November 14, 2014: 'Schizo'

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Date: November 14, 2014

Spoilers Ahead

Headline

Schizo

Nic Sheff

The fascinating, shocking, and ultimately quite hopeful story of one teen’s downward spiral into mental illness by the bestselling author of Tweak.

Miles is the ultimate unreliable narrator—a teen recovering from a schizophrenic breakdown who believes he is getting better . . . when in reality he is growing worse.

 

Driven to the point of obsession to find his missing younger brother, Teddy, and wrapped up in a romance that may or may not be the real thing, Miles is forever chasing shadows. As Miles feels his world closing around him, he struggles to keep it open, but what you think you know about his world is actually a blur of gray, and the sharp focus of reality proves startling.

 

Written by the New York Times bestselling author of Tweak, Schizo is the fascinating, and ultimately quite hopeful, story of one teen's downward spiral into mental illness as he chases the clues to a missing brother. Perfect for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and It’s Kind of a Funny Story.

City Calendar:

This is what happened during the week.

Eliza Miles's love from years ago arrives in town. Miles determined that he needs to find his brother Teddy. Miles goes to the witness's house in Teddy's kidnapping. He gets nothing. He goes to a party and kisses Eliza. He pukes on her. Miles dumps his medicine in the toilet and flushes. Miles goes to the police station and talks to the detective who had the case files. He steals the suspect list. He finds only one suspect who fit both of the things the witness said he had. He goes to the suspect's house but discovers that the suspect moved. Miles goes to Eliza's house and stays the night before hastily leaving. He waits until the suspect shows up for a lottery ticket. Miles hides in the suspect's truck and goes to his house. Mistaking the suspect's child for Teddy, he screams at the suspect. The suspect takes him back home. He goes to Eliza's house and sees Eliza having sex with another guy. Miles goes home, confused and grieving. He slits his wrists but calls the hospital before he goes unconscious. He recovers physically in the hospital before going to the psych ward. There, he goes down the route of recovery . He discovers that Teddy isn't actually his brother. He leaves the psych ward with another friend and a recovering mind.

And that's what happened this week.

Personal Ads:

Miles. 

Schizophrenic. Looking for kidnapped 'brother'. Recovering. A bit crazy. Still a bit in love with friend who moved away. Not the best brother. Always sees crows. Has friends but not too close to any of them. 

Opinions:

I like that this book faces realistic problems head on. It doesn't shy away from the truth. It shows the world of this schizophrenic kid. But I feel like his delusions are awkwardly told. They don't seem right. Now. I don't have schizophrenia like Miles. Let's state that as a fact. But the things he saw were a bit odd. I mean...I love crows, but why crows? I don't get it. It doesn't make sense.

I think the delusions are interesting. They are odd but work. Somehow. I feel like I'm missing the symbol in the crows, though.

The plot was rushed. It ran through most of the book. I didn't like that. It also ended oddly. Just...happily ever after? I don't see it. I feel like Miles will relapse, but he makes it sound like everything is fine. But it can't be. I don't like the ending. 

The romance is also awkward. Where is that from? Cheating? What is wrong with these people? The romance is over dramatized. It's not how romance is written in my mind. 

Weather:

Sunny with a 80% chance of rain 

2.5/5