MEDIA

The Law of Loving Others

by Kate AXELROD
5 CDs. 6:08 hrs. Listening Library. 2015. $35. ISBN 9780553552690. digital download.
COPY ISBN
Gr 9 Up—When 17-year-old Emma returns home from boarding school at Christmas, she finds her mother acting paranoid. Her father reveals to Emma that her mother has struggled with schizophrenia her entire adult life, a fact Emma had not known. This leaves her hurt, confused, and worried—is she likely to develop schizophrenia herself? She looks to her boyfriend, Daniel, for reassurance that he will still love her even if she turns crazy, but she finds comfort in a boy she meets while visiting her mother at the hospital. Emma learns about herself, her family, what it means to be connected, and a little about love. Hallie Cooper-Novack's narration seems stilted and awkward at times, and takes some getting used to.
VERDICT While the subject of mental health is an important issue to explore, the frequent mentions of casual drug use, self-harm, and sexuality make this book better suited for mature teens.
Reviewed by Amanda Rollins, Northwest Village School, Plainville, CT , Apr 01, 2015

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