Never do I encounter a book with a voice that is so freaking relatable. It says a lot about me that the most accessible passages were so, not just because the writing itself, on a granular level, is off the charts lyrical and wonderful, but also, the manic narration, full of repetition and thrumming with anxiety- I've had many similar internal monologues of such insistence, weighing heavy on a frazzled mind, exerting pressure on top of the pressure I already insist upon in order to hold myself to a high standard of moral/intellect/perseverance in my personal and professional lives. It scared me, as it seemed to sometimes scare Bassey, how pushy those inner voices can be, and I'm so glad that though there were close calls, that she got help and kept trying different medications until she found what worked to level her out. Going through that process is arduous to say the least.

I've read several "tough" stories lately, both fiction and nonfiction, and due to this growing prevalence of writers opening up the conversations into their personal mental health struggles/journeys, I'm hoping that for all, that letting more people in to what they've been through is helpful in some way, whether it is how their words contribute to breaking the stigma surrounding mental illness, or how it gives them tools to find catharsis, or closure, something. I'm deliriously happy that I can pick up 5+ books in a row this last month, each portraying different truths, all valid, all heartbreaking to some extent, all shedding some light on what "normal" can mean for these characters/authors, and how important it is to be open to listening, learning, and laying off judgment because the one time you lend an ear instead of tone-deaf advice, might be the time you save someone from the precipice.