Novel Review; Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets
Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos
My rating: 4.8 of 5 stars
Goodreads Summary: “I hate myself but I love Walt Whitman, the kook. Always positive. I need to be more positive, so I wake myself up every morning with a song of myself.” Sixteen-year-old James Whitman has been yawping (à la Whitman) at his abusive father ever since he kicked his beloved older sister, Jorie, out of the house. James’s painful struggle with anxiety and depression—along with his ongoing quest to understand what led to his self-destructive sister’s exile—make for a heart-rending read, but his wild, exuberant Whitmanization of the world and keen sense of humor keep this emotionally charged debut novel buoyant.
This. Is. Probably. The. Best. Young. Adult. Novel. I. Have. Ever. Read. In. My. Life.
Unique. Interesting. Different. Adorable. Heartbreaking. Shattering. Raw.
All of these adjectives are an understatement in comparison to the beautiful narrative Evan Roskos created. The main character, James, battles both depression and anxiety due to the traumatic events he's had to endure with his abusive and destructive parents.
The emotions in this novel are real and heart wrenching, it tears you apart until you feel there is nothing left to feel. James Whitman only finds joy in memorizing Walt Whiman's poetry, calms his anxiety by hugging trees, and handles his issues by taking advice from his imaginary pigeon, Dr.Bird.
While the theme of a teen struggling with anxiety and depression may seem overused or even cliche by this point, this novel is anything but cliche. The dynamic of the characters is nothing like I've seen before in the Young Adult section and the character James is unique in every aspect.
This rather gloomy tale balances with some great humor in it, thankfully, otherwise the readers may quiet literally feel ultimately devastated throughout the entire novel.
The honesty in the novel is what captivated my attention most, taking the trust of the readers by the hand and showing them that although they might be sad teen poets, they aren't alone in the world.
My rating: 4.8 of 5 stars
Goodreads Summary: “I hate myself but I love Walt Whitman, the kook. Always positive. I need to be more positive, so I wake myself up every morning with a song of myself.” Sixteen-year-old James Whitman has been yawping (à la Whitman) at his abusive father ever since he kicked his beloved older sister, Jorie, out of the house. James’s painful struggle with anxiety and depression—along with his ongoing quest to understand what led to his self-destructive sister’s exile—make for a heart-rending read, but his wild, exuberant Whitmanization of the world and keen sense of humor keep this emotionally charged debut novel buoyant.
This. Is. Probably. The. Best. Young. Adult. Novel. I. Have. Ever. Read. In. My. Life.
Unique. Interesting. Different. Adorable. Heartbreaking. Shattering. Raw.
All of these adjectives are an understatement in comparison to the beautiful narrative Evan Roskos created. The main character, James, battles both depression and anxiety due to the traumatic events he's had to endure with his abusive and destructive parents.
The emotions in this novel are real and heart wrenching, it tears you apart until you feel there is nothing left to feel. James Whitman only finds joy in memorizing Walt Whiman's poetry, calms his anxiety by hugging trees, and handles his issues by taking advice from his imaginary pigeon, Dr.Bird.
While the theme of a teen struggling with anxiety and depression may seem overused or even cliche by this point, this novel is anything but cliche. The dynamic of the characters is nothing like I've seen before in the Young Adult section and the character James is unique in every aspect.
This rather gloomy tale balances with some great humor in it, thankfully, otherwise the readers may quiet literally feel ultimately devastated throughout the entire novel.
The honesty in the novel is what captivated my attention most, taking the trust of the readers by the hand and showing them that although they might be sad teen poets, they aren't alone in the world.
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