"And if I don’t believe in god?”
“Than use the time to think about the kind of person you want to be. And at the very least” he said quietly, “believe in yourself.”

This book is hands down one of the best books I have read on mental illness. Its so breathtakingly beautiful and heartbreakingly brutally honest.. I can’t even..

Lets talk about all the things I have liked/disliked about this book >

++ Adam (main protagonist) of this book has got schizophrenia. I loved how brutally honest he is about his condition. He definitely does not feel sorry for himself. He just wants to be treated like a normal person. He is so damn scared of himself, it broke my heart.. He is scared what he could do to people if he looses control. What will people do to him if he looses control.

I don’t waste time feeling sorry for people with mental problems, because I don’t want people to waste time feeling sorry for me. I don’t need the pity — it doesn’t do anyone any good. We see the world differently and make our own rules. That’s what terrifies everyone.

I loved how sassy he is. How kind and considerate. There are places where he was indeed wrong, but he is only 16! I was really sad cause Adam kept referring to himself as crazy. I also know its nobody’s fault. Sometimes our brain is too cruel on us and keeps saying us things like “You are not good enough“, “Worthless” or in his case “YOU are CRAZY!”, “YOU are the problem!!”. Specially when we have depression or other mental illnesses.

++ The book is written as basically as a journal full of journal entries/letters from Adam to his psychiatrist. We also get his psychiatrists little notes regarding his dosage and behavioral changes here.

Its helpful on the sense that we get to know what Adam thinks about things. It gave us Adams perspective on things. We got to really connect to him. But on the other hand, I really could not help but wonder, what other people like his mothers/Maya‘s perspective on this? Also, what if he emitted some informations as he knew his psychiatrist will be reading this?

++ I loved Adams parents! Adam’s mom is a full on protective mama bear (OHH! I love mama bears *_* ) . Adam’s step dad though came of as a little timid and a little scared of his condition , loves him none the less. I guess its his thoughtfulness that really had me on my tears from time to time. The quote I am going to use is a bit spoiler-y, but nothing sinister.. so fear not my friend 😀

Spoiler

“I met Adam when he was eleven years old. He could have rejected me completely, but he didn’t. By letting me into his life, he taught me that being a parent means becoming what your children need most. Right now, my son needs me to protect him from narrow-minded people motivated by fear.”

++ I loved Maya and DWIGHT. They are just what Adam needed. And I am so happy for them!!!!

++ This book has HP reference everywhere!!! I mean!! WHATTTTTTTT!!!

At least Dumbledore came back towards the end of the last book. Remember? Maybe you don’t. It was at King’s Cross station. That hallucination where he told Harry he had a choice. And then, when Harry asked if it was real or if everything was just happening inside his head, he said: “Of course it is happening inside our head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

He’s right, isn’t he?

It doesn’t really matter that no one else can see what I see.
That doesn’t make my experiences any less real.
Real is subjective.

++ The book was an emotional roller-coaster and so much informative! It has honest to god discussions on mental illness and not all of it is pretty. Its emotional as hell and when some of it will make you feel warm inside, others will make you a mess.

As I said, it was an emotional roller-coaster and I enjoyed the ride! So my rating is >>

4.5 out of 5 Stars!!!

*Thank you TimesReads for sending the Review copy on my way in exchange of an Honest Review.*