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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
informative
sad
medium-paced
dark
informative
slow-paced
dark
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Murder
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
The biography of a family suffering from schizophrenia—both those individuals who have the disease, as well as the members whose lives are forever altered because of the messy family relationships at the heart of this story. The case study for how schizophrenia presented in the Galvin family is fascinating in and of itself. Amongst the 12 children, half were diagnosed with the disease, all of them boys, at various levels of severity.
Kolker traced the history of treatment (and sometimes the lack thereof) within the Galvin family very admirably. I appreciate that Kolker also provided a fairly wide scope of the Galvins' interactions with the medical institution, as patients and as subjects, giving readers a good understanding of the complexity of this disease and the barriers which prevent people not only from seeking treatment but also scientists and doctors from trying to find it.
I will say that I'm not sure how effective this book was, written as a biography. Kolker clearly spent a lot of time with the family, and I have to wonder why this wasn't approached as some sort of memoir, with Kolker acting as a ghostwriter—perhaps from one or both of the sisters, who lived through incredibly traumatic experiences in their household. This is a story that would have been incredibly powerful written by one of the members. As it is, I felt like there was a lot of distance between me as a reader and the experiences of the family. Alternatively, it could have skewed more towards the science of the disease and firmly established itself as a scientific history of the disease. I don't think it found its footing in any particular genre, and suffered for that.
Kolker traced the history of treatment (and sometimes the lack thereof) within the Galvin family very admirably. I appreciate that Kolker also provided a fairly wide scope of the Galvins' interactions with the medical institution, as patients and as subjects, giving readers a good understanding of the complexity of this disease and the barriers which prevent people not only from seeking treatment but also scientists and doctors from trying to find it.
I will say that I'm not sure how effective this book was, written as a biography. Kolker clearly spent a lot of time with the family, and I have to wonder why this wasn't approached as some sort of memoir, with Kolker acting as a ghostwriter—perhaps from one or both of the sisters, who lived through incredibly traumatic experiences in their household. This is a story that would have been incredibly powerful written by one of the members. As it is, I felt like there was a lot of distance between me as a reader and the experiences of the family. Alternatively, it could have skewed more towards the science of the disease and firmly established itself as a scientific history of the disease. I don't think it found its footing in any particular genre, and suffered for that.
This author really did his research. This book is just jammed with incredible information on mental health in America that I knew almost none of before reading it. Definitely pace yourself because it’s not an easy read — the story is heartbreaking, and some of the sections on scientific discoveries were hard to understand if you are unfamiliar with science lingo.
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Well researched and interesting with some entertainment value with real life dialogue and accounts of what happened to and among this family.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Drug use, Incest, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Animal cruelty, Suicide attempt
(Trigger descriptions hidden behind spoilers) This book is about a family diagnosed with schizophrenia some of them may have been misdiagnosed but overall the mental illness in this family leans toward psychosis. Add that to the giant family dynamic and parents who preferred to let them fight it out rather than teach them healthy coping mechanisms and relationship skills, the abuse that happens is inevitable. There are graphic and descriptive incidents of child molestation by an older brother and gang rape by others. Sexual abuse by the family priest is mentioned but not in detail.
Those with mental illnesses are victims of the time with no intervention and with that comes neglect.
There is one instance of a successful murder-suicide and one attempt. Also mentions of attempted suicides, no details were shared outside that there was an attempt. Family dynamics explore abandonment and betrayal, manipulation by family members, physical violence among siblings, and caring for those unable to care for themselves.