Search This Blog
April Reviews Link-Up
May Reviews Link-Up
June Reviews Link-Up
July Reviews Link-Up
August Reviews Link-Up
September Reviews Link-Up
October Reviews Link-Up
November Reviews Link-Up
December Reviews Link-Up
2024 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas
- California (3)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland
- Massachusetts (2)
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (2)
- North Carolina (2)
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (1)
- Utah
- Vermont (1)
- Virginia (1)
- Washington (1)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.*
International:
- Australia (1)
- Canada (1)
- England (7)
- France (1)
- Ireland (1)
- Italy (1)
- Scotland (2)
- The Netherlands (1)
2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
Sunday, December 27, 2020
Family Drama Unfocused But Still Impactful
10:47 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
With six people in their household, life with the Mannings has always been crazy, loud, and fun. Twelve-year-old Zinny especially enjoys hanging out with Gabriel, her 18-year-old brother, with whom she always has a great time. When Gabriel is involved in a serious car accident, it throws their close-knit family for a loop. Even though Gabriel is not injured, he's taken to a hospital—a facility that treats people with mental illnesses. According to the doctors, Zinny's beloved brother has bi-polar disorder. Her parents don't know what to do with the diagnosis, so they make Zinny and her siblings promise not to tell anyone what is going on. Although she can't quite understand the need for secrecy, she agrees to keep mum.
As the weeks pass, all of Zinny's parents' time seems to be taken up with visiting Gabriel, arguing with the insurance company, and talking to therapists. Zinny's siblings are dealing with Gabriel's situation in their own ways. The Manning family feels more fractured than it ever has. Zinny has so many worries that she needs to share, but she can't let her frustrations out without betraying her parents. Even though she's been invited to attend a special lunch club/support group at school for kids dealing with various difficult issues, she's not about to share what's going on at home. The longer Gabriel is in the hospital, the more anxious Zinny feels. If she can't express all the emotions boiling up inside her she's going to burst. Can she find a way to get the help she needs? Will her family ever be whole again?
My Life in the Fish Tank by Barbara Dee is a thoughtful novel about mental illness and how it affects all members of a family. Although Zinny's victimhood gets old, her emotional roller coaster ride in the wake of her brother's diagnosis feels authentic. Without a solid story goal, though, her tale feels more episodic than focused. There's no real plot at the center of My Life in the Fish Tank, which makes the whole story feel a little loosey-goosey. Still, it features likable characters and teaches some valuable lessons about the importance of feeling and expressing one's emotions, being a true friend, getting help when needed, taking the stigma out of mental illness, and dealing with unexpected changes. I liked it, didn't love it.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of Where the Watermelons Grow by Cindy Baldwin and Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor)
Grade:
2 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)
Reading
Listening
Followin' with Bloglovin'
-
-
What’s Not Mine By Nora Decter2 hours ago
-
Bookish Quote of the Day!!4 hours ago
-
Daily Prompt 19 April Friday6 hours ago
-
-
43. The Mystery of Locked Rooms11 hours ago
-
2024 Reading Firsts13 hours ago
-
Sunday Post13 hours ago
-
-
The Gathering by C.J. Tudor14 hours ago
-
FO Friday: Nathair Mitts17 hours ago
-
-
-
An Inconvenient Letter by Julie Wright22 hours ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Reading as a retreat from reality2 days ago
-
-
-
Novel Love Story5 days ago
-
-
Invisible Woman by Katia Lief1 week ago
-
Reading Recap March 20241 week ago
-
Waiting on Wednesday - Think Twice2 weeks ago
-
-
March Monthly Wrap-up2 weeks ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?6 months ago
-
6/25/23 Extra Ezra9 months ago
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ▼ 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)
Thanks for the review. The book sounds very interesting.
ReplyDeleteYou've been reading so many MG lately and it's awesome! I've got more to add to my TBR! Great review!
ReplyDelete