Hardcover, 448 pagesRelease Date: May 19, 2015Published by: Greenwillow BooksStand-aloneSource: BoughtFor fans of: Contemporary, Romance, Mental Illness, Realistic Fiction, Diversity FTW, YA
Reality, it turns out, is often not what you perceive it to be—sometimes, there really is someone out to get you. Made You Up tells the story of Alex, a high school senior unable to tell the difference between real life and delusion. This is a compelling and provoking literary debut that will appeal to fans of Wes Anderson, Silver Linings Playbook, and Liar.
Alex fights a daily battle to figure out the difference between reality and delusion. Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8-Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college. She’s pretty optimistic about her chances until classes begin, and she runs into Miles. Didn't she imagine him? Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers. But Alex is used to being crazy. She’s not prepared for normal.
Funny, provoking, and ultimately moving, this debut novel featuring the quintessential unreliable narrator will have readers turning the pages and trying to figure out what is real and what is made up.
*MY THOUGHTS*
As someone that suffers from OCD and a sister that has a different mental illness, when this was released I wasn't running off to read it. I guess you could say I related to it too much to a point. But after reading another book that dealt with mental illness, I finally felt ok enough to read it. And I'm so glad I didn't miss out on this one.
"Sometimes I think people take reality for granted."
pg. 1
Alex is a high school senior that's just a normal teen, but with a few more quirks: She has schizophrenia. She's not able to tell the difference between what's real and what's make believe. She uses everyday items to help her decide what reality and what she's made up. When she meets Miles, everything changes. She meets people, falls for someone, and more.
"Everyone's interesting if you stare at them long enough."
pg. 53
First things first, I was not prepared for the plot twist. Like not one bit. It made me a little uncomfortable. Why? Because I was so sure that it was something else. I felt confused. I can only imagine what Alex felt like. And thinking that she felt like that all the time. Zappia made me really feel like the main character. And that's the best part of the book. Realizing that this book is so much more.
"I was the scariest thing out there tonight."
pg. 62
As for the characters, I loved Alex. She was unrealistic and it made me want to know everything about her. I really wanted to be inside her head. I know it was written in a way that I was, but I'd really like to know more. This is one of those books that will leave me thinking about the characters and how they're doing for a long time.
"If nothing's real, then what does it matter?"
pg. 364
The main thing I loved about this was the diversity. I haven't read too many books centered around mental illness for certain reasons, but now I know they're not all bad. I know now after reading this one that I just have to choose carefully. And I have to say I'm so glad I chose this one. This debut novel from Zappia has helped open my mind (pun intended) to other books in this same area of diversity.
"My imagination- well what little imagination I have- doesn't quite live up to the real thing."
pg. 412
This book was a definite surprise. From the plot twist to the characters, I was addicted to it. I wanted to know what was real and what wasn't just as much as Alex. I can't wait to see what else Zappia brings to life with her words.
Overall, I give this
