giottosvision

This book snuck up on me as I read it, getting better and better and going up and up in my estimation. It is a story of Craig, a 15 year old boy in Brooklyn who gets into a highly competitive high school and just can't take the strain, and his descent into enervating depression. At his absolute bottom, he checks himself into the hospital due to "suicidal ideation" and spends 5 days in the psychiatric ward, where he begins to come back to a reality where he doesn't have to become the person he thinks he must become. Sounds depressing, but it really isn't. The people on the ward are lovingly depicted, and Craig is a decent and likable narrator. At times, it is tempting to look at this book as a smug five days with the lovable loonies, but Vizzini - who spent the exact same amount of time in a psychiatric ward in 2004 - matter of factly shows the pain of Craig's fellow patients along with their loopy humanity. If you stick with this book, it will reward you. Terrific for older YA's and adults.

2022-11-14 16:59