- #1
With so many academy novels in the wild, differentiating yourself has become a game of strengthening some core concept of these novels. This particular academy novel chose to strengthen the "emotional tragedy" aspect.What I mean by that is a lot of headspace in the story is taken up with core conflicts revolving on mental illness and the resolution of helping someone under this aliment, or watching the protagonist explore his own illness.Mental illness is not an explored topic in academy novels in most cases, and only the real best ones explore the personal suffering the characters could be experiencing. "The Novel's Extra", for example, explores this idea a little with the main character's lost parents, with a similar essence of comfort that, although the problem still exists, it has at least been said.The protagonists emotions can sometimes be too intense. Not in the sense that someone in mental anguish cannot be intense, but in the sense that it did not convince me as something realistic. At times I find it akin to an edge-fest that is trying too hard to sell the scene.To me, understated misery can be much more powerful when used correctly, and always trying for the big heights of shouting, making a show of obvious thematic oxymoron in "smiling crying" imagery, can come off as rudimentary.The author is pretty amateurish, essentially. But the core of the story is pretty well built, at least to where I am, and thus its popularity is deserved. I think it's an interesting entry just for how much more it is focusing on mental health, even if it can come off as a bit brash in moments.
