My rating: 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Loved it!! Beautifully written, real and raw and will be close to home for many!!!

The second novel in the Menzies Mental Health series, where we follow Trainee Psychiatrist Dr Hannah Wright. She has only just got her head above water in the acute psychiatric ward when she is thrown into the deep end in the outpatient clinic.

This brings many different challenges her way and she is keen to develop of skills in talking therapies, she finds herself up against a boss who is focussed on medication and a colleague with a score to settle.

All the first year friends are facing problems, Hannah’s on and off flame is being bullied, Ndidi’s marriage is in trouble, Jon feels isolated and Carey is concerned their autism will be a career barrier. While Hannah is under pressure to get therapy for her traumatic past.

The patients mental health battles range from OCD to ice addiction, childhood abuse to the mental impact of ageing, from bad parenting to bad genes.

They all come to and are welcome at the Oasis.

So, I am back with this series and I am a little late to the review on this one… but I wanted to be in the right headspace to enjoy it and I really did. I loved the first book, I thought about it often over the last year. So when I saw this one was coming out I jumped onto it. I always get nervous for a sequel to a 5 star book that it might not live up to my expectations but I needn’t have worried.

This is beautifully and thoughtfully written, we have a lot of the same characters from the first book of course including Hannah who I love. She is real and she is flawed and she is doing her best for her friends, her patients and herself. But that comes with its own trials and tribulations. She is battling personal childhood trauma but unsure how to deal with it or who to see… as a mental health professional it isn’t so easy to find someone to sort out your own mental health.

Her friends are back and they are all experiencing life and drama and the pain of just going through the motions. This book much like the first one is written in a way that is relatable especially if you have or know someone with mental health issues no matter how big or small they are. There are people from all walks of life in here… nature over nurture, physical issues that cause mental health and really severe psychological medical issues.

My heart bled for some of the patients, some of the families and some of the doctors… everyone is mostly just doing their best in life and you can see this playing out on the pages of this book. These stories while “fictional” will be someone’s story somewhere. I can see myself and my life written out (not word for word) but in the pages of this book, some of my life drams and health issues are those of the the patients or characters of this story. So while yes its fiction it will resonate with so many of you.

Just a disclaimer if you haven’t already realised it… I am a thriller reader mostly, this is not that this is LitFic (like the first novel) and it is very character driven. If you are expecting thrills and spills then this is not the book. This is very real and raw and at times uncomfortable because lets be honest… so is life. Things are not always easy and they wont always be fun and happy… this is a story about day to day in the face of adversity, difference and a society that doesn’t always accept or want you around.

That is not to say this is depressing there are some funny and fun times in this book as well which is what makes this so true to life for me. You can be suffering major depressive disorder but still have a laugh and good day and a great time. I think these books go a long way to helping break down some of the stigma in Mental Health and I recommend them to people who might even be just perusing this thinking… hmm maybe. What have you got to lose.

The setting is Australia and as an Australian (and I said this in my first review) I generally don’t read close to home… but it works for me. It is familiar while in another state to me.. but our medical system is pretty standard across the country and this is played out in this book.

I can’t walk away from this review without commending the writing, it is just beautiful and I am not hand held throughout this novel. I have to wait for conclusions and for things to play out and be tied together. Because it does and it will but you don’t get it spoon fed to you and I love that. Each chapter begins with a dilemma and you start off with someone’s episode or issue but you don’t know who and you don’t know what is going to happen, then it flips to Hannah (usually) and then the story plays out and somewhere along the line Hannah comes into contact with the person we met in the first paragraph and we learn more.

In the end the story is tied up, not ended but you learn how these people are going about their lives and why we learnt about them. I love this… and again this book doesn’t end Happily Ever After, it doesn’t end at all… because its life and its not over until its over and even then its not over for everyone all at once.

I will say this (and I said this in my last review) pleeeease let there be more… I know Graeme wrote me back in my comments and told me there would be at least two books… Graeme let’s make it AT LEAST 3… but you know I will ask for more !!!

Overall, will you like it… depends if you like this kind of book and if the subject matter is interesting to you and not too triggering. This is written in a really thoughtful way so I think there is something here for everyone. But if you don’t like character driven books maybe not. Shout out to Rosh I don’t know if you have read the first one but would love to see what you think of this series (my opinion must read in order). Carol I think you might like these as well!!!

I want to sincerely thank NetGalley, Hachette Australia and Anne Buist and Graeme Simsion for allowing me an advanced copy in order to give this book an honest but glowing review. These books have such beautiful stories and such beautiful covers that I will be getting copies for my shelf as well.

