In Limbo

Lee, Deb JJ. In Limbo. 2023. 348p. ISBN 9781250252654. Available as a graphic novel on the library shelves.

Deborah, or Jung-Jin as she was originally named, has always felt like an outsider since her family's move from South Korea to the United States when she was a toddler. From struggling with English and having her name mispronounced to feeling different because of her appearance, Deb experiences a constant sense of Otherness and micro-aggressions from her peers and strangers. As the challenges of high school intensify, her friendships shift and dissolve, and even her home becomes a source of conflict due to escalating arguments with her mother. Caught in a difficult in-between space, Deb's mental well-being declines.

Despite these hardships, Deb demonstrates resilience by finding solace and a path to recovery through art and self-care practices. Returning to visit family in South Korea, Deborah gains a new understanding of her family, her cultural heritage, and ultimately, herself. This journey of self-discovery allows her to reframe her experiences and begin to reconcile her dual identity, finding a stronger sense of self and belonging.

Let's Call it a Doomsday

Henry, Katie. Let's Call it a Doomsday. 2019. 400p. ISBN 9780062698902. Available at FIC HEN on the library shelves.

Ellis is very peculiar. A junior in high school in Berkeley, California, Ellis' main concerns are not school, dating, or even her family. You see, Ellis is concerned that the world is ending. She is seriously concerned, so much so that she has thought of as many possibilities as possible of the world ending (catastrophic floods like Noah's, an asteroid crashing into Earth, nuclear armageddon, a gigantic supervolcanic eruption), and she has accumulated supplies to help her family survive when the apocalypse comes. Coming from a Mormon family, Ellis' concerns do not stem from religion. She's not even sure herself why she's so worried about the end of the world. It has warranted sessions with a therapist, however, as her parents are worried about Ellis' mental state.

On her way out of therapy, Ellis runs into a girl in the therapist's office. A patient herself, this girl seems fascinated by Ellis, and she tells her she'll see her soon. Sure enough, Ellis meets her again in her secret corner of the school library, where she eats lunch. The girl introduces herself as Hannah, and she tells Ellis that she has seen the end of the world, and Ellis needs to help her find Prophet Dan, a homeless man roaming Berkeley so he can interpret Hannah's dreams and discover when the world will end.

Ellis soon gets pulled in Hannah's orbit. Armed with fragmented details, the two girls search for the time when the world will end, and soon discover that the date is 12/21, right before Christmas. There's only a few months to warn the world that the end is coming. Along the way, Ellis meets Tal, one of Hannah's friends, and they develop a relationship, as he was also part of the Church of Latter Day Saints before coming out as bisexual. She also meets some of Hannah's friends, and all of them are concerned about Hannah's slowly losing grip on reality. Ellis, however is convinced, and together Hannah and her will tell the world to get ready!

Told from the perspective of an unreliable narrator, Let's Call it a Doomsday focuses on mental illnesses and how they influence one's action. Religion and relationships play a smaller role in the story. Ellis is anxious and neurotic, and is confronted early on by a question from her therapist. What will happen the day after the world does not end? Ellis does not know how to answer that question, but by the end of the book she does. Ellis grows as a character throughout the book. Fans of dysfunctional families and those interested in seeing a teen function while suffering from mental illness will appreciate this book.

Catcher in the Rye

 Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. 1991. 214p. ISBN 978-0-316-76948-8 . Available at FIC SAL on the library shelves.

Holden Caufield is at his third school during his high school career, and he's once again in danger of failing. When his roommate returns and tells Holden of his date with Jane Gallagher, Holden becomes angry. Jane was his friend when they were both younger, and in his mind he often harkens back to a time when both of them were innocent and played together. He eventually gets in a fight with his roommate, and after losing, decides to leave his school and return to New York City. 

Back in New York City, Holden can't go to the family's apartment so he roams the city for two days, spending his money and trying to recapture his youth. He idolizes his older brother who is a writer, but is saddened by the fact that he sold out and now writes for Hollywood instead. He wants to save his younger sister from the angst and anger he has experienced. Ultimately, Holden wants a society free of hypocrisy and lies, but can't seem to avoid doing the same things he complains. 

One of the most famous literary work of the 20th century, The Catcher in the Rye takes place in the early 1950s. Novel for the time for its use of profanity, references to alcohol, drugs and sex, The Catcher in the Rye remains relevant today for the way it portrays the alienation and angst of youth and mental illness.

Every Last Word

Stone, Tamara Ireland. Every Last Word. 2015. 356p. ISBN 978-1-48470527-8. Available as an eBook from Overdrive.

Samantha McAllister suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and she often finds herself sinking in a pool of dark thoughts. When she drives, the last number on the odometer must be 3 before she can park. She focuses on the smallest worries and magnifies them. A junior in high school, Samantha has been part of a tight-knit group of girls called the Crazy Eights, even though there are only five of them left. The girls are toxic to their friends, mean to others, and exclusive, and Samantha knows she ranks 4th in the group. In the summer, when the group is split up, Samantha is most happy. She swims every day, and stands a good chance of earning a scholarship. She works tirelessly with her psychiatrist to develop coping mechanisms to her obsessions.

