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A review by lalaskal
Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall
1.0
I am going to be part of that 1% who did not like this book.
Everything started off well as we get to know Norah who suffers from OCD, agoraphobia, panic attacks, and self-harm (although she’s in denial over it). It takes more than enough energy to leave her house to venture to her psychologist which almost always causes her to suffer a panic attack. At first the story captured my attention since I wanted to know if Norah was ever going to find a way to cope with her mental illnesses and be brave enough to leave the house without panicking. The thing is, this story would have been beautiful except for one major mistake.
Enter Luke, the hot boy next door. Norah stalks him from the windows, with Luke catching on to her lack of spying skills, and eventually they begin talking through the front door of Norah’s house. A few times they speak somewhat face to face with the door open. And instead of a novel featuring a girl with mental illnesses who learns how to cope and step forward in life, we get the typical broken heroine who obsesses over a charming guy who ends up rescuing her.
Honestly, Norah should not be living in a house with her mother. She needs to be in a hospital and under supervision twenty-four seven because she’s that unstable and a danger to herself. Many times was she left home alone (for extended periods) and stressful things would result in which Norah would panic and resolve to self-harm as a coping method. She would refuse to bathe and eat for days and would wallow on the couch in self-pity. As a person with a mental illness, I understand the difficulties in everyday life, but with Norah’s situation, she clearly needs around the clock supervision.
I did not like nor will condone how Norah turned into a lovestruck puppy over Luke. She set him up on a pedestal and assumed that after vaguely talking for two weeks that he was the one for her and would always know her limits since she refuses to let anyone touch her besides her mom. Of course, Luke accidentally kisses her and Norah freaks out, dismissing him because he is just like everybody else in the world who doesn’t understand or respect her. She becomes depressed and basically stays confined to her bed for weeks as she pines over Luke. He sends her multiple letters of apology, but none are good enough for her. She plays the victim since she sees no wrong in her actions and blames everything that happens to her on other people when in reality it is her.
I am disappointed with Under Rose-Tainted Skies. Instead of a powerful story about a girl coping with her mental illnesses, we get another story featuring a dependent girl who makes a guy the reason she breathes every day. Just imagine when Luke and Norah breakup. Norah will spiral out of control and self-harm to the point of hospitalization.
The message of this story is an unhealthy one. No one should base their happiness and self-worth on another person, and this novel does the opposite of it.
I received an ARC of Under Rose-Tainted Skies from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
Everything started off well as we get to know Norah who suffers from OCD, agoraphobia, panic attacks, and self-harm (although she’s in denial over it). It takes more than enough energy to leave her house to venture to her psychologist which almost always causes her to suffer a panic attack. At first the story captured my attention since I wanted to know if Norah was ever going to find a way to cope with her mental illnesses and be brave enough to leave the house without panicking. The thing is, this story would have been beautiful except for one major mistake.
Enter Luke, the hot boy next door. Norah stalks him from the windows, with Luke catching on to her lack of spying skills, and eventually they begin talking through the front door of Norah’s house. A few times they speak somewhat face to face with the door open. And instead of a novel featuring a girl with mental illnesses who learns how to cope and step forward in life, we get the typical broken heroine who obsesses over a charming guy who ends up rescuing her.
Honestly, Norah should not be living in a house with her mother. She needs to be in a hospital and under supervision twenty-four seven because she’s that unstable and a danger to herself. Many times was she left home alone (for extended periods) and stressful things would result in which Norah would panic and resolve to self-harm as a coping method. She would refuse to bathe and eat for days and would wallow on the couch in self-pity. As a person with a mental illness, I understand the difficulties in everyday life, but with Norah’s situation, she clearly needs around the clock supervision.
I did not like nor will condone how Norah turned into a lovestruck puppy over Luke. She set him up on a pedestal and assumed that after vaguely talking for two weeks that he was the one for her and would always know her limits since she refuses to let anyone touch her besides her mom. Of course, Luke accidentally kisses her and Norah freaks out, dismissing him because he is just like everybody else in the world who doesn’t understand or respect her. She becomes depressed and basically stays confined to her bed for weeks as she pines over Luke. He sends her multiple letters of apology, but none are good enough for her. She plays the victim since she sees no wrong in her actions and blames everything that happens to her on other people when in reality it is her.
I am disappointed with Under Rose-Tainted Skies. Instead of a powerful story about a girl coping with her mental illnesses, we get another story featuring a dependent girl who makes a guy the reason she breathes every day. Just imagine when Luke and Norah breakup. Norah will spiral out of control and self-harm to the point of hospitalization.
The message of this story is an unhealthy one. No one should base their happiness and self-worth on another person, and this novel does the opposite of it.
I received an ARC of Under Rose-Tainted Skies from NetGalley in exchange for a review.