Reviews with content warning for Mental illness - You'd Be Home Now

Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

You'd Be Home Now by Kathleen Glasgow

38 reviews

memoirsofabooklover's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book was beautiful. I haven't read one of Kathleen's books before but now I need to read the rest. It was incredibly sad, right from the first page and the ending wasn't particularly happy but it was hopeful. This book really highlights the importance of judge not, lest we too be judged. These characters are each going through their own tragedies and just trying to keep their heads above water and survive. It brings home the importance of trying to look outside your own world for a bit and see that others are hurting too. You may not be able to fix what is happening in your own life but that doesn't mean you need to bury your head in the sand and not try to help those around you that you can help. Unfortunately, I don't think Emory really internalised this concept by the end as during this book, she was obviously focusing on her brother and her own family tragedies. But, these wonderful, imperfect people surround her through this book but I don't think she ever really asks them how they are, they occasionally offer up something about their lives but Emory never checks in or asks them how they're doing. She was going through a lot and I know how you can get lost in your own world so much so that everything around you becomes an afterthought, but, hopefully, those things will come with growth and maturity.

A specific example that comes to mind is the alluding towards Liza being sexually assaulted, maybe Emory never made the connections but it's obvious her trauma goes deeper than her parents leaving, and Emory never bothers to ask and we never really find out. I'm not upset about that though because this book was focused on Emory and Joey.

I liked that Kathleen chose to write this story from the perspective of Emory instead of Joey, it was very real. I connected with some of Emory's experiences and feelings, and it is important to hear how someone's mental health struggles and addiction can affect those around us. We don't delve too deeply into the other characters, even Joey, we hear bits and pieces but we never really get to understand him on a deeper level and I guess that is quite a good reflection on the world. You may know pieces of a person, but everyone has their own stories and all we can do is try to walk through this world with a little bit more grace and compassion in our hearts and actions.

Content Warnings