Helpful Score: 14
Interesting book. Very fast read. Of course it is written for a younger audience but I think young and not as young can both enjoy and learn from this book.
Helpful Score: 8
A slim little volume told from the POV of Callie, a teenage girl who's been sent to Sea Pines, a mental health treatment facility because she cuts herself. At first, Callie doesn't speak at all, to anyone, and the narrative describes flashbacks from her life outside and descriptions of the facility and other guests there. It then moves into the part where she begins to ask for help and works things through with her psychiatrist and the staff. Having worked in an inpatient mental health unit, I have to say her observations are so spot-on that it's easy to see that the author spent three years researching the book. Of course, I've never seen the inside of such a facility as a patient, so it would be interesting to know how it passes muster from THAT perspective. Still, this is an excellent book, although to say I 'enjoyed' it would be not exactly accurate--it's not a book meant for enjoying, really.
Helpful Score: 7
Quick but good read about a teenager who cuts herself. We follow Callie's struggles as she reluctantly enters treatment and comes to terms with her illness.
Helpful Score: 6
At Sick Minds a.k.a. Sea Pines, Callie lives with a bunch of other girls like herself with problems they need to overcome. Some girls are anorexic; others are cutters. Callie is a cutter. What's more, she refuses to speak: during her individual therapy sessions, around the other girls, whenever. Something is obviously eating away at Callie inside. But maybe, with the help of her odd mates, most of who have problems of their own too, maybe Callie will finally break out of her silence and get better.
CUT is perhaps one of the best young adult debut novels of the past five years. Patricia McCormick certainly has done her research well, and is able to, through her characters, empathize with teenagers.
CUT is perhaps one of the best young adult debut novels of the past five years. Patricia McCormick certainly has done her research well, and is able to, through her characters, empathize with teenagers.
Helpful Score: 5
Callie cuts herself. Never too deep, never enough to die. But enough to feel the pain. Enought to feel the scream inside.
Now she's at Sea Pines, a 'residential treatment facility' filled with girls struggling with problems of their own. Callie doesn't want to have anything to do with them. She doesn't want to have anything to do with anyone. She won't even speak.
But Callie can only stay silent for so long...
A vivid and inspiring first novel...part psychological mystery story (what's eating Callie) and part adolescent drama (will her friends help her get better).
Now she's at Sea Pines, a 'residential treatment facility' filled with girls struggling with problems of their own. Callie doesn't want to have anything to do with them. She doesn't want to have anything to do with anyone. She won't even speak.
But Callie can only stay silent for so long...
A vivid and inspiring first novel...part psychological mystery story (what's eating Callie) and part adolescent drama (will her friends help her get better).