A review by literary_han
Four Weeks, Five People by Jennifer Yu

3.0

Now I am not sure what I think about this novel.

I have suffered mental illness for the last 8ish years and have been hospitalised both in general and psychiatric. I like to think that I have some idea of what mental illness entails and how treatment works. Granted I live in the UK and I have three mental illnesses so in other mental disorders I am very much ignorant.

I liked how this book was very much true and did not shy away from the horrors of mental illness. It also showed hope. It was easy to read and I found that the writing flowed. Also I resonated with some of the thoughts the teenagers had.

I did have some negatives however, there was very little character growth in all of the young people. I know that four weeks is very little time to even think about and heal from mental distress. But I did expect to see some growth.

The therapy was virtually non-existent and the counselling was shockingly bad. The therapy in this book was very 'hippy' and not, at all, what I experienced in my own recovery. And is unlike any counselling/therapy I have ever heard of with people with serious mental illness.

I don't know. Like it was an entertaining book but didn't really portray recovery from mental ill health.

I don't know if I would recommend this book. It was okay, but not enlightening or particularly factual.

Hannah

xoxo