History of Present Complaint by H.L.R

SYNOPSIS

After a traumatic psychotic episode, a nameless young woman recounts past psychiatric crises in an attempt to make sense of her present and fight for her future.

A genre-defying debut collection of prosetry, History of Present Complaint reveals the devastating reality of living with chronic mental illness. HLR writes of the human experience in her distinctive style: knock-out blows of blistering truths are tempered with shots of sardonic British humour, and the lines between fact and fiction, safety and danger, sanity and insanity are blurred beyond recognition through her bold poetry and sharp prose. History of Present Complaint is a damning depiction of under-funded mental health services and serves a vital role in giving a voice to the voiceless, shining a light on the darkest corners of the human condition and forcing the reader to see what has been there all along.

REVIEW

Despite how short this piece is, it presents a deep and resounding gravitas that leaves you speechless.

Weirdly enough, I do know a little bit about this topic about mental health and the strain that there is on the services provided. I studied about it in a criminology class at university and it left a mark on how little was being done for such an important part of all our wellbeing. But HLR struck that cord differently. Instead, flipping roles where alternatively you are the one experiencing mental health in a broken system, rather than being the onlooker being told of the situation. You are in the driver's seat.

This is truly a powerful piece which not only looks at how we treat those with mental health but society around us. It is more important than ever to have some form of empathy and understanding as to what people are going through mentally. It is an incredible source to look over again and again, whether it be for yourself or for someone else.

The difference that this piece has is that it portrays a story within poetry itself. Anyone of any age or capability would not just be able to follow it but figure out their own feelings towards the system. It is universal.

I think that this is a piece that I will take with me everywhere I go. It's indeed a hard topic but it's an important one that makes it truly special.

RATING: **** (FOUR STARS)

BUY LINKS

Amazon: History of Present Complaint: Amazon.co.uk: R, HL, Douglas, Craig: 9798703799475: Books

Comments

Blog Tour: The Beast Hunters Dark Sovereign by Christer Lende

REVIEW So we are back in the world of the Beast Hunters for a sophomore instalment where we see Ara, Khendric and Topper back on another adventure. But this time with a difference. Instead of the world building from the previous book, we get to delve into a mystery with darkness starting to make pace in the background. We meet new characters, some good and some not so much. Not only do we have the overarching themes of beasts but also political intrigue and secretive plots. It is far more intricate than the previous instalment where the characters are making decisive and confident choices. Especially for our fave apprentice, Ara. If you want to get away from the current world affairs, this book will serve as an escape from reality. What these last two books do remind me of however, is a tv show. Why I say this is because it felt kind of episodic but they both have reinvented themselves with different themes. I found this to be quite good actually. This is because it feels l...

The Do-Over by Lynn Painter

If you are in the mood for a sweet romance that gives Groundhog Day and Ferris Bueller vibes then this book is for you. What happens if you wake up to the same Valentine’s Day and everything always goes not to plan? What if you are someone who likes to plan and not share how you are really feeling? Emilie, our female protagonist is very much a stickler for planning and keeping to societal norms. She never really speaks her mind. But this Valentine’s Day is different. She is different. I found that the book itself is quirky and fun. It does have moments of sadness but there is a lot of heart in terms of how it is done. There could have been more time with other characters that are mentioned throughout but at the end of the day it is very much a Young Adult piece. There is nothing wrong with that. Would I read it again? Possibly if I want a Valentines themed book. It was also very quick to read for those who are not into big tomes. Rating: 4 Stars

Blog Tour: Christmas for the Shop Girls by Joanna Toye

SYNOPSIS 'For Lily Collins and her fellow shop girls at Marlows Department Store, another Christmas with ration books, shortages of goods and staff not to mention a store coping with war damage will be a real challenge. But the girls rally round and put their worries aside to make this, the hardest wartime Christmas yet, one that their families, and their own town, will never forget.'

Love is for Losers by Wibke Brueggemann

SYNOPSIS As far as Phoebe is concerned, love is to be avoided at all costs. Why would you spend your life worrying about something that turns you into a complete moron? If her best friend Polly is anything to go by, the first sniff of a relationship makes you forget about your friends (like, hello?), get completely obsessed with sex (yawn) and bang on constantly about a person who definitely isn't as great as you think they are. So Phoebe isn't going to fall in love, ever. But then she meets Emma...

The One That I Want by Sandy Barker

The One That I Want is simply the friends to lovers trope packaged with bad communication. Has this trope been written well? I think not. It is drab and boring and I feel so bad for the matchmaker, Poppy. The only redeemable character in this book. Greta, unlucky with love, is the main focus of the story. She is getting older and she wants a real kind of love. Somehow, her work gets roped into her shenanigans and soon she is off having dates with men who she doesn’t even like. When she does finally get somewhere with someone she actually would like to spend time with it almost like she wants to sabotage her happiness for her stupidity. I just feel sorry for how much effort Poppy had to make and even then it mainly went to waste. I really hoped that I would enjoy this book as I enjoyed Poppy and Tristan’s story but the story and writing really fell short. It took me numerous times of picking up the book and putting it down again to get through. Honestly, I kind of wished that I DNF...