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#healing
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allisonjackson
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Seeing formations like this always makes me think about my high school English teacher who had us write a poem in the shape of a thing relating to the theme (shape poems). Even if this isn‘t necessarily a shape I think the scattered-ness of it brings about a theme of scattered thoughts. Shapes are all about bringing an experience of reading the poem, or in this case the novel and I think McBride executed this in a cool way when you notice

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allisonjackson
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This description and personification of sorrow was super interesting to me. I had not thought about people being so engulfed with sorrow and pain that they felt like it was holding them in a grip so tight they couldn‘t move. It seems like McBride personifies sorrow throughout this novel to show the hold it has on this person, on page 172-3 “sorrow chuckles…taps its fingers…smiles.” It was neat to me to read this and acknowledge what others feel

review
allisonjackson
Panpan

Round of applause for McBride tackling these issues that most people (and authors) just breeze over. She was able to bring awareness using their inner thoughts. That said I am not a fan of this style of book, I don‘t like the novel in verse writing or fantasy reads. Absolutely nothing against McBride taking on these topics and themes is super important I will absolutely keep this on my bookshelf to recommend to students it‘s just not my cup of tea

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William_Harwood

“Sometimes your own mind will unroot you.“
McBride doesn't just write about mental health, she teaches it. Through poetic metaphor, students explore how depression distorts daily life. People cast spells to hide pain. Brains “think too much,“ even when endorphines are gone. Students examine performance, masking, and the quiet toll of overthinking, all within a lyrical and accessible framework.

katiegregory I really like that you said she teaches mental health, because I hadn‘t seen it from that perspective. I could see this book being a great way to explain depression and mental health to people who don‘t have experience with it, especially for younger readers. 1d
1 comment
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William_Harwood

At the beginning of the narrative, it is unclear what reality is. The narrator exists somewhere between recovery, therapy, and fairy tales. This mix of the whimsical and reality makes you ask: Is magic a metaphor, a coping strategy, or both? This blending of fantasy and mental illness feels honest. Real pain can feel unreal, unbearable, and unrelatable.

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William_Harwood
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“We can only go forward. Remember?“
This line is small on the page, but it lands with the force of a thunderclap.
We have touched pain and are no longer running from the past. Sometimes moving forward isn't brave or glamorous, it's simply what's next. And in that way, it becomes one of the most powerful lines in the book.

allisonjackson This statement is powerful when you read it for what it is worth. But I‘m going to be one to argue with it and say not always are you going to move forward sometimes backward strokes are made on accident or even on purpose. I do agree with you on moving forward isnt glamorous all the time but sometimes just what is necessary to keep going with life in a positive direction 1d
1 comment
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alaynaroper
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The last page of the novel stuck out to me the most. At the conclusion of Whimsy and Faeries adventures, when the author speaks directly to the audience. It was enough for me to grab my phone and take a picture. I think it makes the entire novel worth it, especially for younger audiences who may need to hear this, or even found themselves relating to the characters hardships throughout the novel. 10/10

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alaynaroper
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Pickpick

When I first started this book, I was unsure of how I felt about it. The utilization of prose to tell the story was unique and encouraged me to keep reading, and by the end I was in love with the story. Its mystical elements made it feel like a more elaborate Alice in Wonderland, with important elements and themes not getting lost in the lines.

William_Harwood Same! The use of prose, along with mystical language, names, character descriptions, and qualities, had me guessing what was real and what was imagined. However, by the end, I understood what was going on in the narrative and enjoyed the journey once I stopped asking so many questions and just allowed Whimsey to tell me what I needed to know. 1d
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