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barefootmegz's review
1.0
I am not going to sugar-coat it: The Lost Language of Crazy has some major problems, the greatest of which is that the writing style varies wildly, and is not always appropriate - or even accessible - to the presumed age group (early-YA). The majority of the book, when in Penny/Pilar’s voice, is extremely juvenile and very exclamation-y. That may be okay for her age group, although possibly TOO juvenile.
On the other hand, the psychiatric excerpts are way, WAY beyond the comprehension of the average twelve-year-old, and do not at all further the story. In fact, it is repetitive and jarring.
Parts of Pilar’s experiences are extremely traumatic, and when addressed in a YA book, it needs to be done with sensitivity. I don’t see much of that at all. I also don’t see much faith in therapy and medication - the implication seems to be that Pilar eventually “magically” becomes better.
Disturbingly, the use of the word “crazy”, while noted, is not truly addressed. One might think that a book about mental illness would address the stigma and insensitivity of the word, and encourage alternative words instead. It is, after all, a book about a young writer. Instead, the author simply describes the various meanings of “crazy”.
One thing in the book’s favour is inclusivity. Characters in this book are queer, POC, immigrants, and mentally ill. However, I don’t think it was really necessary to make EACH of those characters a focal point. Minority characters are allowed to be part of a story without ALL having their lives described in detail. Otherwise, it comes off as checking boxes instead of being realistic and inclusive.
The concept of consent briefly appears (perhaps as an added stressor in Pilar's life?), but for such an important topic, it is really rushed.
Finally, my biggest gripe is the way in which mental illness, and specifically schizophrenia, is described. Schizophrenia IS NOT Multiple Personality Disorder. Please read that again. This is a commonly made mistake, but something I expect an author and editor to pick up on before they write/publish about it. The way in which these illnesses are described add to the confusion and stigma, rather than informing young people in order for them to be more empathic. And the way in which the question of whether Pilar might inherit her mother's illness is handled, is frankly irresponsible. schizophrenia has a major genetic component, and no amount of "strength" can change that. Whether Pilar might inherit her mother's illness is a much more nuanced issue. It is one thing to describe Pilar's distress and fears about that, and another thing entirely to presume to answer that in the novel.
I am a huge fan of books that address mental illness, especially for younger age groups, but they have a huge responsibility to do be safe, sensitive, and accurate. The Lost Language of Crazy does not achieve that.
On the other hand, the psychiatric excerpts are way, WAY beyond the comprehension of the average twelve-year-old, and do not at all further the story. In fact, it is repetitive and jarring.
Parts of Pilar’s experiences are extremely traumatic, and when addressed in a YA book, it needs to be done with sensitivity. I don’t see much of that at all. I also don’t see much faith in therapy and medication - the implication seems to be that Pilar eventually “magically” becomes better.
Disturbingly, the use of the word “crazy”, while noted, is not truly addressed. One might think that a book about mental illness would address the stigma and insensitivity of the word, and encourage alternative words instead. It is, after all, a book about a young writer. Instead, the author simply describes the various meanings of “crazy”.
One thing in the book’s favour is inclusivity. Characters in this book are queer, POC, immigrants, and mentally ill. However, I don’t think it was really necessary to make EACH of those characters a focal point. Minority characters are allowed to be part of a story without ALL having their lives described in detail. Otherwise, it comes off as checking boxes instead of being realistic and inclusive.
The concept of consent briefly appears (perhaps as an added stressor in Pilar's life?), but for such an important topic, it is really rushed.
Finally, my biggest gripe is the way in which mental illness, and specifically schizophrenia, is described. Schizophrenia IS NOT Multiple Personality Disorder. Please read that again. This is a commonly made mistake, but something I expect an author and editor to pick up on before they write/publish about it. The way in which these illnesses are described add to the confusion and stigma, rather than informing young people in order for them to be more empathic. And the way in which the question of whether Pilar might inherit her mother's illness is handled, is frankly irresponsible. schizophrenia has a major genetic component, and no amount of "strength" can change that. Whether Pilar might inherit her mother's illness is a much more nuanced issue. It is one thing to describe Pilar's distress and fears about that, and another thing entirely to presume to answer that in the novel.
I am a huge fan of books that address mental illness, especially for younger age groups, but they have a huge responsibility to do be safe, sensitive, and accurate. The Lost Language of Crazy does not achieve that.
ameserole's review
3.0
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Lost Language of Crazy was an interesting book to dive into. It definitely dove into mental health/illness but it also dove into a person's identity. After meeting Penny, it was pretty obvious how unique she was. I've never known someone who would choose a new name for them whenever they wanted. So I really thought it was pretty interesting and I wanted to get to know her more.
