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lilythebibliophile 's review for:
A Danger to Herself and Others
by Alyssa Sheinmel
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
✰ this book has a well-maintained atmosphere, with just enough detail to paint a full picture and transport the reader without boring them.
✰ Hannah has a very strong voice. she is a compelling narrator, with an engaging imagination and interesting stories to tell.
✰ my problem with this book is that it's marketed improperly. it's not a mystery. there is one twist a little over halfway through the book, and after that the book turns into something completely different.
✰ there is no reason for this book to be as long as it is after the twist. it turns into an after school special about mental illness, despite the author claiming in the author's note that she is not trying to educate readers on mental illness or institutionalization, and admitting that she took a lot of creative liberties and was not trying to be factually accurate.
✰ the lack of sensitivity readers for this novel is kind of appalling, considering it turns into a "mental health book."
✰ after the 75% mark, Hannah keeps reflecting, which is fine, except her thoughts become a loop and she starts repeating herself, sometimes mere pages after she just had the same thought. this is not entertaining to read when it is clearly an error on the author/editor's part and not a stylistic choice.
✰ certain events that transpire after Hannah's hearing feel like the editor of this book was holding a gun to the author's head and forcing her to make the book longer.
✰ also, I know that Sheinmel openly admits to taking creative liberties with this story and its depiction of mental illness, BUTit is extremely rare to have clear visual/auditory hallucinations in the form of a person, or people. i can imagine this "trope," often used in mystery/thriller media, is harmful to those who actually suffer from psychosis and hallucinations.
plus, Sheinmel reflects in her author's note that it is more likely for harm to befall those with mental illness rather than the other way around. so, then...why make Hannah the clear culprit behind Agnes' fall? this perpetuates a negative stereotype, and sort of undoes the empathy Sheinmel is trying to make readers feel for Hannah. I still felt empathy for her, but you see what I mean.
✰ i liked how Hannah built a rapport with Dr. Lightfoot. their relationship felt authentic to me, and their ending felt authentic as well.
✰ it's hard to make such an isolated and focused story, with limited characters and plot options, entertaining, but I was hooked up until the twist (when the story wound down in a disappointing fashion).
✰ i would like to read one of this author's actual mystery books.
✰ Hannah has a very strong voice. she is a compelling narrator, with an engaging imagination and interesting stories to tell.
✰ my problem with this book is that it's marketed improperly. it's not a mystery. there is one twist a little over halfway through the book, and after that the book turns into something completely different.
✰ there is no reason for this book to be as long as it is after the twist. it turns into an after school special about mental illness, despite the author claiming in the author's note that she is not trying to educate readers on mental illness or institutionalization, and admitting that she took a lot of creative liberties and was not trying to be factually accurate.
✰ the lack of sensitivity readers for this novel is kind of appalling, considering it turns into a "mental health book."
✰ after the 75% mark, Hannah keeps reflecting, which is fine, except her thoughts become a loop and she starts repeating herself, sometimes mere pages after she just had the same thought. this is not entertaining to read when it is clearly an error on the author/editor's part and not a stylistic choice.
✰ certain events that transpire after Hannah's hearing feel like the editor of this book was holding a gun to the author's head and forcing her to make the book longer.
✰ also, I know that Sheinmel openly admits to taking creative liberties with this story and its depiction of mental illness, BUT
plus, Sheinmel reflects in her author's note that it is more likely for harm to befall those with mental illness rather than the other way around. so, then...why make Hannah the clear culprit behind Agnes' fall? this perpetuates a negative stereotype, and sort of undoes the empathy Sheinmel is trying to make readers feel for Hannah. I still felt empathy for her, but you see what I mean.
✰ i liked how Hannah built a rapport with Dr. Lightfoot. their relationship felt authentic to me, and their ending felt authentic as well.
✰ it's hard to make such an isolated and focused story, with limited characters and plot options, entertaining, but I was hooked up until the twist (when the story wound down in a disappointing fashion).
✰ i would like to read one of this author's actual mystery books.