This year I decided to try and read one book a month since I am no longer in college and don’t have to read textbooks anymore. Whether or not I will accomplish this is only known by my future self. Nonetheless, book one of this year that I have completed is Empty by K. M. Walton.
[ Disclaimer: if mental illness is something you shy away from, this book and review is not for you ]
I read this book in about two days! Needless to say, I was quite addicted to it. I’m not sure if it was so much that the story itself was good, or because I related to the main character in many ways.
Empty follows a teenager, Dell, dealing with various obstacles. The usual teenager problems are there. You know, the need to look and act perfect. To be skinny. To be popular. Occasional parental authority problems and losing friends. There are also some specific issues dealt with in this book besides all of those. Mental illness, eating problems, being overweight, and lack of self-esteem.
I don’t want to give too much away. Having said this, as a former teenager myself, I also struggled with almost all of the problems Dell faces throughout the book. I didn’t have many friends growing up. I was always significantly bigger weight and height wise than other kids in my school years. I lost many friends and also struggled with depression throughout high school.
Empty offers a sobering reality of the severity of mental illness for some individuals. How even though it is an invisible condition that may not show itself to others, the person suffering can be in excruciating pain. Although I wouldn’t recommend this book to those who are sensitive to more negative aspects of mental illness, I am glad that I read this!
The next book I will be reviewing is Attachments by Rainbow Rowell (my new most favorite author ever)!
Reblogged this on Book Rebel.
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