The Other Side of Nothing
A Novel
by Anastasia Zadeik
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Pub Date May 28 2024 | Archive Date Apr 20 2024
Caitlin Hamilton Marketing & Publicity for She Writes Press | She Writes Press
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Description
Before Julia can process what she’s done, the two young lovers are on the run.
When Julia’s mother, Laura, learns Julia has disappeared and authorities will do nothing to help find her, Laura forms an uneasy alliance with the sole person who has as much to lose as she does: Sam’s mother, Arabella. Armed with only a handful of clues, the two mothers embark on a journey of their own, desperately hoping to save their children before they are lost forever.
A moving exploration of family, friendship, and how far we are willing to go for the ones we love, The Other Side of Nothing is a powerful read about loss, self-determination, and second chances.
A Note From the Publisher
Advance Praise
“Zadeik deftly evokes the dark days of clinical depression and the rapid cycling of a mood disorder while exploring societal attitudes toward mental illness over generations. The author also beautifully depicts the unfolding and emotionally charged love story between two young people invested in philosophy, literature, and art, and she captures the heartbreaking spiral that can happen when things go awry . . . A stunning story of mental illness and its challenges.”—KIRKUS REVIEWS
“A powerful read . . . masterfully captures the adolescent voice and makes the reader care, so much, about every character. A moving, timely story that highlights the challenges of mental health and the impact on the people who love those struggling.”—Zibby Owens, author of Blank and podcast host of Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books
“In this profound story of love and loss, Anastasia Zadeik tackles the complexities of mental health from every angle and perspective, taking readers on an unforgettable journey that explores what we can and cannot control. Moving, insightful, and deeply compassionate, The Other Side of Nothing is a remarkable and important read.”—J. J. Elliott, author of There Are No Rules for This
“Anastasia Zadeik's characters grab the reader from the first page as a young couple embarks on a suspenseful journey in search of beauty, connection, and meaning—heading toward a perilous precipice. The story reveals the complex and misunderstood layers of mental illness, offering insights and nurturing empathy for those who suffer and the people who love them. Recommended reading to enhance understanding of mental illness through a heart-wrenching story.”—Linda Moore, author of Attribution
“Riveting, devastating, redemptive. The Other Side of Nothing is both intimate and cosmic—intellectually, physically, and emotionally. I was holding my breath until the final pages.”—Shelley Blanton-Stroud, author of the Jane Benjamin novels
“Mental illness is still something we don’t talk about enough. Anastasia Zadeik tackles it head-on in this moving portrayal of two suicidal young adults searching for meaning in their lives. With sensitivity and compassion, the author explores the effects of the demon of mental illness not just on the patients but also on their loved ones. Heartbreaking yet also hopeful, The Other Side of Nothing takes the reader on an unforgettable journey.”—Jody Hadlock, author of The Lives of Diamond Bessie
“This is an immediately engaging, emotionally raw novel that weaves together grief, art, secrets, family dynamics, class, and mental disorder. Its feminist perspective is cleverly subversive, taking tropes from 20th century literature (Salinger and Kerouac, among others) and revealing the dark side of those male-oriented narratives. In the end, it is a moving and important account of love—its costs, and its rewards.”—Sue William Silverman, author of Acetylene Torch Songs: Writing True Stories to Ignite the Soul
“ . . . a page-turning novel about young love, art, philosophy, motherhood, grief, and healing. Zadeik writes with tremendous empathy and compassion for her characters, exploring the complexities and nuances of mental illness. The characters in these pages are beautifully alive.”—Tammy Greenwood, author of The Still Point, Keeping Lucy, and Two Rivers
Marketing Plan
Trigger warning: this novel deals with mental illness and suicide.
Trigger warning: this novel deals with mental illness and suicide.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781647426682 |
| PRICE | $17.95 (USD) |
| PAGES | 344 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Sandie K, Reviewer
After the death of her beloved father, Julia has fallen into a depression. She checks herself into a residential treatment program. She and her mother, Laura, have grown distance since the death and Laura doesn't know how to talk or act with Julia. As Julia starts to feel better with treatment, she falls in love with an magnetic patient, Sam. He is about to leave treatment and when he does he convinces Julia to leave with him.
Both Laura and Sam's mother, Arabella, are worried about this. The two aren't making contact. Arabella knows this is a repeating pattern with Sam, a fast infatuation with a girl, spiraling out of control and disaster but she doesn't share this with Laura. Instead, the two set off on the road trying to guess where their children are headed. Julia had a bucket list that seems to give clues.
The mothers almost catch up with Sam and Julia at one location but Sam sees them and they flee. It soon becomes apparent that the two are headed to a remote, dangerous location where Sam hopes to duplicate one of Ansel Adam's most famous images. Can they find the two before Sam spins completely our of control?
This is an important book about mental illness and suicide that is relevant to many. The author has family experience with the topics and offers a ray of hope when all may seem dark and uncharted territory. It emphasizes the necessity of getting help when one's mind is cluttered and spinning and the fact that there is a better life waiting. Julia sees how Sam becomes more and more focused on his obsessions and she tries to help him but eventually realizes that she cannot do what is not wanted. This book is recommended for readers of family relationships.
Reviewer 1353554
This was a book that I read really quickly, as I just needed to know what was going to happen! I loved having the perspectives of the mothers in this book, as it gave a raw insight into loving someone with a mental illness. I also thought the portrayal of mental illness to be really well done, informative and multi-layered. The writing was immersive and the characters seemed so real to me. Would recommend.
