Review: Amazing effort – gripping, emotional, tragic – and yet, wonderful.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 24, 2014
My first thoughts after reading this book – Wow !! What a splendid effort by a first time writer . Bonnie McKeating tackles, what is perhaps a most difficult and sensitive subject, one most of us are uncomfortable with – on mental health institutions and the people in it – nurses, doctors and in particular, the patients. How do people institutionalized in such a place think, behave, feel,love, interact; what makes them so different and unique, what are their hopes, dreams and aspirations,what are their fears ?I found the entire book akin to walking into a quicksand, it grabs hold of you, and never lets you go, as  I was completely immersed in this book, even though it often made for some really sad and painful reading – particularly as one gets emotionally drawn towards the deeply flawed protagonist of this book, getting hurt and increasingly exasperated with each bad decision taken by him, and particularly as one realizes the inevitability of what is, a slow moving train wreck. I suppose this is just the way most of us feel about our near and dear ones with serious mental health issues.The character of James, the tragic hero of this book, is beautifully and lovingly fleshed out. All of 25, and afflicted with serious mental health issues, such as hearing voices in his head, which compel him to take the absolute worst decision in every situation in his life, James is most interesting and funny, yet sad and flawed, but 100% original. I've never come across a character in fiction quite like him. It's impossible not to sympathize with this young man.One also feels for James' friends like Pepper, a perky young lady, his lady love and the equally flawed Emily, and the other unnamed patients in the Mayfield health institute, such as the 80 year olds fighting each other to death over little things like the remote control.One admires the nobility, selflessness and sacrifice of Timothy, the powerfully built male nurse with a heart of gold, completely committed to his patients. Also, I felt a strong respect for Dr. Greenfield, the highly intelligent, stern yet deeply caring psychiatrist. Perhaps, they are the writer's way of offering a glowing tribute to the wonderful professionals who work in mental health institutions, giving so much for so little.How do troubled young people in such facilities fall in love, and how do such relationships end up ?  The love affair between James and Emily, the two troubled people at the center of this story, fascinated, moved and deeply touched me, only to leave me completely sad at the end, wondering at the senselessness of it all. But I don't want to give the readers of my review the impression that it's all doom and gloom with this exquisitely crafted and lovingly written book. It's incredibly funny at times, heartwarming and ends on a very satisfying, positive note for our hero James, who finally finds redemption  and emerges as an independent, “normal” young man, venturing out into the “real” world.