I honestly wasn't expecting so much representation throughout this book. I liked how we dove into schizophrenia. Especially when we dove into her visiting her mother. Other than that, I liked her found family in a way. It was refreshing how everyone she surrounded herself with just went with the new name change like that. Zero hesitation whatsoever.
Then once she goes into selective mutism, well, her friends try to do anything to get her to speak. Even her own dad did. They missed her being her and didn't really know what to do. Eventually she did speak but I liked how no one truly gave up on her no matter what.
In the end, I did end up liking the book. I just think some of the book got jumbled up for me but I'm sure there was a reason for how it was written those ways. I'll definitely have to dive into this again when it's less hectic in my life. Maybe I'll see it in a different light.
The Lost Language of Crazy was an interesting book to dive into. It definitely dove into mental health/illness but it also dove into a person's identity. After meeting Penny, it was pretty obvious how unique she was. I've never known someone who would choose a new name for them whenever they wanted. So I really thought it was pretty interesting and I wanted to get to know her more.
I honestly wasn't expecting so much representation throughout this book. I liked how we dove into schizophrenia. Especially when we dove into her visiting her mother. Other than that, I liked her found family in a way. It was refreshing how everyone she surrounded herself with just went with the new name change like that. Zero hesitation whatsoever.
Then once she goes into selective mutism, well, her friends try to do anything to get her to speak. Even her own dad did. They missed her being her and didn't really know what to do. Eventually she did speak but I liked how no one truly gave up on her no matter what.
In the end, I did end up liking the book. I just think some of the book got jumbled up for me but I'm sure there was a reason for how it was written those ways. I'll definitely have to dive into this again when it's less hectic in my life. Maybe I'll see it in a different light.
kayu99's review
3.0
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The first third of this book felt like it was missing substance. It felt empty, like it was missing something. At first, none of the characters (except for Penny, slightly) were likable, but this changed as the story continued and the characters became more developed. There is a definite turning point in the story, and the writing style improved from there. Overall, this is a compelling story about mental illness and its effects on multiple lives. The title is extremely apt. I enjoyed the parallels between some of the characters' families and how Penny's friendships with Zeina, Johnny, and Ava evolved. However, the overly exuberant writing style detracts from the overall effect--there were tons of exclamation points sprinkled throughout, and it was sometimes jarring.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about schizophrenia, selective mutism, depression, and mental illness and its effects on family dynamics. Definitely thought-provoking.
The first third of this book felt like it was missing substance. It felt empty, like it was missing something. At first, none of the characters (except for Penny, slightly) were likable, but this changed as the story continued and the characters became more developed. There is a definite turning point in the story, and the writing style improved from there. Overall, this is a compelling story about mental illness and its effects on multiple lives. The title is extremely apt. I enjoyed the parallels between some of the characters' families and how Penny's friendships with Zeina, Johnny, and Ava evolved. However, the overly exuberant writing style detracts from the overall effect--there were tons of exclamation points sprinkled throughout, and it was sometimes jarring.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about schizophrenia, selective mutism, depression, and mental illness and its effects on family dynamics. Definitely thought-provoking.
unwrappingwords's review
2.0
Thank you to Atmosphere Press for providing me with a copy of this book via NetGalley. All views remain my own.
I was really keen to check this book out, especially after seeing the premise. There are a lot of themes just mentioned in the blurb, themes which, honestly, it’s great to see explored within Middle Grade and YA, but to me, The Lost Language of Crazy really failed to hit the mark.
Penelope is a thirteen-year-old girl who dreams of being a writer. At the start of the book, she explains she changes her name regularly, trying on different ones to find ones that fit. For a large part of the book, she is known as ‘Pilar’ to various people. P has won an award for a play based on her and her father, but it doesn’t have an ending and she feels pressured when her teacher discusses the future performance. P wants to play the dad, but the teacher says she can’t do that. When P discovers a secret about her past and her parents, she loses her voice, and finds herself unable to communicate.
To start, I want to say I can how the author really is trying with this book, and is striving towards diverse representation. However, it felt like the book was too simplistic to get into any of the sort of in-depth exploration these themes really deserve. A lot of it, too, read as if it was set in the 80s or 90s, when it’s supposed to be present day. Just the way some of the characters interact and deal with certain issues, especially when it came to mental health, felt more akin to the reception and treatment of mental health in decades past rather than the last 15 years.
