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its_elyses_pieces's review against another edition
4.0
What a wild story. "Brain on Fire" was a fantastic and fast read. I'd say the first two thirds were the most gripping, since the mystery sort of wraps up quickly after that point. Still, I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a good story with a happy ending.
I admit I couldn't follow all of the terminology Cahalan used, especially when it was explaining the functioning parts of the brain. But anyone who loves neurology would likely find those parts to be quite fascinating, getting to read the scientific breakdown of what was happening to her brain.
I really felt for Cahalan as a girl my age going through something so terrifying as to lose your mind. It's not a fear many 24 year-olds consider, I suspect, so I found the first 100 pages were incredibly shocking and heartbreaking to read.
Although quite talented, I wouldn't necessarily celebrate Cahalan as a ground-breaking author. By all means, her writing is good, but it's not the best I've read. She has a tendency in the first 50 pages leading up to the downfall to say things like "This was the last time I ever [insert experience]." And then the next chapter would also finish off saying, "This was the last time I ever saw [insert person]." Or that's how it felt to me.
But don't let that discourage you. For her pointed writing style only added to the experience, in my opinion. It reminded me that the narrator was just a young woman, like myself. Cahalan showed incredible strength and determination in not only surviving the ordeal but going on to share this very intimate story with the world.
A must-read.
I admit I couldn't follow all of the terminology Cahalan used, especially when it was explaining the functioning parts of the brain. But anyone who loves neurology would likely find those parts to be quite fascinating, getting to read the scientific breakdown of what was happening to her brain.
I really felt for Cahalan as a girl my age going through something so terrifying as to lose your mind. It's not a fear many 24 year-olds consider, I suspect, so I found the first 100 pages were incredibly shocking and heartbreaking to read.
Although quite talented, I wouldn't necessarily celebrate Cahalan as a ground-breaking author. By all means, her writing is good, but it's not the best I've read. She has a tendency in the first 50 pages leading up to the downfall to say things like "This was the last time I ever [insert experience]." And then the next chapter would also finish off saying, "This was the last time I ever saw [insert person]." Or that's how it felt to me.
But don't let that discourage you. For her pointed writing style only added to the experience, in my opinion. It reminded me that the narrator was just a young woman, like myself. Cahalan showed incredible strength and determination in not only surviving the ordeal but going on to share this very intimate story with the world.
A must-read.
mpapomeroy's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
4.75
drusmilford's review against another edition
4.0
Fascinating and at the same time frightening to think of happening.
gabsdiore's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
3.75
eliselerario's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
A must-read for people in the medical field and people affected by the medical field (everyone)
lisakerd's review against another edition
5.0
Highly, highly recommended this eloquently narrated memoir to anyone intrigued by psychology, neurology, and the medical sciences. The story reads almost like a mystery novel - attempting to unravel the cause of Cahalan's symptoms. The introspection derived from the story, as to the implications of an upset brain, are sobering.
bibliobrandie's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book and was 150 pages into it in no time. Susannah does a great job of taking the reader inside her month of madness and has obviously done her journalistic duties into researching the medical and scientific parts. There were times in the middle that dragged on a bit, maybe too much "will I ever be the same person?" But she ties it all up nicely in the end. We are discussing the book this week at the library's book club and I am interested to see how everyone else liked it.
lorabishop's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
4.5