Reviews

Mad Girl by Bryony Gordon

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starsteeker's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

3.75

sophieinsomerset's review against another edition

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4.0

An honest account of Bryony Gordon's experience living with OCD.

abigailyardimci's review

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emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

Ah, where to begin with this book? Basically, I loved it. Bryony shows such depth, courage and determined humour in every aspect of her account of experiencing OCD and depression. It was hard to put this book down as I wanted to experience her story like a flowing, non-stop journey, recounting, cringing and crying compassionately along with her. Totally acknowledging her privilege, Bryony explores OCD’s grip with such humility and warmth and anyone who has ever suffered will find comfort in these pages. I particularly loved the epilogue which banished any fairy tale endings and gave credit to the complexities of what it is to live with a mental health condition. This is a glowing beacon of a book - shining light in the places most people are scared to go.

prina81's review against another edition

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2.0

Interesting in parts but difficult to get through and a little too chatty...some (but not much) useful insight about OCD and mental health problems, but overall there are other books out there that tackle the issue much much better

jessienancy's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

Possibly the best description of OCD I have ever read in my life. It was like someone reached into my mind and put it in words. It was also REALLY interesting to read someone who has a different cocktail of mental illness with some of the same overlapping ones and seeing how different factors and symptoms and thought processes overlap. It made me feel not alone.

I think that the title is interesting - 'A Happy Life with a Mixed Up Mind' - it adds to the way that throughout the book she continues to emphasise that at some points, she *was* happy, and through some of her darkest days, there were good things, and that there have always been things to pull her through, and parts of her life that she loved and took great joy in - Star Wars, Take That, her sister, Journalism. And that's the way that it is with mental health a lot of the time - the world can feel bleak and alone and hopeless but still, there might be good things and things that bring you joy, that don't necessarily negate the bad, but still matter.