P’s best friends are a young Muslim girl and a young trans boy, though the word trans, as far as I recall, is never used. He is also consistently referred to by the protagonist by his deadname, as in, “…when he used to be…” or as “when he used to be a girl…”. As for her best friend, there’s a lot of references to her not wanting to wear her hijab, but this is so little explored it feels almost squeezed in. It feels like there were just a lot of instances where a little more research into some harmful tropes could have been beneficial.
I think a lot of this book could have been really strengthened by that extra leg of research, a bit more exploration into the characters, and even by setting it fifteen, twenty years previously. There’s a very…seemingly outdated view of a psychiatric facility, and the treatment of certain illnesses. It all feels a bit over the place. The style itself is a bit jumbled as a way of conveying P’s own mindset, but often this is at a detriment to the story itself.
I usually try to find the good in books, the things I liked that others might be drawn to more than I was. Unfortunately, there’s little I really liked in this book. I do think the author is trying very hard to bring attention to mental health issues, especially in Middle Grade, and it’s definitely a theme that needs more exploration in this age range, but too much of this book came off as clumsy and poorly researched.
I was really keen to check this book out, especially after seeing the premise. There are a lot of themes just mentioned in the blurb, themes which, honestly, it’s great to see explored within Middle Grade and YA, but to me, The Lost Language of Crazy really failed to hit the mark.
Penelope is a thirteen-year-old girl who dreams of being a writer. At the start of the book, she explains she changes her name regularly, trying on different ones to find ones that fit. For a large part of the book, she is known as ‘Pilar’ to various people. P has won an award for a play based on her and her father, but it doesn’t have an ending and she feels pressured when her teacher discusses the future performance. P wants to play the dad, but the teacher says she can’t do that. When P discovers a secret about her past and her parents, she loses her voice, and finds herself unable to communicate.
To start, I want to say I can how the author really is trying with this book, and is striving towards diverse representation. However, it felt like the book was too simplistic to get into any of the sort of in-depth exploration these themes really deserve. A lot of it, too, read as if it was set in the 80s or 90s, when it’s supposed to be present day. Just the way some of the characters interact and deal with certain issues, especially when it came to mental health, felt more akin to the reception and treatment of mental health in decades past rather than the last 15 years.
P’s best friends are a young Muslim girl and a young trans boy, though the word trans, as far as I recall, is never used. He is also consistently referred to by the protagonist by his deadname, as in, “…when he used to be…” or as “when he used to be a girl…”. As for her best friend, there’s a lot of references to her not wanting to wear her hijab, but this is so little explored it feels almost squeezed in. It feels like there were just a lot of instances where a little more research into some harmful tropes could have been beneficial.
I think a lot of this book could have been really strengthened by that extra leg of research, a bit more exploration into the characters, and even by setting it fifteen, twenty years previously. There’s a very…seemingly outdated view of a psychiatric facility, and the treatment of certain illnesses. It all feels a bit over the place. The style itself is a bit jumbled as a way of conveying P’s own mindset, but often this is at a detriment to the story itself.
I usually try to find the good in books, the things I liked that others might be drawn to more than I was. Unfortunately, there’s little I really liked in this book. I do think the author is trying very hard to bring attention to mental health issues, especially in Middle Grade, and it’s definitely a theme that needs more exploration in this age range, but too much of this book came off as clumsy and poorly researched.
readwithethel's review
3.0
Very mixed feelings
Key words: contemporary fiction, middle-grade, young adult, craziness, identity
I enjoyed this book but some parts more than others. Indeed, I don’t know if I was in a different mood or if it was just because of the story, but I enjoyed the first half much more than the second one.
The first half was more about setting the scene and letting the reader get to know the characters, the context for next events. It was quite poetic and I enjoyed it. The second half was quite different. The author focused on Penny and her losing her voice. It made Penny quite unlikeable in my opinion. There was also a lot of focus also around the word “crazy” and its different meaning. I felt like maybe this was pushed too much.
I recommend this book to people looking for a read about voices and craziness.
2.5/5
Thank you Netgalley for this eArc in exchange of my honest opinion
Key words: contemporary fiction, middle-grade, young adult, craziness, identity
I enjoyed this book but some parts more than others. Indeed, I don’t know if I was in a different mood or if it was just because of the story, but I enjoyed the first half much more than the second one.
