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A review by jaybull
Family Don't End with Blood: Cast and Fans on How Supernatural Has Changed Lives by Lynn Zubernis, Lynn S. Zubernis, Laurena Aker
4.0
I read this book in basically two sittings, but only because I had to sleep.
Talking to people outside of the SPN Family, it's difficult to say why Supernatural is so important to me and why it fills many of the holes in my life. In part, the duration of the show has seen me through a complete change in my friend group, depression and anxiety that are always with me, and the death of my father, to name but a few. It quelled my loneliness when I was without any friends living nearby - I even had a dream one night where I was riding in the back of the Impala with Sam and Dean in the front seat, telling them how they were my best friends. My husband said, "Well, other than me, right now they kind of are your best friends." Very true at the time.
This book brought forth happy tears and tears of empathy as I read through the stories. The way fans' stories are woven with the stories from the actors on the show really illustrates the symbiotic nature of the relationship the fans have with the actors and the show in general.
I loved how many people found friendships through the SPN Family, but alas, most of them found these friendship at conventions I consider way to expensive to attend with what I make. It was a little encouraging to read about so many people overcoming so many obstacles, but I have to say many times reading about the conventions I thought, "Well, must be nice. Never going to be me unless some money miracle occurs." Totally envious of those who get to attend conventions - this book makes them sound amazing.
The take away from this book is that so many fans get so many different things from the show - these different moments of solidarity where they have watched the show or talked to other fans and found that they were not alone, not weird, not broken was very inspiring. Most of us out here with depression and anxiety love Jared because of his work in making us all feel like it's okay. AKF resonated loudly throughout many of the fan accounts. That said, I felt a little bad for Jensen reading this book, like, hey, I have depression and anxiety but I relate WAY more to Dean. Also, Jensen is this background figure of good in many of the stories.
Reading about the actors and how they felt (Kim Rhodes, I love you so much. SO MUCH) really helped bring home that we are all people, we all have our own journeys, our own problems, our own challenges, even those of us with beauty and acting talent have the same fears, feelings, and foibles as everyone else. The humanity the actors let shine through their essays was really wonderful.
Anyone who is a fan of the show I'd recommend this book to. I will warn you that I cried through much of it. Reading about Jared writing AKF all over his arm during a particularly bad plane ride had me crying in sympathy, but also feeling again like I wasn't alone. I remember writing stars all over my Keds in college because I needed something to keep me from melting down. I've talked often to my husband about getting an AKF tattoo, because sometimes the reminder helps.
The actors and the fans have done a lot of good in the world and reading this book shows just how much good there is out there because of the little show that could. I've never been great about articulating how much this show and this fandom have meant to me, but this book did an excellent job of illustrating it. Just make sure you have tissues nearby - you will cry, both in shared sorrow and shared triumph.
Talking to people outside of the SPN Family, it's difficult to say why Supernatural is so important to me and why it fills many of the holes in my life. In part, the duration of the show has seen me through a complete change in my friend group, depression and anxiety that are always with me, and the death of my father, to name but a few. It quelled my loneliness when I was without any friends living nearby - I even had a dream one night where I was riding in the back of the Impala with Sam and Dean in the front seat, telling them how they were my best friends. My husband said, "Well, other than me, right now they kind of are your best friends." Very true at the time.
This book brought forth happy tears and tears of empathy as I read through the stories. The way fans' stories are woven with the stories from the actors on the show really illustrates the symbiotic nature of the relationship the fans have with the actors and the show in general.
I loved how many people found friendships through the SPN Family, but alas, most of them found these friendship at conventions I consider way to expensive to attend with what I make. It was a little encouraging to read about so many people overcoming so many obstacles, but I have to say many times reading about the conventions I thought, "Well, must be nice. Never going to be me unless some money miracle occurs." Totally envious of those who get to attend conventions - this book makes them sound amazing.
The take away from this book is that so many fans get so many different things from the show - these different moments of solidarity where they have watched the show or talked to other fans and found that they were not alone, not weird, not broken was very inspiring. Most of us out here with depression and anxiety love Jared because of his work in making us all feel like it's okay. AKF resonated loudly throughout many of the fan accounts. That said, I felt a little bad for Jensen reading this book, like, hey, I have depression and anxiety but I relate WAY more to Dean. Also, Jensen is this background figure of good in many of the stories.
Reading about the actors and how they felt (Kim Rhodes, I love you so much. SO MUCH) really helped bring home that we are all people, we all have our own journeys, our own problems, our own challenges, even those of us with beauty and acting talent have the same fears, feelings, and foibles as everyone else. The humanity the actors let shine through their essays was really wonderful.
Anyone who is a fan of the show I'd recommend this book to. I will warn you that I cried through much of it. Reading about Jared writing AKF all over his arm during a particularly bad plane ride had me crying in sympathy, but also feeling again like I wasn't alone. I remember writing stars all over my Keds in college because I needed something to keep me from melting down. I've talked often to my husband about getting an AKF tattoo, because sometimes the reminder helps.
The actors and the fans have done a lot of good in the world and reading this book shows just how much good there is out there because of the little show that could. I've never been great about articulating how much this show and this fandom have meant to me, but this book did an excellent job of illustrating it. Just make sure you have tissues nearby - you will cry, both in shared sorrow and shared triumph.