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A review by ellemnope
The Lost Language of Crazy by Pamela L. Laskin
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. *