Book Review

The Existence Of Amy

•talk of mental health, OCD, Depression•

Synopsis

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.

Why I Love This Book

“There is no break from my brain”

I was kindly sent ‘The Existence Of Amy’ by Lana Grace Riva in exchange for an honest review. First of all, I can’t put into words how much I love this book. It’s such an easy to follow plot, but it has so much meaning behind it, making you understand the challenges of what some people have to go through on a daily basis.

This book has proudly joined the one-sitter club, taking just over half a day to finish it. It was really refreshing to read a book where the reader doesn’t rely on plot twists to stay engaged. Allowing the reader to genuinely get to know and connect with Amy, the protagonist.

The Story

“Being in my current existence hurts.”

Amy’s journey throughout the book is not easy and sounds immensely exhausting to live. Although we aren’t directly told if Amy is diagnosed with any mental health issues in the beginning, it is clear that she is struggling with something heavier than everyday problems. We see her attempt to battle mundane activities such as leaving the house, catching the bus and socializing with friends. Buy this way of living her brain has created is slowly destroying her life.

I have never suffered from OCD or depression myself, but I know people that do and I believe this is an accurate representation of some of the symptoms that can occur. Even though the book is blunt and straight to the point, it provides a lot of useful information that could help anyone who struggles with mental health themselves.

The Characters

“Sometimes I feel like running. Running fast and never stopping”

I really enjoyed the connection between Amy and all her work colleagues. Each one of them brought a different personality and level of friendship to the surface. Revealing more information about what Amy has to deal with on a day to day basis. She is truly an inspiring character to root for. We see her flourish as the story goes on, pushing herself to do things that she never thought she would be able to do again. Sending an extremely positive message to anyone reading.

As well as Amy struggling with mental health, we start to see how it affects the relationships around her. Her friends/work colleagues play a huge role in her life. Sometimes even being the last thing in her life to keep her going. I love all of the characters in this book because you can see them all individual growing and changing to the people they want to become, not just Amy.

Overall Thoughts

“Look at the joy on their faces. Will I ever experience that again?”

Overall, ‘The Existence Of Amy’ is definitely near the top of my favourite books of 2020 so far. The author writes about mental health in an abrupt way to help readers understand the conflict they have with themselves all the time. I can’t recommend this book enough. If you’re looking for a nice easy read, with a powerful message behind the story, this is the book for you.

Rating: 4.5/5

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