This book focuses on 14 year old girl named Audrey, who suffers from depression and anxiety due to an event during school. On top of suffering from depression and anxiety, she is an agoraphobic, forcing her to be house-bound and wear sunglasses when interacting with people. Through the support of her family and her therapist, she starts making slow steps on her road to recovery. But then her brother brings over his friend, Linus, and when he meets Audrey they quickly develop a strong relationship, and his kindness expedites Audrey’s road to recovery and self-acceptance.
Overall, I liked this book. One thing I liked about this book was the tone. Unlike a lot of books dealing with mental health, it isn’t too serious to the point it becomes a sad read. Audrey is a relatable and likable character who is able to make fun of herself, and this lightens the mood of the book while still capturing an honest look into the life of someone suffering from anxiety. Another thing I liked about this book are the characters. Although some felt a little bit caricatural at times, all of the characters were well written. It was interesting to see how Audrey’s mental health effected her relationships with the rest of the characters as well. One thing I didn’t like was the writing style, which was pretty slow, and would flip-flop between a regular narrative and a script format, which was distracting and a bit obnoxious.
One thing I thought was especially interesting about the book is that it’s never explicitly stated what caused Audrey’s anxiety. The event can be inferred through hints and implications throughout the book, which the reader is left to piece together on their own.
Reviewed by Emily, Grade 10, Twin Hickory Library
HCPL TeenScene's Read + Review 