Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone was a very quick read; I think I finished it in a day and a half. At first I thought I wouldn’t like it, because it started out as another unrealistic high school drama, which isn’t my thing. That unrealistic aspect carried on throughout the novel, but it’s twinge didn’t distract from what was otherwise a sweet, important story.
The novel follows Samantha, a high school student suffering from OCD, who finds relief in the empathy of a secret poet’s society and in the arms of its leader.
Mental illness is still stigmatized and misunderstood in society, and I thought this novel treated mental disorders with respect. I do think it’s important to remember when reading these types of novels that mental illness, or even OCD specifically, does not look the same in everyone. A protagonist might have different struggles or might be at the opposite end of the spectrum than you are, but it doesn’t invalidate your experiences or theirs.
I thought it was beautiful that the protagonists turned to writing as a sort of coping mechanism for their struggles. Although I wasn’t a huge fan of the poetry within the book, it did make me want to get a pen out and write myself.
To sum up, it was a light read with a cute little romance. While it dealt with heavy topics, it wasn’t a heavy read and I didn’t personally find it incredibly impactful. But I do appreciate this novel bringing mental health into the mainstream to destigmatize such topics.
