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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia
Minor: Forced institutionalization
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This audiobook review was prepared for and appears in AudioFile Magazine.
Aaron and Tillie are two depressed teens whose shared story plays out in four different scenarios, all narrated by Marin Ireland in a moving performance. They meet on the George Washington Bridge when both are contemplating jumping, and the story unfolds to detail what happens if one, both, or neither dies by suicide. Aaron is a musician whose songs--arranged by Konigsberg and hauntingly performed by Ireland--never get the recognition he craves. The third scenario, in which both teens die, describes the countless ways Aaron's and Tillie's friends, family, and even strangers are changed irreparably by the loss, demonstrating the concept that everyone matters. Ireland excels in particular in her narration of Aaron's manic episode, in which she employs mania's signature fast-paced, intense speech.
Aaron and Tillie are two depressed teens whose shared story plays out in four different scenarios, all narrated by Marin Ireland in a moving performance. They meet on the George Washington Bridge when both are contemplating jumping, and the story unfolds to detail what happens if one, both, or neither dies by suicide. Aaron is a musician whose songs--arranged by Konigsberg and hauntingly performed by Ireland--never get the recognition he craves. The third scenario, in which both teens die, describes the countless ways Aaron's and Tillie's friends, family, and even strangers are changed irreparably by the loss, demonstrating the concept that everyone matters. Ireland excels in particular in her narration of Aaron's manic episode, in which she employs mania's signature fast-paced, intense speech.
An amazingly powerful book with one of the most realistic yet hopeful depictions of depression, mania and suicide I've ever read. It authentically captures these experiences in a way that feels like the author has truly lived them, rather than only seen them from the outside.
My family has never been supportive with mental health and see depression as being crazy, weak, etc and the message of this book was much needed.
My family has never been supportive with mental health and see depression as being crazy, weak, etc and the message of this book was much needed.
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i loved this book so much it’s the quickest i’ve read a book all year
So, this was a very heavy book to read and while I think it's an important read, I don't think it's suited for everyone. Even though I'm currently on rather good terms with my mental health, I felt very triggered at times.
However, it's a beautiful (but also tragic) story that was written and thought out extremely well. I do loved the few callbacks to the different scenario while reading the last one.
However, it's a beautiful (but also tragic) story that was written and thought out extremely well. I do loved the few callbacks to the different scenario while reading the last one.
At the intersection of two depressed and suicidal teens on a bridge, Bill Konigsberg gives us four different outcomes. As someone with lived experience he deftly conveys the thoughts and feelings of someone who is experiencing depression. He also shows the impact of family and friends, both positive and negative, in the trajectory of these teen’s lives and their mental health. There are some particularly difficult sections to read but there are moments of hopefulness, too.
There is so much stigma around mental illness but this book helps teens see they are not alone in their experience and that help is available to them. In fact, a few resources are included for those in the US and Canada after the Author’s Note.
This is my first Bill Konigsberg novel but it won't be my last.
Thank you @Scholastic for the ARC.
There is so much stigma around mental illness but this book helps teens see they are not alone in their experience and that help is available to them. In fact, a few resources are included for those in the US and Canada after the Author’s Note.
This is my first Bill Konigsberg novel but it won't be my last.
Thank you @Scholastic for the ARC.
This is the second time through that I've read this book, and I can't tell you how powerful it was for me to read. I've felt a lot of those same emotions, and the same types of pain the teens are facing. And similarly to the teens in the book, I've been at a point of wanting to take those measures to end the pain I'm feeling. And the first time I read it I had to stop part way through because of the content. But after finishing it, both times, it's been one of the most helpful books I've read. Reading the feelings, and their situations (although fictional) have been able to help me rationalise my own thoughts and feelings, and have helped me to understand the whys of my actions and near-actions. I'd urge people to proceed with some caution for the content of this book, however, it's one well worth reading if you're struggling with these things, and I hope it helps you the way it did for me. And if you haven't struggled in that way, it might be an opportunity to understand the feelings and reasons behind such decisions.
Honestly, I hated this book. Flat out. My biggest complaint was the dialogue and honestly any seen with social media or texting, because it felt so disingenuous to how all of the teenagers I know communicate. The writing just did not do it for me. I’ll break this down by section for more specifics.
The first section was the worst, in my opinion. It focuses largely on Aaron, and I couldn’t stand him for the duration of it. I’m a mentally ill gay jewish teenager from New York, so for me to have this much trouble relating to or empathizing with Aaron was incredibly frustrating.
The second I found to be a great improvement. I definitely enjoyed Tillie confronting everyone she had to and kind of forming a support system in the process, but once again I found the dialogue frustratingly unrealistic. I also just could not take seriously Molly’s dark series being that she wanted to go to a con because *checks notes* she reads fantasy books?
The third section was probably the best, in my opinion. It gave a different perspective (far more long term) that I actually even liked.
The fourth section I thought had a strong start, and I sort of liked it until I started paying attention and realized how much I hated it. Any professional would immediately advise Aaron and Tillie not to accidentally make their recoveries dependent on one another, and they went and did it on purpose. Their relationship was incredibly upsetting to me because all I could think of was how draining and difficult that type of friendship is.
This book was definitely an interesting concept, but I found it almost impossible to get through.
The first section was the worst, in my opinion. It focuses largely on Aaron, and I couldn’t stand him for the duration of it. I’m a mentally ill gay jewish teenager from New York, so for me to have this much trouble relating to or empathizing with Aaron was incredibly frustrating.
The second I found to be a great improvement. I definitely enjoyed Tillie confronting everyone she had to and kind of forming a support system in the process, but once again I found the dialogue frustratingly unrealistic. I also just could not take seriously Molly’s dark series being that she wanted to go to a con because *checks notes* she reads fantasy books?
The third section was probably the best, in my opinion. It gave a different perspective (far more long term) that I actually even liked.
The fourth section I thought had a strong start, and I sort of liked it until I started paying attention and realized how much I hated it. Any professional would immediately advise Aaron and Tillie not to accidentally make their recoveries dependent on one another, and they went and did it on purpose. Their relationship was incredibly upsetting to me because all I could think of was how draining and difficult that type of friendship is.
This book was definitely an interesting concept, but I found it almost impossible to get through.
This book literally touched my heart in so many ways— I haven’t cried at a book in a long time but this book had me breaking down sobbing because the way the author writes makes you really empathetic to Aaron and Tillie and the troubles they go through in their lives.
I felt like I could understand how the characters felt, and when bad things happened to them I could feel their grief through the pages. Every time Tillie talked about how her father didn’t love her, I could feel my heart break right along with her, and the same when Aaron was sad and no one listened to his music. Even from the perspective of their parents finding out they had taken their lives made me start to cry.
The author has a beautiful way of expressing the inner voices of the characters that really makes you feel for them, and this is such a great novel about mental health and coming to terms with who you are. I would highly recommend this book to everyone.
I felt like I could understand how the characters felt, and when bad things happened to them I could feel their grief through the pages. Every time Tillie talked about how her father didn’t love her, I could feel my heart break right along with her, and the same when Aaron was sad and no one listened to his music. Even from the perspective of their parents finding out they had taken their lives made me start to cry.
The author has a beautiful way of expressing the inner voices of the characters that really makes you feel for them, and this is such a great novel about mental health and coming to terms with who you are. I would highly recommend this book to everyone.