Summary:
Fifteen-year-old Jason has fallen upon bad times—his mother has died and his father has succumbed to mental illness. As he tries to hold his crazy father and their crumbling home together, Jason relies on a host of imaginary friends for guidance as he stumbles along trying not to draw attention to his father’s deteriorating condition.
Both heartbreaking and funny, CRAZY lives up to the intense and compelling characters Han Nolan is praised for. As Jason himself teeters on the edge of insanity, Nolan uncovers the clever coping system he develops for himself and throws him a lifeline in the guise of friendship.
My review:
Imagine being six years old and buried alive. That’s one of the many stories that kicks off this novel – this incredible story of a boy living with a father who is mentally ill.
Jason is now 15 years old. He was saved from being buried alive by his mother. He has several characters that speak to him in his mind, and they vary from the sexy lady to a kid who has crazy glued his fingers together. Jason lives with his father in a house with no heat, no food and an overwhelming sense of sadness.
Then comes Ms. Gomez and a rag-tag group of friends in the high school.
I was unable to put this book down. I loved -seriously that word is just not strong enough, but I loved the different bits of Jason that were told in each of the characters narrative. I love that we, the readers, are invited in to watch as the story unfolds. I loved how things that are unfair in real life, situations that have no happy choices either way were not glossed over but treated realistically and head-on. I loved Jason’s growth, his friends growth and I was moved to tears several times as I struggled with both the injustice of it all and the eventual acceptance that has to come if you are to heal.
This is a book that should be read by teenagers and adults. It’s an incredible look into the teenage mind under loads of pressure. Very well written, well thought-out and .. well, when you’ll get to the ending you’ll see why I’m sitting here smiling through my tears.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
