Short Synopsis
The author of Be More Chill takes a poignant look at teenage depression in this remarkably moving and authentic picture of the physicality, despair, and even hilarity of the illness.

Full Synopsis
Ambitious New York City teenager Craig Gilner is determined to succeed at life—which means getting into the right high school to get into the right college to get the right job. But once Craig aces his way into Manhattan's Executive Pre-Professional High School, the pressure becomes unbearable. He stops eating and sleeping until, one night, he nearly kills himself.

Craig's suicidal episode gets him checked into a mental hospital, where his new neighbors include a transsexual sex addict, a girl who has scarred her own face with scissors, and the self-elected President Armelio. There, Craig is finally able to confront the sources of his anxiety.

Ned Vizzini, who himself spent time in a psychiatric hospital, has created a remarkably moving tale about the sometimes unexpected road to happiness.

"Robert Fass portrays the introspective teenager in an age-appropriate and evocative manner, laying out his insecurities, worries, and desires in the straightforward voice of a 15-year-old. . . . Craig's progress and growing self-awareness throughout his crisis are evident, and Fass's characterization is befitting throughout." ---AudioFile

"This book offers hope in a package that [listeners] will find enticing, and that's the gift it offers." ---Booklist Starred Review

"This novel will appeal to [listeners] drawn to Brent Runyon's The Burn Journals." ---School Library Journal Starred Review

"[A] highly readable and ultimately upbeat novel." ---Publishers Weekly Starred Review

"Insightful and utterly authentic . . . this is an important book." ---New York Times Book Review

"With a cast of interesting characters and a very forthright teen perspective, Vizzini has penned a poignant and sometimes humorous tale about navigating adolescence. Narrator Robert Fass matches Craig's desolate moods and factual nature very well." ---School Library Journal Audio Review

Booklist Review

School Library Journal Review

Publishers Weekly Review