Hmmh… I loved the Rosie project series. For me the setting and the cases of psychiatry I found unsettling and couldn’t quite enjoy the read. It would definitely appeal to some readers. Thank you to the authors. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

EXCERPT: I recognise him before I see him: the booming voice of Max Kennedy KC is unmistakable. He's a barrister with bipolar disorder who did a stint - a memorable stint - in Acute before transferring to a private hospital.
He's standing behind bars in a barren room: dishevelled, shirt inside out. His pants are missing a belt and sinking dangerously low below his substantial belly. There's a guy in the cell opposite who looks like he's trying to sleep off last night's bender - I think it's him I can smell, but I can't be sure Max's hygiene is up to scratch either.
'Good heavens,' says Max. 'It's the adorable Doctor Quatro!'
The name he gave me in acute. Apparently I remind him of a rock singer from his teenage years.
'Max . . . have you stopped taking your lithium?'
I feel a moment of therapeutic nihilism. We thought we'd convinced him to stay on the drug that keeps him stable enough to hold onto his job and his relationship.
'Dear doctor, don't despair! Devilishly difficult dilemma: damned if I do and damned if I don't.'
This could take a while.
'Definitely dreadful. Drug doing damage. Careering creatinine killing the kidneys!'
'You had to stop the lithium?' I interrupt Max's affirmative, alliterative - and annoyingly long - reply. 'What are you taking instead?'
'A cocktail, dear doctor, dear doctor, dear doctor. A lavishing of lamotrigine, a steady stream of Seroquel and a dash of diazepam.'
I wonder if he's amping it up to get off the driving charges.
'What were you doing when the police picked you up?'
'Followed the police car through the intersection. All those cars stopped and waiting - I'd have been a fool not to take advantage. Don't think the police liked me getting ahead of them. Malicious prosecution.' Max beams. 'Took the shortcut through the park.'

ABOUT 'THE OASIS': Trainee psychiatrist Doctor Hannah Wright has only just got her head above water in the acute psychiatric ward at Menzies Hospital when she's thrown into the deep end of the outpatient clinic. Keen to develop her skills in talking therapies, she finds herself up against a boss who's focused on medication and a senior colleague with a score to settle.

Hannah's fellow first-years face problems of their on-and-off flame Alex is being bullied, Ndidi's marriage is in trouble, Jon feels isolated and Carey is concerned their autism will be a career barrier.

While Hannah comes under pressure to seek therapy herself to confront a traumatic past, her patients' health issues range from OCD to ice addiction, childhood abuse to the mental impact of ageing, and from bad parenting to bad genes. They all come to the Oasis.

MY THOUGHTS: While trainee psychiatrist Hannah Wright learned heaps in the Acute Unit (her experiences are written about in The Glass House), the work she is doing in the Outpatient Clinic is closer to where she sees her future.

I really like Hannah. I like the way she listens and guides patients to their own conclusions rather than just writing out a script and ushering them out the door. She strikes a nice balance between the two: trying to get to the root of the problem, trying not to return the patient to the same set of circumstances that has contributed to their illness but not afraid to prescribe medication to help alleviate the symptoms or their distress.

The thing about psychiatry is that there are no quick fixes, often no fixes at all, just a maintenance program that keeps the patient as well and as able to take back as much of their lives as possible. It takes a team of people to do this and should involve the family/friends of the patient as much as possible. These are the people who have day to day contact with the patient and who are usually first to notice that things may be going wrong - as long as they are not part of the problem of course! - which they often are.

Kudos to Anne Buist and Graeme Simsion for their accuracy in the portrayal of various mental illnesses and their treatments and for their honesty about the barriers the staff face in trying to care for their patients.

Another brilliant ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ read from this talented pair.

#TheOasis #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHORS: Anne Buist is the Chair of Women’s Mental Health at the University of Melbourne and has over 25 years clinical and research experience in perinatal psychiatry. She works with Protective Services and the legal system in cases of abuse, kidnapping, infanticide and murder.
Professor Buist is married to novelist Graeme Simsion and has two children.

Graeme Simsion lives in Melbourne with Anne, and is a frequent traveller, walker, jogger, and drinker of wine and cocktails. He is active in amplifying autistic voices through books, events and social media and has spoken at autism conferences and seminars.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hachette Australia & New Zealand via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Oasis by Anne Buist and Graeme Simsion for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

The Oasis is the second book in the Menzies Mental Health series. As soon as it was available I was right into reading it. I had really loved the first book and was ready to follow Hannah and her fellow first year trainee psychiatrists.

I really like Hannah and her way of treating patients. She is compassionate and caring. Despite her own struggles and some resistance to seeing her own therapist, she is the kind of person I'd want if I had a mental health problem. She is an advocate for more than medical intervention and sees listening and talk therapy as important. She goes the extra mile and sees things through, even if it's risky or ends with really sad news.

