A book by Lisa Carey.
I picked it up off the "New Fiction" shelf at the library. The bright cover and Vincent van Gogh artwork caught my attention. It is an easy read, no dense metaphors or deep thought needed to get through to story. It's a strange love story, set in a mental hospital that houses the mental patients and a drug and alcohol addiction program.
The main character, Alba, is young, famous children's author who suffers from bipolar disorder. She is a seasoned regular at Abenaki Hospital. Her to-be lover, Oscar, arrives and they start up an odd friendship/intimacy that seems rather unlikely and unbelievable. They are made off to be the victims of upper-class, wealthy family members who can afford Abenaki Hospital.
In addition to the comical romantic interest, another story unfolds in letters found written in the back of old books in the library. The letter spill out the history of the hospital and land it stands on. The letters add the spice and body to the story, while Alba and Oscar give the reader mental release from some of the heavy material presenter.
The contents are not overly graphic or obscene, but they leave a sour taste in the mind. I've struggled to get past the leftover thoughts and impressions that the words made. The realization that although the story is fictional there are those situations in the world that are hard to face.
This story includes elements of depression, mania, suicide, rape, incest, domestic abuse, drug abuse, and alcoholism to name a few. Heavy topics that are left untouched, for the reader to process on their own, no hidden philosophy tucked away to make it all better for the reader in the end.
The story ends on an high note, with some dimmer inspiration for Alba and Oscar, and not in a too cheesy way. It was a good book, hard to put down, and difficult to get through at times.
written on July 12, 2004