Halfway House: A Novel - Gripping Fiction Book for Book Clubs & Contemporary Literature Lovers | Perfect for Reading Retreats & Book Discussions

Reminiscent of "Ordinary People," this novel tells the story of an academically gifted teen, who is also a champion swimmer, who develops mental illness, in this case bipolar disorder. Angie's journey is also told from the perspective of her cellist father, activist mother and younger brother, Luke, who has up until Angie's illness, felt overlooked in the family. We also hear from Luke's college girlfriend Wendy, a levelheaded young woman who can't help but feel that she sometimes takes second place in his life to Angie.The family naturally feels the strain, as Angie struggles to recover some semblance of her old life, even with debilitating medication side effects and repeated hospitalizations. Her condition is described so well, it's hard to believe the author doesn't have firsthand knowledge of mental illness (though I'm not saying she does or doesn't). But the characters all come across as real people, not stereotypes. The story arc is similiar to "Ordinary People," only with the omission of the sympathetic, miracle working therapist. In fact, the only major flaw is the lack of attention to just how Angie manages to recover. We never see her discussing her condition with a therapist. Usually, insight into one's condition is necessary for recovery, as well as medication and supportive family/friends. All of a sudden, she's markedly better, and though we root for her, not a lot of clues are provided as to why. But the ripple effect of major mental illness is brilliantly done here.