I’ve just finished this book and I’m sitting here trying to establish how I feel about it. It could be a 4* book but I’m just not sure… if I could give it a 3.95 that would probably be my ideal rating. So much of the book is about the main character taking medication and sleeping or complaining that she wishes that she is asleep that is does become a bit monotonous. It was also hard to keep going in places because the main characters are all deeply flawed and not very likeable, but that’s by the author’s design and it serves a purpose. However in other places this book is cutting and raw and shows a side to mental health that those unfamiliar with it might be unaware of- it’s not all manic depression and anguish, often it is just feeling numb and tired. This book pushes that point constantly. Overall, it was an interesting read that will probably stay with me for its premise and it was well written, I just don’t think it is necessarily a book to enjoy- more one to challenge and subvert preconceived notions you might have about what a woman with mental illness might look like. Lots of people seem to count this as a vacation read but despite the title, I do not think this is a book for one’s own rest and relaxation.
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Mental illness, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Suicide