Hannah is an unreliable narrator with a story to tell. We are given glimpses of truth through a reality that may or may not be real, through the eyes of the self-assured girl who believes for all the world that she does not belong in the institution she has found herself in. Very readable and intriguing from the start.

A Danger to Herself and Others is a YA novel that deals with mental illness and coming to terms with a diagnosis. The book is part mystery, part thriller and is a compelling and fast read. I recommend it and I plan to read Sheinmel’s previous books. A Danger to Herself and Others grabbed me with the very first sentence:

“When I first got here - when they brought me here - a man with blue pants and a matching shirt, both of which looked like they were made out of paper, asked me questions.”

We soon learn that our protagonist is Hannah Gold, a 17 year old high school student is in a mental institution after her roommate Agnes is in a terrible accident and she is a suspect. Hannah keeps reminding herself and the reader that it is exactly that — an accident. She wholeheartedly believes that her “imprisonment” is a huge mistake and is determined to correct it and get back to school.

A Danger to Herself and Others keeps the reader guessing and it’s not clear what’s real and what’s not. Is Hannah a reliable narrator? I was intrigued by Hannah’s description of the hospital’s setting the end of chapter 1 and the end of chapter 2, which led me to suspect that she is an unreliable narrator:

“I stand on my tiptoes to look out my small window and wait for the few plants and trees I can see to dry out and die.” (end of ch.1)

“It’s not true that I can only see a few plants from here. We’re actually in the middle of a forest. I was lying before.” (end of ch. 2)

One gets to know Hannah well through her internal thought process. Some of her thinking is pure stream of consciousness which I enjoyed reading, like at the beginning of chapter 5 when she looks at and contemplates the sky, then the ceiling, then the walls, and then the ceiling lights. From there she imagines what would happen if the bulbs stopped working. Would they let a maintenance worker come in her room to fix them, considering that they have labelled her “a danger to herself and others?” Would they send her outside? There is a lot more detail to these thoughts in Hannah’s mind.

Sheinmel writes Hannah as witty and clever, which makes A Danger to Herself and Others a more entertaining read. For example, she nicknames her psychiatrist Dr. Lightfoot because she wears ballet slippers and taps the floor as she walks. Also, Hannah doles out interesting tidbits to ponder along the way.

"I suppose your name is the first thing that ever really belongs to you, but when you think about it, it’s not yours at all. Your parents chose it.”

“They needed someone to blame, and I was the only available scapegoat. Their daughter was my best friend. Playing the scapegoat was the least I could do under the circumstances.”

“Being locked up is absurdly boring. The monotony is enough to drive a sane person crazy.”

Some of Hannah’s thinking is amusing, which endears herself to the reader. She is a likable protagonist and I found myself rooting for her.

“I know a bedpan is supposed to be humiliating, but I have to disagree. There’s something oddly luxurious about not having to leave the bed to pee. And about the fact that someone else has to take your waste away. You don’t even have to flush it yourself.”

“I don’t feel like talking. I don’t feel like thinking, either. Thinking means doubting, and doubting means Lightfoot has gotten under my skin like a rash that won’t stop spreading. Doubt means I’m beginning to believe what she says about me. I wish there were an antidoubt drug I could take instead of whatever Lightfoot gave me.”

Hannah alludes to a classic psychology experiment in the early 1970s in which a psychologist and others easily get themselves admitted to a mental hospital after claiming they heard voices saying empty, hollow and thud. Once they are diagnosed and admitted, these pseudo patients explain that they are not insane and act normally. However, now that they have been labelled, all their subsequent behavior is viewed thru the mentally ill filter. For example, they take copious notes since this is a research experiment but such behavior is considered obsessive-compulsive by the hospital staff. The conclusion was essentially that one cannot differentiate between the sane and insane within the confines of a mental hospital.

“‘Whoa there,’ he says, reaching out to catch me. I want to shrug off his touch, but I don’t. He might report it to Dr. Lightfoot. I imagine her noting the incident in my file. Hannah Gold doesn’t like to be touched by nameless strangers. Out in the real world, that’s good common sense. In here, it’s a symptom."

“Well, I understand everything. I understand that Dr. Lightfoot is lying to me, playing some kind of game, enjoying a sick power trip. Maybe she’s still mad at me for getting locked out of my room the other day. Maybe she wants to remind me that she’s the one in control, that as long as I’m in this room, the truth is whatever she decides it is.”