I liked her trainee colleagues and the issues they have. Carey springs to mind, they are autistic and they have a great idea about a hazmat suit that helps one of Hannah's patients. Each of Hannah's colleagues have things they are struggling with, yet they work on and do their best. I was interested in them all.

I think Anne Buist and Graeme Simsion have worked really well to produce a very readable book, (be prepared for a lot of characters) that makes us think. And if we can't do it all by ourselves they have a set of questions at the end that help us along. It's a book that makes us think about mental health, its place in society, shows us that the trainee psychiatrists are wounded helpers, yet when they bring the whole of themselves good can happen, even if its not perfect.

I have my fingers crossed that there will be another book in this series when Hannah goes on her next rotation.

Dr Hannah Wight is back, and we are introduced to 3 new patients as she undertakes her psychiatric training! This was the perfect sequel to The Glasshouse, in the same easy to read format. As a healthcare professional, I thoroughly enjoyed how Buist & Simpson portrayed the reality (and complexities) of delivering mental health care.

Thank you to NetGalley & Hachette for this ARC!

“Psychiatry is about sitting with things that are far from perfect. Our patients have often done that all their lives, long before the onset of mental illness. We are their role models. We do the best we can. But we’re not going to win every battle.”

The Oasis is the second book in the Menzies Mental Health series by best-selling husband and wife writing team, Anne Buist and Graeme Simsion. Most chapters are prefaced by a description of the episode that brings a patient to the attention of Menzies Mental Health Team, or a particular incident in the lives of the staff at Menzies Mental Health. That person’s issues are explored, along with ongoing matters, both professional, practical, and personal.

Having gained entry into the Psychiatric training program, Hannah Wright is now a registrar at The Stables, the outpatient clinic of Menzies Mental Health. Concern from the Prof that past experiences may affect her clinical judgement has her finally agreeing to see a therapist to help her deal with unresolved issues from her own childhood trauma. Although, easier said than done…

Hannah encounters a wide variety of patients and conditions, both at the clinic (eventually renamed as the more friendly The Oasis) and on the road with the Critical Assessment & Treatment Team (CATT).

Among those she sees, there are very few quick fixes: the patient almost driven to suicide by the chronic pain, to whom successive practitioners have failed to listen properly, and failed to explain the rationale for certain medications, might be one; perhaps the young man whose treated psychosis is exacerbated by methamphetamine use, and gets a wake-up call when he seriously (if unintentionally) injures his mother, is another; and her non-binary colleague on the autism spectrum comes up with a laterally-thought-out practical solution for getting her philosophy professor incapacitated by severe OCD to therapy.

The anxious treen who runs away from a strict religious family turns out to have more going on that Hannah realises; she wonders if the young woman with borderline personality disorder will ever escape her dysfunctional, toxic, family; both of them strike a chord with Hannah.

A rising star in the electronic music scene comes up against the dinosaur in charge of the Extended Stay Unit, until her biggest fan stages an escape. Her colleague Jon observes that often community treatment orders are issued without a lot of thought, to make sure the patient does what’s good for them, without ever really thinking about how that must feel for the patient: “… the bigger issue of people in power thinking they know what’s best for others.”

Diagnosing the young mother whose husband thinks she’s having an affair is a challenge; is the sixty-four-year-old History teacher, who claims to have been a cold-war spy, delusional, like his colleague thinks? Some cases are hopeful, others heart-breaking, and the brick walls Hannah hits around the couple focussed on IVF, gob-smacking. Sometimes, as with the young mother distressed by emerging memories, they are trying to repair the damage done by quacks.

While The Oasis can be read as a stand-alone, readers should be aware that, as a sequel to The Glasshouse, many characters and cases from that book reappear here, and there are, inevitably, spoilers. Some readers may find the large cast of characters a bit overwhelming, so many balls in the air at once, but this reflects the reality that mental health professionals in training must deal with every day: “The problem of trying to do everything. We want to improve out skills, qualify … And do the paperwork, hit the KPIs, have a life.”

This is also a novel that reminds us that those practitioners charged with the treatment of the ill and vulnerable are themselves human, and despite thorough training and expertise, may be plagued by very human flaws and failings, and their perceptions, attitudes and reactions to their patients’ presenting symptoms may be coloured by their own history.

The banter between the characters is often entertaining; some of the dialogue, and a few last lines (like “a big platter of anchovy toasts”, and “Rosemary’s Baby”) are laugh-out-loud, if blackly, funny. Of course, Buist’s background gives each aspect of the story a ring of authenticity, so this portrayal of mental illness and its treatment, and of the mental-health system, is wholly credible, but also topical, laced with humour and quite thought-provoking.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Hachette Australia. & New Zealand