On the first day of her junior year, she is accosted by Caroline, who is a few lockers down from Samantha. Caroline is everything Samantha is not: makeup free, comfortable in her skin, and not caring about what others think of her. In the theatre, she notices a group of students leaving a custodian closet, and one of them mentions another meeting on Thursday. Intrigued and guided by Caroline, Samantha discovers the Poet’s Corner, a secret room built behind the custodian where a group of students who don’t fit in find shelter, contributing words and music. Samantha immediately knows she needs to spend more time here, but A.J., who holds the key to the Poet’s corner, was relentlessly humiliated by the Crazy Eights in 4th grade and has not forgotten. Samantha is turned away from the group but is convinced by Caroline to try again.

Over the next few months, Samantha successfully manages to become a member of the Poet’s Corner, and as he friendships grow with those kids, she feels herself becoming more distant with the Crazy Eights, a more than welcomed break and something that her psychiatrist has encouraged her to do for years. At the same time, Caroline has told Samantha to keep their relationship as friends a secret from her family and from her psychiatrist. As Sam’s relationship with A.J. evolves and grows into something more than friends, she discovers Caroline’s secret, a secret so powerful it could destroy everything Samantha has worked for.

Inspired from a true story, Every Last Word accurately portrays the actions of a girl lost in her own thoughts and often unable to climb out of her mind. Readers who enjoy unreliable narrators will appreciate Samantha’s story.

Turtles All the Way Down

Green, John. Turtles All the Way Down. 2017. 286p. ISBN 978-0-525-55536-0. Available on the library shelves at FIC GRE.

Aza has problems. She’s worried she doesn’t really exist, and instead is a collection of bacteria that control her body. Deadly afraid of catching Clostridium Difficile (c. diff) or any other bacteria-caused disease, Aza obsesses on her stomach bacteria and has difficulty connecting to the world around her. Daisy, her best friend and Star Wars fanfiction writer, does enough talking for the both of them to keep many a conversation going.

When Daisy brings up the strange disappearance of billionaire entrepreneur Russell Pickett, Aza is not too interested. Russell Pickett vanished from his mansion, located across the river from Aza, during the night. Investigated for fraud and other white collar crimes, Pickett was rumored to be close to being indicted and taken to court. His disappearance has left shareholders, the public, and his own family confused. Did he run away? If so, why hasn’t he contacted his own sons? Daisy pushes the issue, however, for Aza and Davis Pickett spent time together when they were younger, and there is a $100,000 reward for any information leading to Russell Pickett. With that kind of money, both girls would be a long way towards affording college.

Aza can’t focus on this case, however. Davis, like her, suffers on the inside. He misses his father, and he has to act as his brother’s dad. He always feels under surveillance by the mansion’s staff. He’d rather spend time gazing at the stars than worrying about what is happening here on Earth. Aza’s problems also plague her daily existence. Trips to her psy do not ease her worries, and her medication is not working properly, perhaps because Aza is not consistently taking it. Either way, both of them are lost, and they have found each other again.

With the entire Pickett estate scheduled to go Robert’s favorite pet, a tuatara, resolving the disappearance of the man would lead to economic hardships for his sons, but freedom from the worries. For Aza, there is no such freedom from her own thoughts, which spiral inwards ever so tightly. As Davis and Aza attempt to deal with their issues, the world continues to move. Will they manage to escape their dreadful spirals?

The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone

Griffin, Adele. The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone. 2014. 256p. ISBN 978-1-61695-361-4. Available as an eBook on Overdrive.

Addison Stone was one of the most brilliant artist of her generation. Blazing a light through the art world, she exploded on the scene after her junior year of high school and moved to New York City, where she ultimately died in an accident unfurling artwork high above a bridge. Told by the people who knew Addison, as well as from her own words collected through interviews, the reader explores the tormented life of someone who clearly suffered from schizophrenia. We read about her rebel life and her unwillingness to bend to the rules. Her parents struggle through their marriage, and her brother, who loved her very much, tries to help. The only time Addison feels like herself is when she is working on her art.

Discovered by her art teacher in high school, she enters and wins prestigious state and national awards, and signs up with an unscrupulous art dealer. With more money than she knows what to do with, she moves to New York City where she encounters rich Zach, the son of one of her art dealer’s wealthier client, and they madly fall in love. The relationship strains, however, and Addison jettisons Zach for Lincoln, a fellow artist. Zach can’t let go, however, and he begins plaguing Addison’s life. She returns the favor by burning down his cottage in the Hamptons.

As her life struggles escalate, Addison sinks even further into mental illness, and Lincoln finds himself unable to help her. Addison is just too much, even for the people who love her. A rebel to the end, we will never know what she could have accomplished. Was her death a preventable accident, or was it murder? Neither Zach nor Lincoln are speaking, but after reading through countless interviews and careful documentation, the reader can only reach one conclusion ...