Counting Backwards

Counting Backwards
written by Laura Lascarso

Lots of thoughts swimming around about this book right now.  I liked the subject matter and most of how it was dealt with.  I thought the portrayal of mental illness was pretty realistic.  I liked that for once, despite the presence of panic attacks, a specific diagnosis wasn't attached to Taylor's situation--the symptoms were enough to describe her emotional state.  It was also pretty cool to have a novel with a Native American female protagonist (who happens to be from the place I'm living now).  I had a few qualms about the book, many of which stemmed from the triggering environment Taylor finds herself.  I was also kind of annoyed that much of Taylor's recovery seemed to be skipped over, with the focus more on the gardening metaphor than her own journey, although that was lightly touched on.  There didn't seem to be a huge focus on the fact that while Taylor's stay at the inpatient center helped, she still had a long way to go.  Taylor's struggles are real issues teenagers face, and it's always great to see a concrete story attached to stigmatized issues.

Rating: 4/5