by Emery Lord
Hennepin County Library hardcover 337 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction
Oh my! This made me smile and cry and think. Loved it! Put it with John Green and Rainbow Rowell books.
Told from two POV, Vivi is bipolar and not taking all her meds. Jonah is struggling with the loss of his dad and trying to hold the family together while his mom withdraws. Amazing book that had me crying at the end. (Though some of my "predictions" didn't happen . . . nice to not KNOW the ending of the book ahead of time!)
page 126 - Vivi "To the deepest, most cellular level of my being, I resent people who believe that depression is the same as weakness, that "sad" people must be coddled like helpless toddlers."
page 158 - Jonah "I didn't think about money, let alone worry about it, for almost sixteen years of my life. Worrying about money makes you old."
page 214 - Jonah "Sometimes I think everyone should be handed a manual for this stuff when they turn fourteen. That seems like a good age. Starting high school. Staring at the business end of your childhood, when you have to start growing up. So maybe the school school distribute a book called The Field Guide for Broken People."
Page 233 - Vivi "If you want to push someone away, I strongly recommend rambling about death and theology. That oughta do it."
Page 308 - when Ellie visits Vivi and they talk about depression, it's such a powerful and moving scene. As mature as this book is (reading with my "middle school teacher" lens), it contains a wonderful story AND some powerful information (in a non-teaching manner) about depression. I know some of our students could really get a lot out of this book. In fact, I'm thinking of a few students (who will be ninth graders in the fall) who I may contact to recommend this book . . . despite the mature language, sex, and drugs. The mature stuff isn't over-the-top and in-your-face; it's just a part of Vivi's life and reality.
The author's note was wonderful, too. I hope teens read it. One paragraph starts "I can also tell you that you are so, so not alone." Wow. Amazing job, Ms. Lord.
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2 comments:
Wasn't surprised about Vivi, or how her story is played out. Interesting that she was able to help Jonah's family throughout the book.
I wasn't surprised that she "crashed" . . . I think it was obvious that it was coming, but I wasn't sure if there would be a funeral, or what might be the ending. I loved Jonah so much as a character! And I loved the author's notes at the end. This has probably been my favorite so far.
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