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i_have_worms's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Mental illness
amyjayexo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
awebofstories's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
What a heartbreaking and beautiful yet difficult book!
Through the eyes of 4 different characters, we dive into the depths of mental illness. Lucia suffers from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, something in between, or something different. Because doctors can't find an exact diagnosis, she struggles with treatment. The three other people in her life all want the best for her. We have her older sister Miranda, who fights to find a diagnosis and treatment plan and tries everything in her power to get Lucia to do what she needs to do to say healthy. Lucia's husband, Yonah, loves her dearly but feels that medication is not only not helping but is making her situation worse. Finally, we have her young lover Manny who doesn't understand her illness but desperately wants to do what is right.
None of these characters is a true hero, yet all of them try to act with Lucia's best interests in mind. All four characters are flawed. Sometimes you will hate them, and sometimes you will cheer for them. Ultimately, you will feel deeply for them. There are no heroes or villains here, just humans.
This book is, at times, a tough read. We dive deep with Lucia and the others in her life into the depths of her mental illness. If this material is troubling for you, you should take care with this book. Lee does not back away from some of the harder material and reading it can be excruciating.
This book was not always enjoyable, but it deeply impacted me. I would recommend this to anyone.
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Mental illness
careinthelibrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
This book captures the imperfect responses of various family and friends to a loved one's schizoaffective disorder. Lucia's sister is so protective of her to the point of being overbearing and condescending, reducing her sister's life to "did you take your pills" out of her desperate, obsessive concern. But it is through love, which makes it hard to condemn her reactions although they clearly drive a wedge between her and her sister and hurt Lucia's self-esteem. Ironically, Miranda is experiencing deep anxiety and paranoia but her own mental illnesses are deemed much more socially acceptable and she isn't infantalized as a result.
Yonah is less concerned about his partner's condition, hands-off and allowing Lucia to dictate her own treatment. I loved his chapters, his character who is more accepting and accommodating to Lucia, is also funny and strange. He's irreverent and a bit offensive at times, but his charm wins out.
Manny is afraid of so much, avoids talking about it with her, secretly watches her but doesn't want to intervene because he doesn't know how she'll react. His inaction is harmful but is it more harmful than Miranda's overcare?
This book really grabbed my attention with its chapters from Lucia's point of view which I was grateful for, she is able to speak for herself and not just be seen through the eyes of others (esp Miranda) who catastrophizes her sister's future. I can't speak to whether the mental illness rep is accurate from Lucia's point-of-view but it gave me some clarity to the lens of logic through which she saw the world and how it made sense from her perspective. Is her way of thinking and experiencing life wrong or harmful to others? No, but she isn't supported by a pharmaceutical-driven medical system nor by her under-educated family and friends. This failing of her community causes her to accidentally harm herself and others, not her mental illness. Very complex depiction throughout the book, and it's hard to know if I'm reading into this more than the author intended.
Mental illness is so often discussed as a massive burden on the family but it's clear that this burden is produced in part by Miranda's desperation and clinginess to her sister because of her own fears of how the world will react to Lucia and Manny's inability to have a candid conversation with her about her behaviours. Lucia doesn't ask for much if any help in this book, just wants to live her life in a world which is unforgiving to those who are unpredictable to others.
One note on Manny as a character, he felt a bit like a reductive stereotype in the chapters where we're reading about him from others' perspectives, not so much from his own chapters though. Not sure if other readers felt this way in part or all of his portions of the novel and that being said, the scenes that address his deep fear of deportation were palpable and tense.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical content, Cancer, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Confinement, and Death
Moderate: Miscarriage, Car accident, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Deportation, and Racism
Mental illness stigmaamiegold's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
We traveled from New York to Switzerland to Equador and back again. I appreciated the cultural accuracy that the author portrayed, it felt like I visited and got to know these places myself.
This book accurately conveys the fear, sorrow and grief that comes along with mental illness, both for the sufferers and the caretakers. Ultimately, it is a love story of sisters, mothers and daughters and family. It was a beautiful journey.
I only removed a half star for the detailed sexual exploits and infidelity of Lucia's partner, which I really did not feel was necessary for the story and took away from the intimacy I otherwise felt with the character.
Graphic: Cancer, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, and Suicide
Moderate: Deportation, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Vomit
thelovelylibrarylady's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, and Death
Moderate: Cancer and Miscarriage
Minor: Suicide
saiv's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Cancer
amarrymeinbostonacademic's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Mental illness and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Miscarriage
Minor: Suicide and Cancer
bookmaddie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The point of view shifts throughout the book, circling around a central group of characters to tell Lucia's story. While it was interesting to watch Lucia through the eyes of different people who cared about her, I felt that none of the perspectives really added that much to the story, besides that of her sister, Miranda. I wanted more of their relationship, but Miranda's chapters often felt stressed and frantic, as she struggled to figure out how to best care for Lucia.
I thought the story got a bit more interesting when Lucia moved to another country, and to see that place through her eyes. But while that kept me reading, I still found it really hard to connect with any of the characters.
I think if you're interested in family stories, this might be interesting. However, be mindful of the intense subject matter that deals heavily with mental illness.
Graphic: Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Suicide
nytephoenyx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Death, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Sexual content, and Suicide
Minor: Animal death, Car accident, Child abuse, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, and Vomit