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📖 BOOK REVIEW⠀📚
BOOK: The Existence of Amy
AUTHOR: Lana Grace Riva
@lanagraceriva
Publisher: Kindle
Published: August 2nd 2019
Review
Amy is a british graphic designer. She goes to work, she comes home. That is all she can do. You see, she has OCD and Depression, and it keeps her afraid of just about everything. That includes telling anyone about her OCD and Depression. See the problem? So, when her co-workers decide they are all going on holiday in Sidney to celebrate the completion of a big project, she tries to back out. Too bad they aren’t taking no for an answer.
You may notice that there isn’t any stars on this review. That isn’t because it’s bad. That’s because this book isn’t really for entertainment value. It’s for understanding. The Existence of Amy really puts you in Amy’s head, not just in the story, but in how it is told. She goes over the same information time and again because that’s what her head does to her. The other characters feel less solid and more like echoes against the inside of her skull. It is all about her experience.
The other element of this story is understanding how to help a person with these conditions. As someone who has struggled with Depression from time to time, and who has helped others, this book is spot on. It shows you the difference between someone who helps, someone who enables, and someone who tries to help but ends up making things worse. If you want to help, then you should definitely read this book.
You can see more in my video review:
Summary
Amy has a normal life. That is, if you were to go by a definition of ‘no immediate obvious indicators of peculiarity’, and you didn’t know her very well. She has good friends, a good job, a nice enough home. This normality, however, is precariously plastered on top of a different life. A life that is Amy’s real life. The only one her brain will let her lead.
I voluntarily read this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.