The back cover blurb tells us that the mentally ill (for whatever reason or reasons) are still stigmatised by various sectors of society. I would agree. I then flip the book over to the front cover which has the words the mental health publisher and straight away some of us may already be making a judgement (perhaps unfairly too) before they even open the book. Perhaps this up-front honesty by the publisher negates somewhat the terrific title and terrific graphics of the cover. Just my own personal opinion here. The publishing company is being supported by the Arts Council, England.
| Sisyphusa by Michael Richmond | |
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| Category: General Fiction | |
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Reviewer: Louise Laurie
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| Summary: Sisyphusa is the fictional name of a cruel and regimented mental institution. Through the eyes and ears of Odis, we get up close and personal to the inmates' (and I use that word on purpose) daily lives and daily struggles. | |
| Buy? Maybe | Borrow? Maybe |
| Pages: 318 | Date: June 2011 |
| Publisher: Chipmunkapublishing | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1849915267 | |
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While I take on board the whole sensitive and complex issue of mental illness and depression, I have to look at this book as a work of fiction which is Richmond's chosen genre. After reading his fulsome Author Biography I can see some of the parallels between his life and that of the fictional Odis Winston. Straight away I get the impression that here is a young man (Richmond that is, although I find out the same applies to Odis) who has a lot he wants to get off his chest.
Before I'm able to start reading the story proper there's a rather gushy-gushy (in my opinion) acknowledgements to read first. Whew. Now on to Chapter 1... Odis and some of his mates are out on the town - plenty of booze, jokes and raucous singing, then lots more booze. Everything's a laugh a minute until Odis's world comes crashing down in a single second almost - They forced a bag over my head and I felt something strike me on the back of my neck ... And then darkness.
Sisyphusa and all its horrors are just around the corner for unsuspecting twentysomething student Odis. Will he cope? Will he just fall in line? Or will be rebel? (All is revealed in Richmond's own good time). Richmond has a lovely creative touch with descriptions (the short ones are the best) which are often witty but can have a sad or poignant element as well. We get the picture early on: for example, those people inside Sisyphusa are abnormal, while those on the outside, going about their business, enjoying their daily lives etc are Normal. That capital 'N' is very telling.
Richmond gives a detailed account of Odis's admission to the institution and also of his first few and scary days there. It's punctuated by words such as metal doors, cell and henchman which all give a strong indication that this institution is full of intimidation and fear and much, much worse. But I must admit to finding Richmond's style far too long-winded. He wants to give his readers every single tiny detail so the result was that I got bogged down by it all, sometimes at the expense of the bigger picture, the bigger story.
This was such a pity. I can see where Richmond is coming from but some readers may lose interest here and there. I did myself at times due to irrelevant detail. He is trying to tell a fictional story, after all.
On a more positive side Richmond has created some terrific new 'labels', if you like. For Climbing Pills read medication, for example. Then there's people called Aspiratis (perhaps you can guess the definition here) and there's plenty more where they came from.
This is a book about one young man's tortuous journey through the medical/mental health system. However, due to Richmond's rather pedantic story-telling style, I'm just not sure that this message will break through in the way he possibly hopes. Let's hope I'm proved wrong.
I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.
If this book appeals then you might like to try What It Takes To Be Human by Marilyn Bowering.
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