Review: A Blue So Dark by Holly Schindler

Release Date: May 1, 2010
Age Group: Young Adult
Received From: Publisher
Other Info: 2010 Debut Author Challenge
IBSN: 9780738719269
Blurb:
Terrified that her mother, a schizophrenic and an artist, is a mirror that reflects her own future, sixteen-year-old Aura struggles with her overwhelming desires to both chase artistic pursuits and keep madness at bay.

As her mother sinks deeper into the darkness of mental illness, the hunger for a creative outlet keeps drawing Aura toward the depths of her own imagination—the shadows of make-believe that she finds frighteningly similar to her mother’s hallucinations.

Convinced that creative equals crazy, Aura shuns her art, and her life unravels in the process.

My Thoughts:

 I didn’t really know what to expect when I opened this book. What I got was a incredibly engaging story about mental illness. No one wants to talk about these things. Not really. Most of us avoid mental illness like it’s the plague. But what if you were like Aura? What if your own mother were the definition of mental illness? There’s no avoiding that.

This story was terrifying! I felt all the emotions of the book right along side Aura. It was like a train wreck that you knew was going to happen. I knew throughout the book that things were only going to get worse for Aura and her mother. I wanted to yell “Do something!!” at Aura! I LOVE when books make me feel that strongly. This one most definitely did!

Holly Schindler’s writing is beautiful. It really came to life for me. Something else I really loved about the book, in the end not everything was picture perfect happy. There was some loose ends that were never tied. I really liked that. It was much more realistic that way.

This is a book you need to read for yourself. It’s about a tough topic and the characters are nitty gritty but I really loved it. This one will make you think!

4 Stars