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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
It can be hard to write a story about depression and suicide that doesn’t become didactic or heavy-handed but this book handled its portrayal very sensitively, I thought. There’s not a resolution, exactly, and I think that the story and its ending can be read in more than one way, but I think this makes it all the more authentic. Nor is the book a downer—there’s a lot of tenderness and intimacy in its exploration of different kinds of human connection. What really sticks with me is how great a job this book did in depicting both the experience of depression and the experience of infatuation.
probably more of a 3.5 stars
hit way too close to home but also i think it's a pretty honest portrayal of mental illness so. also the writing is quite beautiful in parts.
hit way too close to home but also i think it's a pretty honest portrayal of mental illness so. also the writing is quite beautiful in parts.
"If you are fighting with your own sadness or love someone who is, this note is for you." - Author's Note, Rowan Hisayo Buchanan
Rowan manages to present struggles with depression in a way only those who have lived it can. Through the eyes of the protagonist, Mina, and her husband, Oscar, Starling Days explores mental illness, sexuality, racial identity, and relationships in a very familiar and relatable way.
Still, her references to women in classical mythology adds an ethereal quality to the story, though I would have liked to have seen Rowan take a greater risk and blur the lines between the women of her myths and her reality.
Rowan manages to present struggles with depression in a way only those who have lived it can. Through the eyes of the protagonist, Mina, and her husband, Oscar, Starling Days explores mental illness, sexuality, racial identity, and relationships in a very familiar and relatable way.
Still, her references to women in classical mythology adds an ethereal quality to the story, though I would have liked to have seen Rowan take a greater risk and blur the lines between the women of her myths and her reality.
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-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
LOVE LOVE LOVE. Everything about Starling Days is wonderful and perfect. Mina’s relationship with depression is refreshingly realistic, which in turn makes the novel hard to read at times as she thinks and acts in ways that felt very familiar. To lash out at those you love, to feel numb on the most important days of your life, to feel like your body begins to shut down and betray you, to know that deep down no matter how much you want to get better, you’ll always have this illness that’s inexplainable to those without it. I can only imagine the strength it took Buchanan to write this. We need more fictional characters with mental illness because it’s so common and because fiction is one of the best ways to find a perspective other than our own. I believe this book will provide such a perspective to its readers, and that makes this a very special and important novel. Beyond that, Buchanan writes with colorful lyrical prose (much like her debut novel), drawing you in between Mina and Oscar’s worlds seamlessly. I appreciate that Buchanan chose to write from Oscar’s perspective as well, which allows readers to see Mina’s illness from the viewpoint of a confused and frustrated loved one; however, there is a distance between the reader and Oscar that isn’t there with Mina, possibly encouraging us to listen carefully to her story? I’m sad I’m finished because I so looked forward to opening this up the past couple of days. Buchanan continues to amaze me, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.
“They said that to be loved you had to love yourself. Bullshit. How were you supposed to love yourself if no one else could see anything of value beneath your skin? No, she thought, it was the other way around. To love yourself you had to be loved.” (p. 59-60)
“They said that to be loved you had to love yourself. Bullshit. How were you supposed to love yourself if no one else could see anything of value beneath your skin? No, she thought, it was the other way around. To love yourself you had to be loved.” (p. 59-60)
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
When Mina first met Oscar, she told him she was bisexual, a vegetarian and on meds. He chose to marry her anyhow. Six months later he is called by the NYPD to come pick her up from the George Washington Bridge. The officers thought she intended to jump. As an attempt to help her heal, they decide to live temporarily in London. The idea is that Mina will focus on her research for a paper on the 'Women Who Survived' (mythological women who survived in the tales they were in). What actually happens is the stress of all that has happened in his short marriage to Mina hits Oscar hard, and he needs a break, and she grows attracted to his childhood friend, Phoebe, all while trying to come to terms with her sadness.
The main characters in this novel are tangible. Note that I didn't say likable. There were times I really thought Oscar was a jerk and Mina was the biggest fool. If anything, in my opinion, that's an argument for how real they felt. I wanted to shake them!
The book is more of a study on mental health and how it can complicate already complicated enough relationships. It wasn't an exciting plot, but I never wanted to put the book down either. It was very well written. Rowan Hisayo Buchanan uses language beautifully, definitely going above and beyond what was called for in the story. In fact, I highlighted in my Kindle app before I even -started- the story, in the dedication. I loved it. It perfectly sums it up. Let me share:
--Dedicated--
To everyone who struggles with black dogs or inner demons or any shape of sadness.
The settings of New York, Washington State, and London were all appropriate enough. Most of the real action occurred in our characters' minds, however, so the physical settings were neither here nor there.
This is a tough book to recommend. It won't be everyone's cup of tea. If you enjoy books that probe mental health and/or the complexities of relationships, it's for you.
The main characters in this novel are tangible. Note that I didn't say likable. There were times I really thought Oscar was a jerk and Mina was the biggest fool. If anything, in my opinion, that's an argument for how real they felt. I wanted to shake them!
The book is more of a study on mental health and how it can complicate already complicated enough relationships. It wasn't an exciting plot, but I never wanted to put the book down either. It was very well written. Rowan Hisayo Buchanan uses language beautifully, definitely going above and beyond what was called for in the story. In fact, I highlighted in my Kindle app before I even -started- the story, in the dedication. I loved it. It perfectly sums it up. Let me share:
--Dedicated--
To everyone who struggles with black dogs or inner demons or any shape of sadness.
The settings of New York, Washington State, and London were all appropriate enough. Most of the real action occurred in our characters' minds, however, so the physical settings were neither here nor there.
This is a tough book to recommend. It won't be everyone's cup of tea. If you enjoy books that probe mental health and/or the complexities of relationships, it's for you.