Life Is But a Dream

Life is but a Dream tells the story of a teenager named Sabrina who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and committed to a psychiatric ward. Soon after, she meets Alec, another patient in the psych ward, and together they begin to question whether they even want to “fit in” with society. Sabrina wonders if the medications are designed to turn her into a robotic version of herself, a version that everyone else is comfortable with, but is it really who she is?

The beautiful writing brings to life in vivid detail the strange and colorful world that Sabrina inhabits when lost in her visions. She tries to connect her two realities with her drawings that seem to express all of the things she can’t put into words. There were times when I couldn’t begin to wrap my mind around her logic, but was fascinated all the same. Sabrina’s unusual way of perceiving the world was captured perfectly so that I was able to empathize with her even though I often couldn’t follow her logic. The world she envisioned for herself was filled with color and connection and emotion and once she met Alec, she felt she finally found someone who understood her, who could see the world the same way that she did.

Alec was also a very complex character. He seemed to be always just on the edge of becoming violent, so full of rage and anger. But he seemed to focus all of that negative energy into protecting Sabrina. He also felt like she was the only person who understood him, who saw him for the person that he really was. Together they viewed anyone outside of their little bubble as the enemy. I alternately felt sorry for Alec because he was also just a kid with very real problems, and annoyed with him because he refused to see things that were so obvious and instead made some very stupid impulsive decisions.

There was definitely an aspect of insta-love and obsessive love, but it seemed to be fitting considering the mental issues that Alec and Sabrina each struggled with. Their relationship made sense and was even rather beautiful in its own way. It was so obvious that Alec really cared about Sabrina that I couldn’t help but root for them even when I wasn’t sure whether being together was the best thing for either of them.

Life is but a Dream was an enjoyable, thought provoking story. There were several unexpected surprises. I never felt like I knew exactly where the story was headed. The doctors, nurses, and other background characters were very much in the background but still did not feel one dimensional. The story meandered back and forth from past to present which sometimes became a little confusing. And the choice to forego quotation marks was a bit distracting sometimes when I had to determine who was speaking and whether it was dialog or thoughts. There were, however, very few flaws and I definitely enjoyed reading this.

Life is but a Dream tells the story of a teenager named Sabrina who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and committed to a psychiatric ward. Soon after, she meets Alec, another patient in the psych ward, and together they begin to question whether they even want to “fit in” with society. Sabrina wonders if the medications are designed to turn her into a robotic version of herself, a version that everyone else is comfortable with, but is it really who she is?

The beautiful writing brings to life in vivid detail the strange and colorful world that Sabrina inhabits when lost in her visions. She tries to connect her two realities with her drawings that seem to express all of the things she can’t put into words. There were times when I couldn’t begin to wrap my mind around her logic, but was fascinated all the same. Sabrina’s unusual way of perceiving the world was captured perfectly so that I was able to empathize with her even though I often couldn’t follow her logic. The world she envisioned for herself was filled with color and connection and emotion and once she met Alec, she felt she finally found someone who understood her, who could see the world the same way that she did.

Alec was also a very complex character. He seemed to be always just on the edge of becoming violent, so full of rage and anger. But he seemed to focus all of that negative energy into protecting Sabrina. He also felt like she was the only person who understood him, who saw him for the person that he really was. Together they viewed anyone outside of their little bubble as the enemy. I alternately felt sorry for Alec because he was also just a kid with very real problems, and annoyed with him because he refused to see things that were so obvious and instead made some very stupid impulsive decisions.

There was definitely an aspect of insta-love and obsessive love, but it seemed to be fitting considering the mental issues that Alec and Sabrina each struggled with. Their relationship made sense and was even rather beautiful in its own way. It was so obvious that Alec really cared about Sabrina that I couldn’t help but root for them even when I wasn’t sure whether being together was the best thing for either of them.

Life is but a Dream was an enjoyable, thought provoking story. There were several unexpected surprises. I never felt like I knew exactly where the story was headed. The doctors, nurses, and other background characters were very much in the background but still did not feel one dimensional. The story meandered back and forth from past to present which sometimes became a little confusing. And the choice to forego quotation marks was a bit distracting sometimes when I had to determine who was speaking and whether it was dialog or thoughts. There were, however, very few flaws and I definitely enjoyed reading this.

 I love books that have anything to do with Schizophrenia, Odd maybe. But it always gives the characters such interesting dynamic this book didn't disapoint in that.