But that is Hannah’s mission, as she sees it, to prove to them that she is completely fine, this has all been a terrible mistake and what happened to Agnes was an accident. But does she know what she is really up against? Is her thinking in fact faulty and is she irrational?

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I have to admit I mostly wanted to read this one because of it’s stunning cover. It was so eye-catching that along with the title I decided to give it a go. I tend to find the whole taking place in an institution (which seemed very outdated to me) very interesting. I would consider this one very fast paced, I felt like I flew through it.

I feel like going into this one with just a vague idea of what it’s about really helped with the overall flow of the story. I didn’t see a lot of what was coming, and going on with Hannah until the moment it happened. Hannah is a complex character, to say the least. I was very intrigued with her, but had the hardest time trusting her.

I do read a lot of books that take place in mental hospital settings, so I was almost convinced I knew how everything was going to play out. Luckily for this one it was completely unique to any others I’ve read. The writing was absolutely stunning and I got real Girl Interrupted vibes for sure.

A Danger to Herself and Others pleasantly surprised me. As a person who loved the book We Were Liars, when I read the comparison, I was excited for another mind-twisting, creepy, psychological read but I was curious as to how this book was going to live up to the high expectations.
This book managed to satisfy my craving for a book that is a psychological rollercoaster. As a psychology student who plans to work with people of Hannah's age, I was instantly interested in how the story was going to turn out. I love how I was increasingly interested in what actually happened. Hannah sort of reminded me of Mara Dyer in that I almost never trusted her. Hannah is not a nice girl and she isn't always likeable. She believes she's better, smarter, and more mature than everyone else. She believes she's always right (at least until some key events in the story unfold) and this was at times annoying, especially since I found myself not really caring if she even got out at all. Hannah didn't seem to care about Agnes' condition in the hospital at all, even though they were supposedly best friends for weeks. But I also love how strong she was. She believed she was wrongly accused of the crime, and was put into a psychiatric facility due to a misunderstanding, but as the story unravels, she realizes maybe she was the one who was wrong all along.
I was surprised that both Lucy and Jonah were hallucinations, but with the comparison to We Were Liars, I wasn't as surprised as I would have been if I didn't know of that comparison. I liked how Hannah's hallucinations were "imperfect," and managed to show the diverse set of hallucinations that people with this illness can have.
I also like how the story is not wrapped in a pretty bow. Hannah was right. Her life is changed forever and she will have to learn to manage her illness. Surprisingly, I felt the most anxiety during the last few pages when Hannah debates not taking her pill at all, when she considers keeping Lucy and Jonah around. I really wanted to shout "Hannah, take your damn pill!" at her! But it goes to show that this will be a journey for Hannah, and even though there were lots of times I didn't necessarily like her, I found myself wishing the best for her. I hope that she manages her illness. I hope that her parents manage to understand her illness better. I hope this experience was humbling for her. I hope she can move forward from this. I hope Hannah can live the full live she's always wanted.

What a beautifully-written little mind f*ck. I finished A Danger to Herself and Others and spent a few minutes in silence, just wondering how it's possible for an author to dream up such a strange, dark, disturbing tale. I've always found Alyssa Sheinmel's style not to my liking, but there is something about this story, the characters and the bleak setting that really just... works.

This story paints a dark, weird picture of the friendships, rivalries and backstabbing that goes on between the patients It's about intense female friendships and the deepest, darkest aspects of human nature. It's a really odd novel, straddling the line between contemporary thriller and paranormal mystery. It's a very psychological story. The reveal of the mystery itself comes far behind the strength of exploring the mindset of denial and acceptance as Hannah tries to deal with her diagnosis. She has go through treatment and it's a delightful treat to be in her head as she deals with the emotions and repercussions. She's suddenly given a roommate called Lucy, who adds a whole other element to this story, especially since she may be a danger to herself and others.

The writing is absolutely stunning. It is beautiful and haunting and Sheinmel establishes an atmosphere that sucks you in and compels you to read on. The prose gets under your skin.

The ending is very strange, a little stranger than I would usually like, but this is a powerful book about what humans are capable of under subdued circumstances- the good and the bad. Can you separate the lies from the truth?

This likable and unreliable narrator (Hannah) tells her story from behind the walls of a mental institution and you can't stop reading. What really happened to Agnes? Where is Jonah? Why do they give her a roommate if she really is a "danger to others?" So many questions and as the narrative unfolds you learn more about Hannah and gain a better understanding of what it is like to live with mental illness. It is a bit terrifying to see our mental health system from that vantage point. Do books like this and "Gone Girl" make only child families look like breeding grounds for impaired mental health?

