This story is well-crafted, so much so that I had difficulty sometimes remembering that it is a memoir, not fiction. Memoirs are often written in a confessional, journal-like style rather than story-like in structure. Fiction is usually better structured, formed into a narrative. The author has taken that care with this work: introducing characters and conflict, building suspense, and leaving cliffhangers. It is, for this reason, a compelling story and difficult to put down ... The book is critical of the state of mental health care in Canada, the author’s country ... This is a strong, well-written book that informs the reader on the topic of mental illness and its treatment.
This book is ideal for those interested in learning more about depression, anxiety, and suicide. It may also appeal to those who have always wondered what it might feel like to see the world through the tainted glass of depression. Family members and friends of those suffering, as well as therapists and other medical professionals, are also likely to benefit from this insightful and self-reflective account. Those still in the midst of dark days will want to wait and read this one later due to the descriptions of frequent suicidal ideation. Overall though, it’s definitely a worthy read and a positive contribution to the literature on mental illness.
Mark Henick vividly and emotionally recounts growing up in a small town off the coast of Nova Scotia ... This important memoir is unique in that it focuses as much attention on how he got better as it does on the drama of his depression and suicidality. Taking one’s one life is inherently dramatic, but most books gloss over what makes a real difference ... It is my hope that this memoir will be read by everyone who loves someone who is struggling so that they can better recognize what is often so difficult to put into words, and also by professionals who need to do a much better job of effectively helping their clients learn the necessary skills ... This much-needed memoir helps us all to recognize the stars and the blackness.
A wonderful yet intense memoir of author Mark Henick’s struggle with mental health ... The book delves into the extremely sensitive topics of mental health and suicide. The reader can feel the pain in Mark’s voice as he describes the helplessness he feels as he attempts suicide many times ... What I really appreciated about this account of the author’s life is that he does not sugar-coat anything ... I found So-Called Normal to evoke so many feelings—feelings of hopelessness, sadness, excitement, and happiness all come together in Mark’s life. Going through Mark’s journey is both beautiful and heart-wrenching, and if it wasn’t self-written I would have been wondering if he had made it out alive. I feel that anyone could learn many lessons from reading this book, and perhaps it could help someone who is having the same feelings as Mark did growing up and even save a life. This book is brilliant, raw, and a must-read.
Henick frankly lays out his adolescent trauma and instability that resulted in a series of suicide attempts and multiple visits to the psychiatric ward ... The author isn’t shy about detailing the emotional mindset of standing on the precipice of taking his own life, and he also strives to expose the inconsistent treatment of mental illness and the various unsatisfactory ways we, as a collective, talk about mental illness in adolescents ... Throughout the book, Henick turns to metaphor as a way to illustrate his mental state ... The technique proves useful in anchoring the author’s memories of depression ... His memoir might particularly help readers living with mental-health issues to recognize patterns of depression, put words to emotions that feel indescribable, and bring into focus both useful and unhelpful medical and therapeutic techniques.
His memoir is eloquently written, able to evoke a wide range of reactions as we follow along his journey of discovering and better understanding his mental health struggles ... While it may be a difficult read for some, this book is a wonderful and redemptive prize to finish. A definite recommendation for those who want to better support their loved ones with mental health issues, and a great start for further discussion.
... both inspirational and revealing. The author possesses the rare ability to pinpoint and deftly describe key characteristics that fed his depression ... Henick recalls many personal experiences but is always careful to then examine mental illness from a broader perspective, laying bare the characteristics of a disorder like anxiety ... he renders comprehensible some aspects of mental illness that nonsufferers in particular often find difficult to grasp. The author pulls no punches in his writing, which may deter some readers ... The author’s recollections of his childhood are painstakingly detailed whereas descriptions of adulthood prove less so, making the closing parts of the book feel slightly hurried ... Still, this detracts little from an elegantly written memoir that discovers hope in the darkest of moments. A candid, graceful, and courageous account that will offer a lifeline to others.
