Aditi Nichani
I flipped the last page of this book mere minutes ago, and all I can think of is HOW MUCH I can relate to this book. On my sixteenth birthday, as a joke, two of my best friends and I made a little club (and decided to induct my other (boy) best friend as well, though, giving him the number Zero because in a surge of feministic mind-set, that’s what boys are, right? Zeroes?) We didn’t act on it after, except to laugh about the craziness that was going through our heads when we pulled out this “How to Make a Fabulous Club” handbook from fifth grade and decided there was nothing cooler than to form a club then. Living in India, we are SO OFTEN MAD about how UNFAIRLY and UNEQUALLY girls are treated. SO MANY PEOPLE in my COLLEGE today are just there because getting a degree makes them more “worthy” of marriage to a boy. WHAT. Even our own parents, who’ve always ALWAYS told us that we should NEVER be financially dependent and be our own people, still revert to anti-feminist ideas. Like Girls can’t be sent out of town to college. Girls can’t wear shorts. Girls must cook. Basically, in a word, Holly Bourne’s Am I Normal Yet? Is SO FREAKING RELATEABLE. Even MORE than being a book that was surrounded around feminism, this book was one of the BEST MENTAL HEALTH BOOKS I’VE EVER READ. It never once shied away from the topic, attacked clichés and called them out and most of all, HELPED ME UNDERSTAND the mind of someone suffering from OCD a WHOLE LOT BETTER THAN ANYTHING I’VE EVER READ BEFORE. Everything about this book was gorgeous, but let me list it out: 1. The Importance of Mental Health Awareness 2. Boys and ALL THE DRAMA 3. FEMINISM 4. MENTAL HEALTH 5. FRIENDSHIP 6. Getting Help when you need it 7. Accepting Yourself AND Accepting that YOU ARE YOUR NORMAL I loved this book. I’m going to stop ranting – because that’s what this is. A Rant. But TRUST ME WHEN I SAY that YOU NEED TO GET INTO THE WORLD OF EVIE, LOTTIE AND AMBER. Am I Normal Yet? Is filled with HILARIOUS MOMENTS, Boys, How To Be A Better Feminist Meetings and EXTREMELY REALISTICALLY PORTRAYED Mental Health Problems, and you NEED IT. 4.5 Stars.
6 people found this review helpful
Alex Almond
One of the best books I've read. It's amazing and I was devastated to find out the sequels don't follow Evie. The best. As one of the last remaining members of the specie's 'male feminist' I find that not only does it give me an insight into what it might be like living with a mental illness like OCD it also fits my views amazingly. If you have any desire to feel that amazing empty feeling you get after a great book, read this.
3 people found this review helpful
Eloise Scutt
I love this book so so much. I've read it plenty of times and could probably read the first chapter off by heart. I, for some reason, feel at one with this book as some of the things that happen have in fact happened in my mind, and so I feel closer. I think that anyone who doesn't understand mental illness' or In fact anyone that does, really should read this book. It has a few swear words and odd phrases but through the tears of how much it has made me cry, I would love to reccomend holly bourne's book!
2 people found this review helpful