There aren’t many books that I feel morally obligated to share a review about but this one takes the cake. This book is infuriating, damaging with its blatant disregard and stigma perpetuating writing regarding the mentally ill which encompasses the entire book. I did read the updated version but removing one offensive word (and the word “crazy can still be found 22 times in regards to individuals’ mental status) really does nothing to change the damaging and irresponsible misinformation throughout. To think this book was written by a physician specializing in TBIs.
Three out of the first four chapters are in reference to how the main character is terrified to work in the psychiatric unit of the hospital where she is a medical student. Not just the paragraphs, but almost every sentence within those paragraphs. Over and over she relates how scared she is to be around these patients, how dangerous and “crazy” they are and how it is a very unsafe environment. The MC went as far as to hoping she would get in a car accident and break her arm on the way to her shift so she wouldn’t have to work in the psych unit. I had an extremely hard time getting past that thought.
There’s so much stigma related to mental illnesses, and this book just lends to that stigma and reinforces it in individuals uneducated on the subject. Although I do struggle with various mental illnesses, my opinion does not come about by being triggered as a patient, but rather in defense as someone who devotes a lot of their time in advocating for all that struggle with their mental health. I absolutely do not get offended easily and that is not something that I take lightly.
This review is about breaking through the stigma, about human decency, respect and consideration in the treatment of vulnerable individuals that are afflicted with mental illnesses. It comes from a place of standing behind, not just those individuals, but those that love and care for them and mental health advocates as well. I do not feel that this book represents those things. In fact, it enforces the very opposite.
The truth is that those who fight every day to overcome these obstacles are much more vulnerable to be a victim of violence and prejudice than be a perpetrator. The more personal truth is that people with these mental illnesses fight for their lives every day, and this type of misinformation and ignorance that is perpetuated by this type of literature is just one more thing that makes them have to fight harder than they should have to.
With all of that being said, I Have enjoyed the books i have read by this author and would recommend some of her other books to anyone who enjoys a great psychological thriller. This book? No. Absolutely not recommending this one. It should not have been published. In the meantime, I, and many like me who I see have left similar reviews, will hold onto hope that this misinformation does not become common place.
Please check out the NAMI Website for information, education and assistance in regards to mental illnesses.
For psych thriller books from authors who accurately depict mental illness check out Barbara Copperthwaite and AJ Campbell.
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