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It’s been a recent trend lately where the female protagonists are named Hannah (think Thirteen Reasons Why, Pretty Little Liars, Hanna Fell From The Sky) in novels, and both films and shows haven’t been immune to this phenomenon either (think Girls, Hanna, and recently The Exorcism of Hannah Grace). So when I started reading this novel I noticed that the protagonist’s name was Hannah, I somewhat groaned. I hope you five me, but I’ve overdosed on Hannahs as of late.

On the upside though, is that the author writes with such clarity and poise that I could forgive her naming the protagonist Hannah. And it helped that the story was narrated in the first person, meaning that the name would be used even less.

Apart from my dislike of the name choice, I really, really, REALLY enjoyed this book immensely. I don’t know what it says about me that I LOVE books that take place in any sort of mental institution whether it be contemporary fiction, nonfiction, or historical. I really enjoyed having the story being told by Hannah’s point of view. She’s smart, sarcastic, and somewhat manipulative. This is probably why the reader initially may believe Hannah into thinking that she has no place being in the mental institution, after all, her best friend Agnes falling out of the window could’ve been an accident, right? The majority of the book focuses on Hannah being stuck in the institute and finding a way to get out (but not as in breaking out but proving to the doctor that she’s sane). The reader receives hints and flashbacks and those are compelling enough to make one want to know what exactly happened the night that Agnes fell. Was Hannah to blame or has she been placed in the institute by mistake?

Some of the twists in the book I suspected, while others completely took me by surprise. It was one intense wild ride. If you’re into books about mental illness, asylums, deception, and unreliable narrators, then this book is right up your alley.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

I feel like I’ve read this book a hundred times. Unsurprising plot twists that I figured out almost as soon as the characters were introduced.

I haven't read many books that are set in mental hospitals and yet they seem pretty popular in the YA community which is why I decided to give this one a try. The characters were really interesting and the writing was very personal.

A Danger to Herself and Others was a book that grabbed hold of me from the first chapters and held on through the end. While many novels set in mental institutions feel similar or monotonous and sketch the routines of daily clinical life and the trappings of mental illness, this book centers around Hannah, who is an intelligent character who struggles with her circumstances. And its no wonder, because the book forces us to question them too. What really happened to her roommate? Can she truly trust her doctor? Why is she still in the mental hospital? This book made my heart pound and my head spin and all in a good way.

"Maybe she wants to remind me that she's the one in control, that as long as I'm in this room, the truth is whatever she decides it is."

I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at Sourcebooks Fire. Trigger warnings: mental illness, severe injury, eating disorders, anorexia, bulimia.

When Hannah's best friend and roommate falls out a window during a game of Truth or Dare and suffers life-threatening injuries, Hannah is surprised to find that Agnes's parents blame her. She doesn't argue when a judge sends her to an institution for a mental evaluation. Hannah knows this has all been a big mistake, and as long as she proves that she's not dangerous to herself or anyone else, she'll be out in time to begin her senior year at school. Her new roommate, Lucy, is a dancer, and Hannah decides to befriend her to help prove her innocence. But Lucy has her own demons, and Hannah's memory of that night may not be as reliable as she thinks.

It took me a while to adjust to Sheinmel's writing style. Not being familiar with her other books, I'm not sure whether it's her usual style or Hannah's narrative voice, but it's rambling and repetitive. (Far too many repetitions of the phrases "Light as a feather, stiff as a board" and "a danger to herself and others". I started skipping over them at some point.) There isn't a lot of substance to it, and it's full of pointless details and Hannah's meaningless speculation on aspects of the hospital, staff, and patients. Nothing much happens in the first half of the book; there aren't a lot of other characters, so it's just Hannah's inner monologue going full speed without really getting anywhere.

Hannah isn't a very likable character. She arrogantly believes she's always the smartest person in the room, and she doesn't see a problem with using her intellect to manipulate people. In fact, the descriptions of her numerous best friends seem to imply that she chooses girls with low popularity or self-esteem and shapes them into more appropriate friend material. She calls it helping, but it sounds a lot like self-aggrandizing manipulation. Her relationship with her parents is complicated and borderline neglectful, but all we really know about them for most of the novel is what Hannah tells us. Her relationship with Lucy isn't as fleshed out as I was hoping for, and most of the other characters are shadows in Hannah's personal drama. She's also a textbook unreliable narrator, since she openly lies about some of those pointless details and misremembers others that aren't as pointless.

