Suicide Notes

Starred review from September 1, 2008
Teens in a psych ward populate a novel that overcomes a predictable beginning to make a powerful emotional impact. Regaining consciousness after an aborted suicide attempt, the 15-year-old narrator thinks his parents have “overreacted” by placing him in a 45-day program in the “nuthouse” (“you know, where they keep the people who have sixteen imaginary friends living in their heads”). Readers might need patience as Jeff, the protagonist, goes through a period of denial, delivering sarcastic answers to his shrink, Dr. Katzrupus (Jeff refers to him as “Cat Poop”) and holding himself aloof from the four other patients. But as Jeff begins to form relationships with these teens, Ford's (Alec Baldwin Doesn't Love Me
) own strengths emerge: his characterizations run deep, and without too much contrivance the teens' interactions slowly dislodge clues about what triggered Jeff's suicide attempt. That Jeff's recovery depends on realizing and accepting that he's gay isn't explicit until the novel is almost over, that this novel goes beyond gay issues to address broader questions of identity is clear all along. Ages 14–up.

February 1, 2009
Gr 9 Up-Jeff, the irreverent, sarcastic, and utterly terrified 15-year-old narrator, wakes up on New Year's Day in a psych ward with bandages around his wrists. He copes with his therapy by using extreme denial and avoidance, attempting to one-up his therapist, Dr. Katzrupus, or Cat Poop, with flippant, deflective wordplay and outrageous stories of faux Sugar Plum Fairy fantasies. Jeff spends the rest of his time with the other teens, including suicidal Sadie the sociopath and the gay teen in jock's clothing, Rankin. While Sadie encourages Jeff's resentment toward the program, it is Rankin's actions that force Jeff to come to terms with his suicide attempt and his own sexuality. This is a story of warped self-perception, of the lies that people tell themselves so they never have to face the truth. Ford is most successful in his withholding of Jeff's secret, a disclosure not made until the last third of the book. While the book could be named "Gay Boy, Interrupted" due to many similarities to Susanna Kaysen's characters and depictions of the mental-health community, Jeff's wit and self-discovery are refreshing, poignant, and, at times, laugh-out-loud funny. Readers will relate to Jeff as a teen bumbling through horrible embarrassment and the shame that follows, and they will be inspired by his eventual integrity and grace."Kat Redniss, Brownell Library, Essex Junction, VT"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2008
Grades 10-1 AfterJeff, 15, wakes up in a psychiatric ward, he wont talk about why he slit his wrists. He lies to the therapist (whom he names Cat Poop) and refuses to relate to the other teens in group therapy. He feels that heis not nutty like them, his parents are fine, nothing is bothering him, andhe is normal; he just had one bad day. The therapy talk sometimes gets to be too much, but there is rising tension inJeff's fast, irreverent, frank, first-person narrative: what is he holding back? He bonds with another patient, Sadie, and tells her about his best friend, Allie, and about Allies cute boyfriend. When Jeff sees a jock masturbating in the shower, he feels attraction that is returned, and the two teens have sex. Long before Jeff confronts the truth, readers will realize that he is gay, and his denial is part of the humor and sadness many readers will recognize.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2009
After attempting suicide, self-described smart-ass Jeff finds himself in a psychiatric ward. At first hiding behind sarcasm, Jeff eventually accepts the help of the other residents and his psychiatrist. He also learns to confront his feelings--including those he has toward guys. Like other successful witty-kid-in-a-hospital novels (e.g., [cf2]It's Kind of a Funny Story[cf1]), this one confronts challenging, emotional topics head-on.

(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)