The first half was more about setting the scene and letting the reader get to know the characters, the context for next events. It was quite poetic and I enjoyed it. The second half was quite different. The author focused on Penny and her losing her voice. It made Penny quite unlikeable in my opinion. There was also a lot of focus also around the word “crazy” and its different meaning. I felt like maybe this was pushed too much.
I recommend this book to people looking for a read about voices and craziness.
2.5/5
Thank you Netgalley for this eArc in exchange of my honest opinion
rebekahlee's review
5.0
“Sometimes in life you just have to eat the eggplant Parmesan, even when you don’t want to, because you love the person who made it.”
This might be one of the best depictions of trauma I’ve ever read?? I finished this book in under 4 hours.
This book follows a 13 year old Penny/Pilar, stuck in a world of judgement, identity crisis and change. She is learning who she is, who her friends are, secrets about her parents, and struggling with becoming a writer. Her play is going to be performed not the way she envisioned it. Her small voice isn’t being heard, until she no longer has a voice.
So let me break down how many hurdles this book covers. You get to see how religion in young people trickles down from their parents, and how they struggle with their own religious beliefs. How teens accept a fellow transgender youth. A very difficult situation of being guilted for not “liking” a transgender individual not because they are trans, but just because you don’t have feelings for them. How immigrants are treated in the American work system, even when they have years of background and experience in their home country.
Dealing with mental illness through therapy. Acknowledging it doesn’t always work but you have to put in the effort. How your parents mental illness can or can’t effect you. Will you have the same struggles? Learning how to be strong for other people who are hurting, and knowing when you must step back and help yourself. When someone is not themself anymore, lost to mental illness, when they don’t know you most days. Disordered eating as a result of anxiety, as a way to punish your body. Comparing traumas because you are using anger as a coping mechanism. Dealing with all of this at just the age of 13. The list is endless.
So obviously this is a lot, I took so many notes because some of these topics hit so close to home. There is a situation I mentioned previously that I was in personally, I won’t share, but having an author write about this was just so validating and rewarding.
Even though the main character is only 13, it does not feel like a YA novel. I think teens could easily read this and learn a lot. It’s absolutely an emotional roller coaster, but you come out learning more then when you began.
I cannot recommend this book enough when it is published. I was shaken to my core and knew that only after a few chapters, it was a 5 star for me.
This might be one of the best depictions of trauma I’ve ever read?? I finished this book in under 4 hours.
This book follows a 13 year old Penny/Pilar, stuck in a world of judgement, identity crisis and change. She is learning who she is, who her friends are, secrets about her parents, and struggling with becoming a writer. Her play is going to be performed not the way she envisioned it. Her small voice isn’t being heard, until she no longer has a voice.
So let me break down how many hurdles this book covers. You get to see how religion in young people trickles down from their parents, and how they struggle with their own religious beliefs. How teens accept a fellow transgender youth. A very difficult situation of being guilted for not “liking” a transgender individual not because they are trans, but just because you don’t have feelings for them. How immigrants are treated in the American work system, even when they have years of background and experience in their home country.
Dealing with mental illness through therapy. Acknowledging it doesn’t always work but you have to put in the effort. How your parents mental illness can or can’t effect you. Will you have the same struggles? Learning how to be strong for other people who are hurting, and knowing when you must step back and help yourself. When someone is not themself anymore, lost to mental illness, when they don’t know you most days. Disordered eating as a result of anxiety, as a way to punish your body. Comparing traumas because you are using anger as a coping mechanism. Dealing with all of this at just the age of 13. The list is endless.
So obviously this is a lot, I took so many notes because some of these topics hit so close to home. There is a situation I mentioned previously that I was in personally, I won’t share, but having an author write about this was just so validating and rewarding.
Even though the main character is only 13, it does not feel like a YA novel. I think teens could easily read this and learn a lot. It’s absolutely an emotional roller coaster, but you come out learning more then when you began.
I cannot recommend this book enough when it is published. I was shaken to my core and knew that only after a few chapters, it was a 5 star for me.
ellemnope's review
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I hate being disappointed by a book with a good premise. Gah. There was so much here that had promise and I really wanted it to be a good exploration of mental illness in youth. Unfortunately, the execution fell very flat for me.