I have mixed feelings about this book, but I think my doubts are more about the psychological thriller genre as a whole than this book in particular. I'm wondering whether books that rely on a character's mental health for "thrills" are inherently ableist and perpetuating stereotypes that people with mental illnesses are dangerous. In that respect, A Danger to Herself and Others may have a few problems. Hannah's mental health is used as a major plot twist, so much that it edges into shock value territory, and the possibility that she may have pushed Agnes out the window somewhat feeds into that stereotype of danger. Much as the author's note claims that this is not meant to be an accurate picture of mental illness or institutionalization, the representation still matters. I'm not the best person to decide whether it's offensive; just know that there may be some issues going into it.

However, it isn't all bad. From my limited perspective, it isn't even mostly bad. Hannah receives treatment for her illness, which is already an important step. She has talk therapy sessions and takes medication. Her struggle with accepting her diagnosis is well-developed and far from complete by the time the novel is over. The book makes it very clear that her illness is lifelong, and she will have to continue to manage it--but also that it can be managed without sacrificing the rest of her life. There's some effort toward the end to convince readers that patients with Hannah's diagnosis are far more likely to hurt themselves than other people (and, in the author's note, that they're even more likely to be hurt by other people). I found the second half of the book more engaging, since it deals openly and in depth with these issues. The biggest problem for me is that the two halves of the novel seem to be at odds with each other. It can’t seem to decide whether it’s a thriller or a story about mental illness, and it doesn’t really do justice to either side.

I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.

There isn't a lot I feel like I can say in this review that wouldn't give things away to readers and I don't want to do that. I think this is one of those books that can easily go one way or another for a reader and I see review being pretty split on this one.

I have to admit that even though I was intrigued by this book and its premise I was a bit bored throughout it. The redundancy of some things that I felt could be left out after the third or fourth time made this book drag for me. I did enjoy how it was written and narrated by the main character Hannah. In the beginning we are convinced there is nothing wrong with her but as the story goes along we find she may just not be that reliable of a narrator. This gives us the perfect set up for how the story and how events have played out.

The other issue I had was the ending on this. I think the author could have and gave us a bit more of Part Three and I probably would have given this more stars. I just don't feel like this story was complete with the build up that we were given.

I think this could have easily been a 5 star for me had some things been done a bit differently.

Overall, A Danger to Herself and Others was page-turning, compulsive reading experience. Once I reached the twist around the middle, it was hard to put the book down. Ultimately I read it in less than 24 hours--always a good sign with a thriller! The writing was engaging, and I felt immersed in the world and characters. And, well, the characters, particularly the main & POV character Hannah... there were times I really didn't like her, but I think that was the point? I like that I didn't like her. :)

Content warning: those who are triggered by eating disorders and presentations/discussions of them (and the occasional joke) might have issues with some content in A Danger to Herself and Others. I am not an ED sufferer/survivor myself, but having friends in recovery, I was struck that it's possible some individuals might have difficulty with a few passages in the early part of the book. (a major side character suffers from an ED and is institutionalized for it; the MC observes and passes comment on other girls who suffer from EDs)

From here, I will give a spoiler warning, as I think it will be tricky to discuss/review the book properly without getting into some spoiler territory.

Ultimately, what rendered this a very solid 4-star read for me was the balance of my expectations and experience of Hannah's character vs. the reality of her as she's ultimately presented, and what I see as a potential blindspot in the narrative. Meaning, my reasons for knocking off a star are ENTIRELY subjective, but might speak to something other readers might experience with the book, as well.

So part of the issue here is going into a twisty book looking for the twist--a hazard of the genre. Whenever you start a book like this just based off back cover copy, the first part of the reading experience is about settling into the book's tone, style, and the characters as presented. As I read the first part of the book I became so thoroughly convinced that Hannah was a sociopath, and that that was the "twist," that I am unable to shake that expectation and that read on her character from my view of the book as a whole.

Because Hannah Gold is a sociopath. 100%. She has every hallmark of one, and until the twist in the middle, I was ready to commend the author for nailing her portrayal (save for a few quibbles I had, re: the childhood anecdotes, though those were partially rebutted later). And here's the thing: the author may not know it, but she nailed Hannah as a sociopath. She is one. So really I can still commend the author. It's one of the best portrayals of a sociopath I have read.

And so the reason I was just slightly disappointed is that ultimately the book doesn't seem to be self-aware of this, or at least never delivers it on the page, and so the latter half really lacked the complexity I was hoping for, re: addressing her sociopathy. Now, I think Hannah's diagnosis and the twist is legit. I am not a mental health professional, but it felt like a well-researched and considered portrayal. I absolutely felt sympathy for Hannah and what she was going through.

