Member Reviews
I loved this book, so very much. It puts what I go through with my own mental health perfectly. The artwork is stunning. 10 ou of 10 recommend.
A beautiful, honest portrayal of living with anxiety and depression. Put into the hands of every reader high school and older. If they are part of the 1/5 Americans with mental health concerns, they will feel seen. If they aren't, well, they probably know someone with anxiety or depression and will gain a deeper understanding of lived experiences. A must read!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I love Debbie Tung. She is so honest and raw, sharing her trials and tribulations, emotions and rollercoasters through her medium.
This one in particular hit a nerve for me as 2022 (apart from my wedding of course) has been quite the ride.
I related to some of the stuff she went through and given that people know I am one of the most resilient, positive, and optimistic people around, even I succumbed. Fortunately, mine was just a temporary downer.
Her art is just beautiful, there are certain pages that I look at and wish I had her talent to be that artistic.
A wonderful read for all; for those who have gone through depression or for those who know of people who are.. most importantly, more need to read it to better understand those who regularly suffer from mental health issues.
Thank you @wheresmybubble you are so amazing.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I had seen some of this author's work before (Book Love and also maybe online?) but all the content in this book was new to me.
This GN reads like several others-- the artist has a soul-crushing job and also mental health challenges; the artist takes a leap to try to make a living from art alone while getting therapy/treatment; the artist is in a better place, mentally and financially, by the end of the book. Fine: A Comic About Gender, Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations, Uncomfortably Happily, and Alison Bechdel (and others, I'm sure) all have some overlap. People who read widely in GN memoirs may find this feels a bit same-y, but the illustrations are so good that they alone are worth the read-- illustrations are mostly black and white (pen and ink?), with occasional water color washes which are used sparingly and so convey a lot of emotion.
Even before the story gets into the author's eventual diagnosis, a lot of time is spent on feelings of anxiety and depression. As these are things everybody experiences to some degree, everyone will be able to connect to these experiences.
This book does an incredible job at relating what it's like to have anxiety and how it affects one's life. Everything from the illustrations to the wording is beautiful and at times hysterical. Absolutely recommend for teens/young adults!
This is my first book by this author and it has definitely made me want to read more of her work! This is a wonderful graphic novel memoir illustrating the author's grapples with anxiety and depression and her steps towards healing.
This book is for everyone who struggles with their mental health, Debbie tung talks about everything in such a raw and honest way that was so relatable and reassuring. We follow the internal struggles, self doubt and the gradual process the author takes towards accountability and asking for help. The way this book approaches problems is so realistic and offers hope and understanding eventually too.
I really enjoyed the art style as well, the black and white often juxtaposed with colourful and vibrant watercolour artwork which I loved. I think it worked well with the message of this book and the contrasts between colours often reflected the negative and positives in the subject matter.
If you are someone battling with mental illness or wanting more insight into people who do, this book is a good glimpse into it. I'd honestly recommend this to anyone because the raw and "ugly" sides to mental illness is still such a taboo to talk about unfortunately, and this book might be a good start at encouraging the discussion of these topics 💛 I'm definitely going to be checking out more from this author's work ✨
5/5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley for providing the e-arc in exchange for a review!
3.5 stars?
It's always hard to rate books like this, so intensely personal and vulnerable. I love Tung's illustrations (and was a fan even before picking up this one) and applaud the openness and courage that it takes to share your mental health journey with the world - especially in pursuit of a more supportive/ welcoming society at large. However, some of the advice feels somewhat generic (though admittedly there is only so much good mental health advice that can be given) and I felt like there was maybe room for more nuance. But again, it's a tricky topic to address, and Everything Is OK does a more than solid job of doing so.
A brilliant message on mental health that begins with moments mist of us experience. We are drawn in, connected. Then, the story gets more specific on her particular struggle. Her journey including accepting help and self acceptance.
**I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
I don't know how else to start this other than with the statement that this is a book that everyone needs in their life. Whether you or someone you know suffers from any type of mental illness, this book accurately represents what it feels like to live through the struggle. There were so many moments while reading that I had to stop, grab my husband, and make him read parts of the book, just so that I could say "see this is what I mean when I tell you I don't know how I'm feeling" or "When I say it's hard to describe I mean this..." I was so happy to finally have a way to help others understand how I was and am feeling both inside and outside. Mental health is a never-ending struggle and this is the book that I feel will make that journey just a bit better for you and those who help you on the way.
Gosh but this is so good. Debbie perfectly captures and puts into words the feelings, and especially the stigma, around depression and anxiety. It’s like being enveloped in a kind, warm hug and being told “you know what, I get you. And I can absolutely promise you that it does get better.”