Reading Life is But a Dream was a very interesting experience for me. I was really intrigued by the description and was interested in seeing how it would be played out. The cover is also just lovely! It's so light and airy, much like the whole tone of this book. I had huge expectations for this one and while it didn't really live up to them, it was still a good read that I'd recommend to anyone with an interest in books dealing with mental health issues.

The writing in this was a bit hard for me to get used to. It's just such a different style and a bit hard to read fluidly, really! I do think it reflected Sabrina's character well but it made the book a bit slow for me. Another thing about the writing that I found hard to get into was the flashbacks. They were so random with no real break between sitting in the therapist's room and thinking back to last year. I suppose this can also reflect Sabrina's mental state but as a reader, I found it confusing.

Other than that though, I genuinely did like this book and I'm so glad I read it. It is fascinating to step into a mind so different to a ''normal'' mind and it was really easy to see where Sabrina was coming from. Her world was beautiful and fascinating, all she knew, why on earth would she want medication to make it all dreary and normal? I can imagine how she must have felt and how scary it would be to have it all stripped away when it's all you've known. Alec was really well written and definitely believable. I loved their interactions with each other and their different ways of viewing the world. They understood each other yet at the same time had very different experiences.

There is definite character development throughout this book, with both Sabrina and Alec. It was great to watch them change and grow. They have lots of set backs along the way and the ending was not predictable to me at all. For the most part, I thought this was a good book. I just found it didn't really grip me like I thought it would and was a bit disappointed in that. I think there are a lot of people who will like this one and most people will find something to take from it.

Life is but a Dream tells the story of a teenager named Sabrina who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and committed to a psychiatric ward. Soon after, she meets Alec, another patient in the psych ward, and together they begin to question whether they even want to “fit in” with society. Sabrina wonders if the medications are designed to turn her into a robotic version of herself, a version that everyone else is comfortable with, but is it really who she is?

The beautiful writing brings to life in vivid detail the strange and colorful world that Sabrina inhabits when lost in her visions. She tries to connect her two realities with her drawings that seem to express all of the things she can’t put into words. There were times when I couldn’t begin to wrap my mind around her logic, but was fascinated all the same. Sabrina’s unusual way of perceiving the world was captured perfectly so that I was able to empathize with her even though I often couldn’t follow her logic. The world she envisioned for herself was filled with color and connection and emotion and once she met Alec, she felt she finally found someone who understood her, who could see the world the same way that she did.

Alec was also a very complex character. He seemed to be always just on the edge of becoming violent, so full of rage and anger. But he seemed to focus all of that negative energy into protecting Sabrina. He also felt like she was the only person who understood him, who saw him for the person that he really was. Together they viewed anyone outside of their little bubble as the enemy. I alternately felt sorry for Alec because he was also just a kid with very real problems, and annoyed with him because he refused to see things that were so obvious and instead made some very stupid impulsive decisions.

There was definitely an aspect of insta-love and obsessive love, but it seemed to be fitting considering the mental issues that Alec and Sabrina each struggled with. Their relationship made sense and was even rather beautiful in its own way. It was so obvious that Alec really cared about Sabrina that I couldn’t help but root for them even when I wasn’t sure whether being together was the best thing for either of them.

Life is but a Dream was an enjoyable, thought provoking story. There were several unexpected surprises. I never felt like I knew exactly where the story was headed. The doctors, nurses, and other background characters were very much in the background but still did not feel one dimensional. The story meandered back and forth from past to present which sometimes became a little confusing. And the choice to forego quotation marks was a bit distracting sometimes when I had to determine who was speaking and whether it was dialog or thoughts. There were, however, very few flaws and I definitely enjoyed reading this.

I think I just found an author to stalk--I mean follow. This is the first Brian James book I have read and it won't be the last. Brian has a unique writing style. Not only are his words evoke feeling from the reader, but his use of hyphens rather than quotation marks stirs even more emotion. The topic of schizophrenia in Life is But a Dream is what originally drew me to this story. It is an idea that floats out there, but no one truly understands that adults are not the only ones living with this diagnosis. There are so many teens out there who are suffering and are misdiagnosed. I know that I learned a lot about how misinformed I was about this disease. This is a must read!!!