But also I felt no sympathy because HANNAH IS A SOCIOPATH. She just also has what I believe is meant to be schizophrenia, though it is never named in the text. Essentially, what I had hoped for was a killer finish and twist-twist where Hannah was also diagnosed as a sociopath, and both she and others would have to deal with the ramifications of both. You can't cure sociopathy.

BUT! Still thoroughly enjoyed the book, all the more for how ruthless Hannah is as a character. Recommend to fans of this sub-genre of thriller--the MC wrongfully (or rightfully?) committed and having to figure out what really happened.

Hannah is the epitome of an unreliable narrator and keeps you on your toes throughout the entire book. And I love it. 


Synopsis

Hannah is admitted to a mental institution after her best friend Agnes suffers an injury that everyone thinks is her fault – wrongfully so. She's determined to get out and prove once and for all that she's perfectly normal and had nothing to do with her friend falling into a coma. She tries to reach her goal but only starts to really make progress when Lucy arrives. Lucy is her new roommate and quickly also becomes her new best friend. But along the way, Hannah discovers that not everything is as it seems and that she might not even be able to trust herself. 


Writing

I absolutely adored the writing. It flows really smoothly and makes you want to never put the book down. The story telling is gripping and really creepy at times because you, alongside Hannah, try to make sense of what happened and how the information fits together. Hannah's character development felt very natural and believable; she's a very different person at the end of the book than she is at the beginning and yet it feels like that's what's supposed to happen not like the author wanted it to happen so it did. The repetition of the title "A Danger to Herself and Others" throughout the book worked incredibly well. It added to the tense atmosphere and made you really feel like you were inside Hannah's head. The repeated thoughts and memories make you feel with her, they make you scared, they keep you interested, they make you restless, they make you want to find out what was real and what wasn't. Hannah feels real. She feels like a human being. 


Hannah

She starts the novel by being arrogant, cocky, self-confident and manipulative and ends it with the feeling of her very core being shattered. I want to include an excerpt from the author's note here:

"She starts this story certain that she's the heroine in a thrilling mystery about being wrongly accused, only to realize later that she's the subject not of a thriller, but of a story about coming to terms with a mental illness diagnosis."

Nothing I could possibly say could describe her journey better than the author herself. Over the course of the book we learn so many things but at the end, neither we nor Hannah is completely sure what happened and what she's gonna do now. This is something that hit me really hard because a lot of the time, characters have their life perfectly resolved and back in order at the end of a book. But not in this book. It feels real because most of us are also unsure about life and we don't figure it out completely all at once; it's a step by step effort that takes time. 

It was also really interesting to read about a mentally ill character who isn't depressed or anxious. Most of the mainstream Young Adult books about mental illness deal with these two and while that certainly is important as well, it can feel a bit overdone at times with every author pumping out a "mental illness book". I really enjoyed reading about a character with a psychotic mental illness because it shows that the stigma surrounding that type of mental illness is even bigger than that surrounding depression. 

The character work in this book is simply stunning. All of them felt so real. Lucy with her ballet dreams, Agnes with her small town roots and all of the other side characters who are fleshed out as carefully as if they were the main character. 


A Danger to Herself and Others is a unique, well-written Young Adult book that hooks you right from the very first chapter. It's a fantastic read that you can finish in a day. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who likes careful character work, a suspenseful plot and restless atmosphere.

A big theme of the books I've been reading at the moment are one set in mental institutions, and I have to say this is one of the best I've read.

I'd say for me, as well as this being a contemporary YA, it had a lot of elements of a thriller as well. It kept you guessing, you were shocked at the twists and eagerly waiting to know more.

Hannah was such a whirlwind of a character, and I loved being along for her journey and finding out what is and isn't really for her, and watching all that she thought she knew about life unravel, The last 1/3 of the book for me blew me away, especially with her leaving the institution and basically questioning everything she thought she knew about the future and her relationship with her parents.

Would definitely recommend!

