Title: Life is But a Dream
Author: Brian James
Release Date: March 2012
Published By: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 234
Goodreads Rating: 3.82
Review: Sabrina is diagnosed with schizophrenia and her parents check her into the Wellness Center, where the soft, blurred colors of her world slowly begin to solidify into the harsh lines of reality. But then she meets Alec, who convinces her it's the rest of the world that's crazy, not them. She worries her doctors are making her lose her dreams and everything that makes her her, so she listens to him and they concoct a plan that could have disastrous consequences.
LIFE IS BUT A DREAM was an eye-opening look at an issue very few people truly know about: schizophrenia. Until I read this book, I always thought it was just something like multiple personalities disorder, but from this story I was able to gain a deeper understanding of what it's really like. Sabrina lives trapped in her own dream world, separate from reality and both beautiful and frightening.
Every word in this book was tinged with emotion, and I found it both disturbing - in a good way - and sweet. The romance between Sabrina and Alec was scary but I could empathize with her and see why she was swayed by him, and with every horrible thing that happened, my heart ached for her. It can be hard to fully relate to a character with metal disorders because they seem to be so far from us, but I didn't have that problem with Sabrina.
If there was one aspect I wasn't such a fan of, it was the ending. It should have been the culmination of everything that happened, and while all the events were wrapped up and resolved, it was a little too much. It was almost as if a bow was slapped on the story and made everything a bit unbelievable. I just couldn't picture such a perfect and easy ending happening, and it spoiled my reading experience to an extent.
Overall, LIFE IS BUT A DREAM has an incredible concept that will change your perception of people with mental disorders. The emotional side of this story tugged on my heartstrings like few books truly can, and I was surprised at how much I could relate to Sabrina. I did wish the ending was a little different, but I still highly recommend this novel.
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3 comments:
Sounds very interesting...not to mention it has GORGEOUS cover. Putting it on the TBR list! :)
Hm. Well, the fact that you enjoyed it despite the ending is a good sign. We've been very curious about this book and suspect we might feel similarly to you. Thanks!
I loved the writing for this book so much-it really touched me and brought me into Sabrina's world.
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