Absolutely groundbreaking writing
I've been sitting on this one for a few days wondering how I can review it and do it justice.
Esther is crippled by anxiety and fear. She dresses up as various characters every day to give her a barrier between her true self and the world.
One day when getting the bus home when her mother fails to pick her up, she is pick pocketed by childhood friend Jonah. Upon realising who she is, he returns her phone with only his number in it.
Amongst her belongings, he has stolen her Semi Definitive List of Worse Nightmares; 50 of her biggest fears.
Together they document Esther conquering her fears.
This story really touched me. It tackles many aspects of mental health in pretty much all of the characters.
Esther's mother and father frustrated me, as in their own struggles they not only neglected their children, but exacerbated both of their neuroses.
Esther, whilst a little powerhouse, was also incredibly fragile. The same for Jonah. I'm being so strong for Esther he conceals his own fragility and tempestuous time at home.
But whilst I was frustrated in places, it also highlights how utterly crucial it is to be open about mental health issues.
I think everyone has either directly or indirectly has experience with mental health, and yet there is still so much stigma and shame surrounding it. We could sit next to someone everyday who is crippled with it and in pain, yet we don't talk openly.
Whilst this book is fictitious, it really is ahead of its time in creating a whole cast of characters that are struggling in a world that isn't open to them.
Bravo Sutherland. A brave and clever story. We need more like it.
Esther is crippled by anxiety and fear. She dresses up as various characters every day to give her a barrier between her true self and the world.
One day when getting the bus home when her mother fails to pick her up, she is pick pocketed by childhood friend Jonah. Upon realising who she is, he returns her phone with only his number in it.
Amongst her belongings, he has stolen her Semi Definitive List of Worse Nightmares; 50 of her biggest fears.
Together they document Esther conquering her fears.
This story really touched me. It tackles many aspects of mental health in pretty much all of the characters.
Esther's mother and father frustrated me, as in their own struggles they not only neglected their children, but exacerbated both of their neuroses.
Esther, whilst a little powerhouse, was also incredibly fragile. The same for Jonah. I'm being so strong for Esther he conceals his own fragility and tempestuous time at home.
But whilst I was frustrated in places, it also highlights how utterly crucial it is to be open about mental health issues.
I think everyone has either directly or indirectly has experience with mental health, and yet there is still so much stigma and shame surrounding it. We could sit next to someone everyday who is crippled with it and in pain, yet we don't talk openly.
Whilst this book is fictitious, it really is ahead of its time in creating a whole cast of characters that are struggling in a world that isn't open to them.
Bravo Sutherland. A brave and clever story. We need more like it.