 |
From the first time the author saw Adam, she was taken by him. There was a mutual attraction. A simple message on Facebook from Adam turned into two months and a half of dating. One day, she and Adam went for a picnic at the Grand Canyon. Much to her surprise, Adam proposed. The author accepted his proposal because she felt that she knew everything about him. They bought a house and got married. Four months into the marriage, she found out the ugly truth. Adam had bipolar disorder. This information shocked her because she did not see that coming. All along, Adam had been deceiving her. She thought she knew the man she married but she did not. Throughout this journey, the author had to deal with her husband's mental illness.
In her memoir, James tackles mental health and how it affects patients and their loved ones. From the start, the author establishes a sharp contrast between knowing her future husband when they were dating and then later discovering her husband's true colors. He became a stranger to her. Deception and lies played a part in this cover-up. Adam had managed to charm his way into Sydney's life. The author dives deep into her emotions about this ordeal. For example, she expresses how it felt like she did not have a say in her life since Adam withheld crucial information from her. The author even draws a parallel between her mental and physical state. What is on her mind affects her physically. For instance, her hair starts falling out. The author gives each character a unique voice that makes them stand out, and the dialogue shows the characters' personalities. The book also exposes how rushing into relationships can lead to unexpected life-changing decisions.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review