Synopsis
"Sixteen-year-old Solomon is agoraphobic. He hasn’t left the house in three years, which is fine by him.
Ambitious Lisa desperately wants to get into the second-best psychology program for college (she’s being realistic). But is ambition alone enough to get her in?
Enter Lisa.
Determined to “fix” Sol, Lisa steps into his world, along with her charming boyfriend, Clark, and soon the three form an unexpected bond. But, as Lisa learns more about Sol and he and Clark grow closer and closer, the walls they’ve built around themselves start to collapse and their friendships threaten to do the same." (Goodreads)
Ambitious Lisa desperately wants to get into the second-best psychology program for college (she’s being realistic). But is ambition alone enough to get her in?
Enter Lisa.
Determined to “fix” Sol, Lisa steps into his world, along with her charming boyfriend, Clark, and soon the three form an unexpected bond. But, as Lisa learns more about Sol and he and Clark grow closer and closer, the walls they’ve built around themselves start to collapse and their friendships threaten to do the same." (Goodreads)
Realistic Mental Illness Portrayal...YAS!
As someone who suffers from anxiety and depression and has watched others struggle with it as well, it is so important to me that mental illness is handled in a careful way. I know that many people lack a safe space to discuss issues and security in letting others know that they require help. But I also know that there are many people, especially family members, who are willing to do the work to help out their suffering loved ones.
Solomon Reed is agoraphobic because of his severe panic disorder. Without getting into details, this is something I am familiar with. I found the way that his parents handled the situation to be well-executed. For a time, it is easy to push the person to get help: to see therapists, to go on medications, to be active, etc. But Solomon finds that his anxiety is best managed when he doesn't leave the house. So he doesn't. For three years. And his parents let this happen. Maybe some people think that's unbelievable, but trust me...it's not. Maybe it's enabling. Maybe it's respect. Maybe it's defeat. Maybe it's all three. I just really loved that his parents tried to respect his illness, but still wanted the very best for him.
"Other People are Not Medicine"
I read Amy Poehler's Yes, Please around this time in 2014 and the quote above is something that I took away from it and think about often. Most people (myself included, previously) think that finding a best friend or a partner or supportive family members will suddenly fix everything. They also think that there is something wrong with themselves when they have one or all of those things and they are still not well. People can't fix people. I mean, doctors are people trained to fix illnesses. Therapists are people who have been qualified to help. But we cannot expect a person simply being in our lives to cure us.
I think a lot of people take issue with mental illness in books because new love or friendship is often used to suddenly help the person struggling and that's not how it works. I think that friends, family, and partners can absolutely aid in the support you might need (reminding you to take your meds, bringing you to appointments if you're scared, learning techniques that will help in difficult times), but they will not be the ones who diagnose you and they cannot replace the medication and therapy (It's also important to remember that they cannot bear the weight of your problems because they also have things to work through themselves).
Lisa Praytor is a smart, determined girl who wants to be a psychologist. She butts her nose into Solomon's life because she thinks that can get a scholarship by helping to cure him. Remember, though, that Lisa doesn't actually have a degree. Making a couple of new friends does make Solomon a bit stronger (knowing that people want to hang out with you despite the illness you think keeps them away), but it's not going to cure him. It wouldn't and it shouldn't. It is simply a stepping stone.
Overall
At around 250 pages, this book is a quick and enjoyable read. I genuinely loved the characters, and appreciated the alternating third-person perspectives. Solomon was not simply an agoraphobic who hides in dark corners and fears all humans: he has a personality, a sense of humor, and interests that help him cope. Lisa wasn't just a nosy know-it-all: she has issues of her own, and that just might be why she is so fixated on helping someone else. This book is thoughtful, but it's also very funny and doesn't lose itself in the usual contemporary tropes. It is a slice of life, and a great and honest one at that.
Highly recommend!
Highly recommend!
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