Reviews with content warning for Self harm - Całkiem zabawna historia

this book was good both in the sense that it was gripping and easy to read but also real in the sense that there were real life problems and struggles and these were kind of normalised in a way.

tw: unalive thoughts, SH, depression

i liked the way the author gave the imagery of “tentacles” and “anchors”, the former being things that get in the way of your life and make you anxious and distressed, and the latter being things that you’re drawn to for happiness and to feel better.

i also liked the depiction of SI and what it felt like and how easy it is to slip into depression. though i did feel like the way Craig reached out was perhaps made to look “easy” when in reality this can be really hard.

i did like how diverse the community in the hospital was and how Craig became more open minded after hearing everyone’s stories throughout his stay.

would recommend if you’re looking for a book with mental illness rep but ofc check the tws first.

Content Warnings

libraryofkait's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

In a lot of ways, the book is really smart -- especially through Craig's descriptions of his mental illness. His use of terms like the Shift, Fake Shift, Tentacles, Anchors, etc. are spot-on. As someone who experienced serious depression at a very young age (near Craig's), there were paragraphs that felt like they could have been ripped from my diary.

Beyond Craig, the book explores many other side characters. Some of those characters provide a really interesting insight into other experiences of mental illness. But too many of these characters fall flat in terms of the big picture. The best example of this is the inclusion of Jennifer, the trans character. It might be understandable to give Craig some leeway when it comes to his inner thoughts on trans people, given that he is a fifteen year old boy written in 2006. But there was nothing profound or deep or important that happened through the introduction of Jennifer. She shows up for a few pages, just for Craig to think some pretty awful thoughts & other Six North residents to say some pretty awful things, and then the entire storyline is dropped. The women in this book and the thoughts about women in this book were certainly written by a man.

My unexpected favorite moment of this was Craig's parents. Craig's mom's reaction when he calls her to tell her he checked himself into the hospital is perfect.

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meganfj's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

wish i wouldn't have read the introduction and dedication, because knowing the story made it that much harder

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averylodish's review against another edition

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emotional funny sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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cow_png's review against another edition

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informative reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

ehhhhhhh it was fineeeeeeee... i think it would've been life changing when i was 12-15 when i was like super depressed but then i would learn what happened to the author.
ALSO super hated the just mega transphobia like for no reason?? she was there just to be transphobia, left, got called a slur and never talked about again!
it was an ok book, been of a let down :(

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ashsando's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

diegolopez's review against another edition

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funny hopeful informative lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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