Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Published: July 4, 2017
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: E-ARC
Blurb:
Fans of More Happy Than Not, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and It’s Kind of a Funny Story will cheer for Adam as he struggles with schizophrenia in this brilliantly honest and unexpectedly funny debut.
Adam has just been diagnosed with schizophrenia. He sees and hears people who aren’t there: Rebecca, a beautiful girl who understands him; the Mob Boss, who harasses him; and Jason, the naked guy who’s unfailingly polite. It should be easy to separate the real from the not real, but Adam can't.
Still, there’s hope. As Adam starts fresh at a new school, he begins a drug trial that helps him ignore his visions. Suddenly everything seems possible, even love. When he meets Maya, a fiercely intelligent girl, he desperately wants to be the great guy that she thinks he is. But then the miracle drug begins to fail, and Adam will do anything to keep Maya from discovering his secret.
Review:
I knew going into this, that the book would hit me hard. A lot of people in today's society don't like talking about mental health; although, I do believe that it's getting better and better as the years go on. Schizophrenia is one so complex and interesting. And I say that not trying to be offensive at all. I remember one year when I took college psychology, my professor told us a story about a man he was treating for schizophrenia. The man's brother was the one taking care of him and the brother would wake in the middle of the night to find the young man missing. He would then find him in an abandoned field fighting like he was in the avengers - saving us from the evil. And that's exactly what it was. He had a vision that demons would be coming to invade our world. Now the whole point of my story is my professor and the response he had for his patient. When the young man was explaining to him what was happening, my professor looked at him and said, "I believe you". And the look at the patient's face was something he couldn't explain; it was such deep relief and elation, that someone believed him. It touched me deeply and I never ever forgot that story.
Adam has struggled with schizophrenia and all the symptoms that manifests with it. Such as seeing things and people that aren't really there. He's the test subject for a new drug to help with the hallucinations. And for a while there, it's working. Adam can actually have a normal life and not have to worry about jumping at things that aren't actually there. He meets Maya, and she's perfect. Everything is perfect, until it isn't. The drugs start having a negative effect and Adam will do anything to keep Maya in the dark.
The book starts off with Adam explains his illness to his therapist, who allows him to write in a journal instead of talking. I immediately liked Adam; he's funny, tries to keep a positive attitude, and he's a character I could see myself being friends with. Overall, I think it's one of the better YA novels about
mental health. Also, Adam is a totally Harry Potter nerd. That right there means he must be awesome! Now I leave you with the wise words of Dumbledore himself.
mental health. Also, Adam is a totally Harry Potter nerd. That right there means he must be awesome! Now I leave you with the wise words of Dumbledore himself.
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”
*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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