Girl in Pieces is written by Kathleen Glasgow and published in 2018. The book follows Charlotte Davis a young girl who has lost more in life than most people can handle. As a result she cuts herself. A dangerous habit of self-harm which some people use to regulate their emotions and trauma when they have no other way or tools to deal with their feelings.
The book is written in a way that reflects Davis' feelings. First, each chapter is very short because that's how much feelings and experiences she can handle. Just very few and in small amounts. As she gets better the chapters become longer because her emotional world expands. She gets a little bit better and she can handle a bit more. It is a clever way to write, that the physical form of the book reflects the emotional state of the character. You don't see that a lot in modern books.
I think that this is a great book because it doesn't shy away from the real harshness of life. How hard it is to recover from problems, there is no magic cure. It is one day at a time, a struggle each day. It can be so hard to just find a job, or a place to stay, or pay the bills. Friends can let you down. People who have let you down can step up for you and each person that you meet is probably struggling their own fight. Just because someone seems to have it all figured out, doesn't mean it is true. Life is hard and messy, but it can be beautiful and wonderful.
I don't want to say too much about the plot because I feel it will destroy the experience of reading the book. It is both a hard book to read, but also one that you can't stop reading. You are on a journey with Davis and you will get through it all together. But, if you have trouble with reading about addiction, abuse, mental health problems or if you have any sort of trigger warning in a book then this book might be too much for you. At times I almost felt like it was too much for me. But in the end I am glad I finished it and completed the journey.
And don't forget that if you need help, there is no shame in asking for it. Everyone is struggling with their own personal demons even if they don't seem like it on the outside.
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