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sparky_young_upstart's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I read this once before a few years ago and enjoyed it, but didn't retain any real details. It was also before I had a good understanding of mental illness representation in literature, especially YA. I saw it on my shelf and I started to wonder - was it as good as I remembered? Or was it a flawed attempt to bring an important subject to light?
I'm happy to say that, as far as I can tell, it's the former. I will admit I may be wrong in how well Schizophrenia is shown here - I don't have it or know anyone who has it. I like to say that I enough enough to know that I don't know much. But I have been learning about it in bits and pieces over the years, and while it may not be perfect, it certainly doesn't appear harmful. The overall message is that people with Schizophrenia and other illnesses that pop culture likes to classify as "maniacs" can truly live and thrive with the disease - provided, of course, that they get the necessary support from friends, family, and mental health professionals. You can try and wait for them to pass or handle them yourself, but in the end it's a group effort.
I used to have this at four stars, I've upped it to five. The main characters are even fresher and better defined than I remember. Even the adults, who don't get the same focus as Frenchy, Stewart, or Kaela, are fully realized beings. Frenchy's father, who committed suicide before the book began and therefore is never really seen, is still clear in my mind because of how well he was described both before and after he was involved in the war.
The teens themselves are also very realistic. They can make bad choices and ignore good advice and they can be selfish, which are all things that I know I did when I was young. The choices aren't always good, but they are true to the characters and so I can't argue with them. When it comes to Stewarts delusions, you could FEEL the awkwardness and growing concern as Frenchy tries to bring him back to reality. It hits you in the feels, hard. And really, I think it was smart to build the book as an outsider looking in rather than as a firsthand experience.
Also, all the descriptions of what it's like being in a high school theatre production are spot on. I was having flash backs to my body warm-ups and blocking and being on both sides of the techie/actor divide. It adds another spirit of realism on top of everything.
There are some things I could nitpick about. There are a few elements that I wish had been introduced earlier on or referenced before their introduction that would've helped them had more impact when they occurred in the final moments. Some moments are drawn out a bit too long, and others rush by too quickly. But those are minor things. It's an overall great book.
I'm happy to say that, as far as I can tell, it's the former. I will admit I may be wrong in how well Schizophrenia is shown here - I don't have it or know anyone who has it. I like to say that I enough enough to know that I don't know much. But I have been learning about it in bits and pieces over the years, and while it may not be perfect, it certainly doesn't appear harmful. The overall message is that people with Schizophrenia and other illnesses that pop culture likes to classify as "maniacs" can truly live and thrive with the disease - provided, of course, that they get the necessary support from friends, family, and mental health professionals. You can try and wait for them to pass or handle them yourself, but in the end it's a group effort.
I used to have this at four stars, I've upped it to five. The main characters are even fresher and better defined than I remember. Even the adults, who don't get the same focus as Frenchy, Stewart, or Kaela, are fully realized beings. Frenchy's father, who committed suicide before the book began and therefore is never really seen, is still clear in my mind because of how well he was described both before and after he was involved in the war.
The teens themselves are also very realistic. They can make bad choices and ignore good advice and they can be selfish, which are all things that I know I did when I was young. The choices aren't always good, but they are true to the characters and so I can't argue with them. When it comes to Stewarts delusions, you could FEEL the awkwardness and growing concern as Frenchy tries to bring him back to reality. It hits you in the feels, hard. And really, I think it was smart to build the book as an outsider looking in rather than as a firsthand experience.
Also, all the descriptions of what it's like being in a high school theatre production are spot on. I was having flash backs to my body warm-ups and blocking and being on both sides of the techie/actor divide. It adds another spirit of realism on top of everything.
There are some things I could nitpick about. There are a few elements that I wish had been introduced earlier on or referenced before their introduction that would've helped them had more impact when they occurred in the final moments. Some moments are drawn out a bit too long, and others rush by too quickly. But those are minor things. It's an overall great book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Minor: Suicide
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