the moment Adam explains the difference between “positive” and “negative” symptoms that I should expect the rest of the book to follow what’s true about schizophrenia and not just stereotypical.
I think there’s something to like about almost every character, except Ian because he sucks and Paul’s mom who also sucks. Adam’s mom and Paul are two madly (and “disgustingly”) in love adults who are adamant about what’s best for Adam and will protect him above all else (yes I wanted to cry when Paul called Adam his son). Maya is out here representing us short, angry, logically based eldest Filipino daughters. Dwight is an all around good friend who was there when it mattered most. These people stick around even when Adam thinks he has hurt them beyond repair and even though he thinks he is undeserving or a burden. But as Maya and even her mom said, it’s their choice to make.
Mental illness is a serious topic and I know it may be frowned upon to turn it into a high school love story. But that turns it into “well this is unrealistic”. What’s unrealistic? The symptoms described were accurate, Adam being a teenage boy also had accurate thoughts and emotions. It may be uncommon for schizophrenia to onset so early but this still happens. I think a win is a win. This sheds light into schizophrenia for people who weren’t entirely aware of what it was but does so in an easy way. All around, it is a book I’d recommend.
I know that people doc this book for predicability or cliches. It’s true, there are chapters where you could probably guess the next line or scene. But I think the cheesiness cuts through the seriousness quite nicely. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As a psych major especially, I know it can be controversial to write about mental illness if you yourself don’t have it or aren’t closely affected by it. But you can tell Walton has done enough research to depict this quite accurately. I knew from the start in the moment Adam explains the difference between “positive” and “negative” symptoms that I should expect the rest of the book to follow what’s true about schizophrenia and not just stereotypical.
I think there’s something to like about almost every character, except Ian because he sucks and Paul’s mom who also sucks. Adam’s mom and Paul are two madly (and “disgustingly”) in love adults who are adamant about what’s best for Adam and will protect him above all else (yes I wanted to cry when Paul called Adam his son). Maya is out here representing us short, angry, logically based eldest Filipino daughters. Dwight is an all around good friend who was there when it mattered most. These people stick around even when Adam thinks he has hurt them beyond repair and even though he thinks he is undeserving or a burden. But as Maya and even her mom said, it’s their choice to make.
Mental illness is a serious topic and I know it may be frowned upon to turn it into a high school love story. But that turns it into “well this is unrealistic”. What’s unrealistic? The symptoms described were accurate, Adam being a teenage boy also had accurate thoughts and emotions. It may be uncommon for schizophrenia to onset so early but this still happens. I think a win is a win. This sheds light into schizophrenia for people who weren’t entirely aware of what it was but does so in an easy way. All around, it is a book I’d recommend.