The Existence of Amy by Lana Grace Riva {#AD/Gifted book review}
Disclaimer: This book was gifted by the author with no obligation to write a review.
ID: Louise’s hand holding a book with a blue cover in front of a bookcase. The book has the words “The Existence of Amy, Lana Grace Riva” written on them in white.
Hello Friends,
A few weeks ago I was contacted by author Lana Grace Riva and asked if I would like a copy of her book to read with no obligation to write a review. After reading the synopsis, I said yes as the subject matter peaked my interest.
The Existence of Amy is a contemporary story which follows the life of a woman named Amy as she lives day to day with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder {OCD}, Depression and Anxiety. We see Amy struggle with OCD within her daily life, including the impact it has on her work and social life. We also follow Amy through periods of Depression and how she tries to manage that.
Even with just that overview, I’m sure you can guess that this book comes with some trigger warnings, which I’ve listed below:
OCD ~ relating to fear of germs and illness
Depression
Anxiety
Suicide ~ talked off and implied
“We all struggle, even the sky, but beauty never leaves us if we’re open to noticing it.”
The detail Lana goes into at certain points to show exactly how OCD impacts a person’s life is truly eye opening. The opening few chapters are especially impactful as it takes you through the details of what Amy has to go through just to get to work. While I do have OCD tendencies myself, Amy’s presents in a different way to mine. This really shows that this Mental Health Condition isn’t just one size fits all and that it’s also not just a label for some who likes things organised or colour coordinated.
Since you’re reading in first person as Amy, you read all the thoughts that come with having one or more Mental Health Condition, and how they make her view the world and people around her. At times this can be hard to read and I’ll be honest, there were a few times when I felt I was almost reading my own thoughts. While I enjoying reading to escape reality, sometimes it’s sort of comforting to read about a character that you can relate to.
The cast of characters surrounding Amy, namely her colleagues, who are also her friends, add an interesting dynamic to the story. They all show differing attitudes towards Amy as only one of them knows what she’s dealing with and even then, that person doesn’t know the full extent of her Mental Health Issues. Amy is often perceived as unreliable and a canceller of plans when in fact, she’d love nothing more than to engage fully in life but her Mental Health stops her.
“I would hate it if you just weren’t on this planet. The planet would be severely missing out. So, don’t go leaving it anytime soon ok?”
I don’t want to give any spoilers but I do want to mention something that takes place in a number of the chapters towards the end of the book as I feel it’s important. As I’ve said throughout the book, Amy experiences periods of Depression, most of which last between a few days to a week and she’s able to manage them fairly well ~ she’s come to recognise the signs and takes action to help her cope.
However, after something happens which impacts Amy’s social circle, she finds herself spiralling into a deeper Depression. When she’s missing from work and no-one has heard from her, one of her colleagues/friends arrives at her door. The friend’s first step is to get Amy help by making her an appointment to see a doctor and then he drives her there. He also takes her to get the medication she’s been prescribed and also makes sure she takes it.
“There’s a woman coughing. She looks a bit feverish. I feel a surge of jealousy. When she sees the doctor, they will no doubt simply prescribe her antibiotics. She will thing home and take them, and then soon after she will be fixed again.
No awkwardness. Straightforward, common illness. Why can’t mine be like that.”
The doctor also refers Amy to a Therapist but when her friend/colleague finds out the waiting time for an appointment is several weeks, he finds her a private Therapist {which he pays for} and makes an appointment for her. To help Amy get there, he drives her to each of her appointments and then waits for her outside until she’s finished.
I was so happy to see this included as there can be so much stigma around seeking help for a Mental Health Condition, whether that is taking medication and/or going to see a Therapist. Amy’s resistant to the help at first felt very realistic but her friend/colleague continues to show up and continues to help her. For me, this showed the importance of being there for our friends, even if they may not want help. Not giving up on them when they’re dealing with periods of Depression or trying to cope with other Mental or Physical Health Conditions is so important and truly shows the person that they care during a time when they feel invisible and very lonely. Not giving up on someone could also save their life.
Overall, despite the difficult subject matter, which at times was hard to read, the book itself was a quick read. If I didn’t have M.E and had cognitive issues to deal with, I feel like I could have read this in one or two sittings as I felt so invested in Amy and what happened to her. It took me about four or five nights to get through it and I’ll admit I did feel emotionally drained afterwards, so just be aware of that if you pick this up.
So if you’re wanting some incite into what a person with a Mental Health Condition may have to deal with on a daily basis or you’re living with one and are looking for a book to relate to, then maybe have a look at The Existence of Amy by Lana Grace Riva.
Stay Safe. Read a Book.
L x