If you enjoyed Quiet Girl in a Noisy World, or anything else by Debbie Tung, you’ll enjoy this, too.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I follow the author and artist on social media but this was my first full length book by her and I absolutely loved it. Her struggles with anxiety made me feel so seen, I could identity the struggles my family and friends go through in various moments in the book. The feeling of despair and vulnerability that comes through the artwork so clearly, gave me a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes.
The black and white artwork with spurts of brightness, water colour style have an impact on how one absorbs the message in the book
This book is the kind of empathy and support needed by people struggling with mental health and I recommend it anyone who is struggling to acknowledge or cope with their feelings.
Really enjoyed this. You don't often read graphic novels about difficult subjects and there should be more of them!
This collection of comics hit me straight in the feels. Debbie Tung presents anxiety and depression in a hauntingly beautiful yet easily accessible way that will not only appeal to readers familiar with these struggles but hopefully also show people who don't struggle with mental illness how it can feel to believe oneself helpless sometimes. The art style is absolutely amazing and I loved the way color was used to show the range of emotions and the importance of certain moments in managing one's mental illness.
I also loved how this shed light on societal pressures to be successful and "the hustle" and how that can often drag you down when you already feel like you're at rock bottom.
An incredible read that everyone should have on their shelves!
Everything Is OK is a wonderful follow-up to Quiet Girl in a Noisy World. Both books speak to anyone who feels detached from people around them, and has experienced depression. Everything ls OK presents a hopeful and encouraging view of how to cope with that abyss. For those who have never been in that state, the book gives some insight into how a depressed person feels. The graphic format provides an effective way to tell the story and would appeal equally to teens and adults.
This is essentially a graphic memoir about the authors experience with mental health. I really liked reading about this topic in graphic form. Her experience with her mental health was relatable to me. I did have to put it down a couple of times because her depictions of anxiety were a little too good. The illustrations definitely helped bring those emotions to life.
The illustrations in this work are great. The characters are very expressive with their faces and body language. Most of the novel is in black and white, which depicts her mental status. When she seeks help and starts to be in control of her mental health, its starts getting colorful.
There were some parts that would break up the story by giving inspirational sayings. I didn't really enjoy those parts as they took me out of the main story. It took me a second to realize when we were back in the main plot. I get that it was there to break up the heaviness of the topic, but I think I would have rather had it collected at the end of the book.
Overall, a very relatable graphic novel about mental health. It shows that everyone has their own struggles and that it's ok to ask for help. Would recommend to anyone and everyone.
Thank you to Debbie Tung, Andrews McMeel Publishing, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a warm and compassionate companion to a scary and often lonely world. It feels like a friend when you are facing dark times. The illustrations are beautiful, and help to tell the story of hopelessness, growth and recovery. I deeply personal and in many ways universal story. I would recommend this to anyone struggling with their mental health or who loves someone who is.
This is an excellent graphic novel talking about anxiety and depression. Debbie Tung is able to capture exactly how it feels to roll through these emotions and captures the true toll it can take. I really loved the art and style that was used.
✨this was a gorgeous introspective graphics novel about depression and anxiety that told the story of the author’s experiences with mental illness while sandwiches pages of, what seemed, like positive affirmations and inspirational messages about moving forward when feeling lost or stuck.
✨I really related to certain parts of the author’s experience, which both triggered and soothed me. it can be scary, along with comforting, to relate to some when they are at their darkest. but instead of dragging the reader into that darkness, Tung provides comfort on the way out of the darkness.
✨another comforting aspect of this graphic novel was the art style. it felt very cozy and cute while also packing punches and being downright gorgeous at times.
✨I would recommend this to anyone who has struggles with anxiety and depression or if you are someone who wishes to see what the inside of someone’s head is like when that person is going through those things. I feel like anxiety, in particular, was really well represented in this.
✨Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for allowing me to read this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
This is a graphic memoir about the author's struggles with anxiety and depression. It therefore goes without saying this book may give comfort to some and could trigger others.
There were moments in the story that really resonated with me, in particular the inner dialogue that I have to navigate from time to time.
There were also parts that were very different from my own experiences, which I didn't agree with and that is to be expected because there is no one size fits all way to write about it.
What is universal through is that you are not alone and help is available.
The illustrations are perfection and if you're looking for a high level insight into the life of someone dealing with anxiety and depression then this may be for you.
This is the first piece of work that I have read from D. Tung and it was beautiful.
The inky art style really added to the artwork as she depicted dark feelings and experiences of anxiety and depression. The use of galaxy and more colourful displays throughout supported the visualisation of the journey that is recovery.
I didn't realise at first that this was a memoir, and I thank the author for being open and honest with the reader. This graphic novel is introspective and deeply personal, yet is the story that needs to be told, and more importantly shared.
I look forward to future works from Debbie Tung.