The topics covered are very important and there were certainly some good messages explored and some difficult circumstances addressed. I just felt that the meat of the story wasn't full enough and the central focus got a little watered down by too much packed into a small story. Though it started off strong for me, things got overwhelming near the middle mark and the ending felt like it was a bit of too many things thrown in a pot too fast. It spun off in a way where the story felt rushed and the careful exploration of the topics was lost.
The writing style was also a bit difficult for me. The voice sometimes felt overly childish despite the middle grade/younger young adult set audience. It felt too basic and occasionally cheesy, with the "crazy" analysis going over-the-top and really just unfortunately becoming annoying and a detractor from the story. The use of the medical chart information also took me out of the story and made things more of a tell vs. show experience. There were also a few things with regard to the experiences and independence of Penny and her friends that felt unbelievable. The characters sometimes did things that were well beyond their age group and these things were very apparent to me.
The characters had promise and I really wanted to root for Penny, but as soon as the story of her mother became involved, I felt like the focus got a little blurred. I understand the intentions behind this story line, but I think it could have been handled in a way where Penny stood more at the forefront and her exploration of her history and own mental health could have taken up more bulk.
For me, this felt like the case of a book sent to early to publishing. It needed a bit more fleshing out and a bit more scrutiny to make it believable, authentic, and powerful in its impact. A story like Penny's is one I'm interested in and one I think is important. This execution just didn't do what I needed it to.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
The topics covered are very important and there were certainly some good messages explored and some difficult circumstances addressed. I just felt that the meat of the story wasn't full enough and the central focus got a little watered down by too much packed into a small story. Though it started off strong for me, things got overwhelming near the middle mark and the ending felt like it was a bit of too many things thrown in a pot too fast. It spun off in a way where the story felt rushed and the careful exploration of the topics was lost.
The writing style was also a bit difficult for me. The voice sometimes felt overly childish despite the middle grade/younger young adult set audience. It felt too basic and occasionally cheesy, with the "crazy" analysis going over-the-top and really just unfortunately becoming annoying and a detractor from the story. The use of the medical chart information also took me out of the story and made things more of a tell vs. show experience. There were also a few things with regard to the experiences and independence of Penny and her friends that felt unbelievable. The characters sometimes did things that were well beyond their age group and these things were very apparent to me.
The characters had promise and I really wanted to root for Penny, but as soon as the story of her mother became involved, I felt like the focus got a little blurred. I understand the intentions behind this story line, but I think it could have been handled in a way where Penny stood more at the forefront and her exploration of her history and own mental health could have taken up more bulk.
For me, this felt like the case of a book sent to early to publishing. It needed a bit more fleshing out and a bit more scrutiny to make it believable, authentic, and powerful in its impact. A story like Penny's is one I'm interested in and one I think is important. This execution just didn't do what I needed it to.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
alexabarnes's review
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I got an arc of this and I was kind of surprised with how much I enjoyed this. The writing style was pretty easy to follow and the chapters were also really short. The mental illness and gender representation were good, and the diversity among the characters was also really great. Since this is from the pov of a 13-year-old girl, we can understand why she thinks like that. Overall, I recommend this if you're looking for a quick read that has good representation and character development.
resham's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review
The Lost Language of Crazy was a beautiful story about Penny who is currently writing a play but can't seem to find an ending that fits. She is surrounded by wonderful friends and a father but of course, feels the absence of her mother who she believes is dead.
I thoroughly enjoyed several aspects of this book such as the representation of different gender identities, expectations everyone feels from society and families, the way mental health problems are dealt with and talked about in the book
Although I could not fully enjoy the characterization of Zeina and her family. These characters are Muslim in the book, which could have been a wonderful chance to represent a minority community. I felt that certain aspects of their characterization were stereotypes such as Zeina being portrayed only as beautiful without her hijab and her father's anger issues.
Other than that, I think the book was overall a great and extremely quick read.
The Lost Language of Crazy was a beautiful story about Penny who is currently writing a play but can't seem to find an ending that fits. She is surrounded by wonderful friends and a father but of course, feels the absence of her mother who she believes is dead.
I thoroughly enjoyed several aspects of this book such as the representation of different gender identities, expectations everyone feels from society and families, the way mental health problems are dealt with and talked about in the book
Although I could not fully enjoy the characterization of Zeina and her family. These characters are Muslim in the book, which could have been a wonderful chance to represent a minority community. I felt that certain aspects of their characterization were stereotypes such as Zeina being portrayed only as beautiful without her hijab and her father's anger issues.
Other than that, I think the book was overall a great and extremely quick read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Self harm