A Danger to Herself and Others is a good book. It's brilliantly written, with an decent story line. It's fairly intriguing from start to finish, offering an interesting narrator. But I failed to connect to what I was reading. I loved the writing style, I had an open mind and understanding for the main character, and I enjoyed some moments. But it overall did not wow me. And the ending frustrated me a little.
Maybe I wasn't reading it at the best moment in time, or maybe this book just isn't for me. Kudos on the great writing though, it's what kept me reading all the way through.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hannah Gold starts as a typical unreliable narrator. She is institutionalized for reasons that are revealed in time, but one thing is clear from the beginning -- Hannah is considered "a danger to herself and others." She is kept isolated, not even leaving her room to use the bathroom. And then Hannah is assigned a roommate, Lucy, and she is determined to form a friendship that will prove to the doctors that she isn't mentally ill. Hannah believes that whatever event lead her to the institution was an accident and a misunderstanding, and she should be released.

I wanted to love this book, but it just didn't do it for me. I felt like pieces of Hannah's psychosis were revealed in the writing, but it was done in a way that made me think, "was that intentional or is the writing just repetitive?" I felt that the book didn't reach it's potential as an unreliable narrator story, nor did it take a deep enough look at a patient and her family coming to terms with her diagnosis. That said, this book will certainly have readers that love it, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to students.

This is another author I once upon a time one-starred (see The Stone Girl) so I wasn't exactly excited to dive into this. I'm happy to report I'm not giving this one the same rating since I thought this book was incredibly brave and creative—something I've noticed the author seems to often go for (from looking at her previous works after The Stone Girl. So much of mental health is touched, and I felt there was utter respect in the treatment of the story. There were also several twists I wouldn't say I saw coming, so that was enjoyable for me. Recommended for those looking for a suspenseful read, and those looking for unreliable narrators.

I don't know what I was expecting when I requested this book, but a first-person unreliable narrative was not it. I had no idea what had really happened to get Hannah remanded to the institute, but the back and forth with herself gave me a few insights early on.

This book will pull you in and have you almost believe that you are experiencing things right along with Hannah. I was so sure that Lucy was real and that having a roommate was a great thing for Hannah.

The ending seemed a little rushed, I would have liked Hannah to spend more time in treatment with her original doctor, but I understand wanting to get a child (even though she is now a senior in high school) home and back to a "normal" routine.

This novel starts readers off in a mental hospital with the main character, Hannah, after a terrible accident that put her summer program roommate into a coma. It’s immediately obvious that the parent’s of Agnes (the now comatose roommate) believe that Hannah is at fault for what happened. Now, Hannah finds herself locked in a room with a small window, no way out, and nothing to do but wait until the doctors and judge realize that “she’s not crazy“.

This story was honestly surprising. I’ve come across many novels written about psychiatric holds, but never one quite like this. Readers are thankfully taking in everything from Hannah’s point of view, so we really get an in depth understanding of what has happened and is continuing to happen. Hannah isn’t an extremely likable narrator. In fact, before I pulled some of the layers back further into the story, I was really frustrated with her. The first couple of chapters felt very chaotic because Hannah’s thoughts jump around a lot. Plus, readers don’t have any background information yet about why she is being held in psychiatric care, so you kind of just have to push through the beginning to find your footing. At first, this kind of feels like a mean-girl story, but from the POV of the mean-girl (which, after racking my brain, I don’t think I’ve read before). Even after finishing, I’m still convinced that Hannah embodies the trope. She’s quite the manipulator, and I don’t think that the idea is supposed to be that these qualities are tied to her mental illness. Actually, I’m pretty positive that they aren’t.

The other characters weren’t given much development, but for most of them, this seems very purposeful and it certainly works for the story. This novel is about Hannah’s journey to discovering her diagnosis and coming to terms with it, so it’s much more important that we see development through her primarily. In a way, some of these characters help. Lucy, for instance, doesn’t have a huge presence throughout at least half of the book, but she is still vastly important to the story and to what Hannah is going through. I think that Sheinmel did a really great job molding all of the characters to make them fit into Hannah’s world.

Now, I’ve never experienced the disease that Hannah has (which I won’t talk about because it pretty much spoils the whole story), so I can’t really say whether or not the representation is accurate or not. However, I will say that this is one of the few times I’ve come across a book that tries to break down the demonized outlook on said disease, instead of trying to capitalize off of the stereotype surrounding it. Hannah is very descriptive of her experience, which really helps the readers take in her story. However, this can be a bit of a triggering read if you’ve struggled heavily with mental illness, or have ever been under a psychiatric hold yourself.

Overall, this is definitely a worthwhile read if you’re looking for some mental health representation with a little bit of thrill to it. Hannah’s thoughts can be a bit overwhelming at times, but the story is written really well. Her journey is an interesting one to ride along with, but I think that if you do, you’ll find yourself entangled in the mess and jumble of Hannah’s reality. And you might even love it.