Life Is But A Dream is told from the perspective of a teen who is in a treatment facility after being diagnosed with acute schizophrenia. In bits and pieces, you learn of the circumstances that brought her to the facility and the confusion she experiences as she tries to separate reality from the colorful world that exists inside her mind. When a fellow patient named Alec comes into the picture, it seems like a chance for a something good, but his own anger at his situation starts to influence Sabrina in negative ways. The reader is brought along on a sad and disturbing road that leads to what might be Sabrina's final descent over the edge. The imagery and symbols that Sabrina attaches to people and things as a part of her illness is described in fluid and colorful writing. It's an enchanting world in some ways, but you can't help but hold back and wonder where the bottom of the well is for Sabrina.I found this book to be fascinating and heartbreaking. Being in Sabrina's head is both disorienting and beautiful. I can see how she found comfort in her ability to disappear from the world as her illness started to take over and make everything so confusing. Alec's role in her downward spiral was horrifying for me, but I was surprised at how sympathetic a character he turned out to be by the end of the book. Since I'm reading this as an adult, I really, really felt for Sabrina's parents. I could feel their helplessness through Sabrina's observations of their reactions to her increasingly strange behavior. The flashbacks that Sabrina retreats to when she wants to remember happier and more stable times broke my heart right in half. This book was a very intense reading experience because of the point of view and because you really didn't know if things would ever really get better for Sabrina. Although the ending wasn't sad, it wasn't tied in a neat little bow, either, and I think that made the book even more powerful.

I really wasn't interested in this book. In fact, I had numerous opportunities to pick it up for review, but never did. I'm generally not a fan of contemporary YA novels, as I tend to find them boring. I am, however, generally a fan of novels that take place in psychiatric wards, and I find the exploration of human mental conditions really fascinating. Life is a But a Dream takes a somewhat different approach to the "girl dealing with a mental condition" storyline. Instead of going hard and gritty, author Brian James offers a more artistic and abstract story centered around a mis-understood teen.Sabrina doesn't quite seem to live in the real world. At least, that's what her parents think. It's considered normal for someone to get lost in their imagination, but Sabrina seems to spend too much time in her own thoughts, almost completely disconnected from the world. Once she settled into her new life at a local Wellness Center (where she's diagnosed with schizophrenia), she meets a boy named Alec who convinces Sabrina that the treatments will change her into something terrible, and that they are meant to be together.While I really didn't have high hopes for this novel, I was pleasantly surprised by it. The writing is absolutely gorgeous, filled with strong imagery and powerful emotions that transports readers to a different world with its own rules. This is honestly one of those few times that a novel borders on poetry and pure beauty in terms of terms. It was this incredible style that really pulled me through the story (though I didn't like the use of dashes instead of quotations when denoting dialog).Much of the story is very subtle, but as it goes on it grows in power until the plot reaches an incredible climax -least in the context of the story. While I enjoyed this for the most part, it did seem a little slow at times, and I can see how some readers may have trouble with this -just not enough going on and not enough opportunity to develop a strong relationship with the characters.At its core, this is a novel about someone searching for acceptance. More than anything, I felt like Life is But a Dream was a sort of metaphor for misunderstood teens who can't seem to find acceptance from society or even their own family -usually this occurs with more creative types (and yes, I can relate a little bit).

I have a new found respect for people with mental health issues. This story doesn’t asks for sympathy or begs to poke fun at psychological issues rather pulls you into the world of walking into the sun to get to Heaven; where bad people have static inside of them; the world is crumbling within itself; and people are stolen bit by bit by technology and replaced with imposters. We see the world from Sabrina’s eyes. (A teenager battling schizophrenia from within the walls of a wellness center.) We see her meet the boy from her dreams, Alex, who’s also a patient, but admitted under false pretense. The romance aspect of their relationship is sweet, innocent and enduring. The overall story sporadically switches back and forth between Sabrina’s life before diagnosis and after; and has twists and turns that’s definitely a page turner. It left me wondering, if you read a book about crazy people, told from the delusional perspective of a crazy person, and like it…does that make you crazy? Well if so, strap me in a straight jacket and commit my name to the logs because this story is truly a humbling heart touching, believable, enjoyable, read that I will not soon forget.

Sabrina is young, 15, and I thought that was too young for schizophrenia, but I was informed by my 15 yr old that they just studied it in Health and that it isn't too young. So my tax dollars at work, he learned something! But I do think it's unusual. Still it happens to Sabrina and though she's delusional she's strong in some ways. She was taken advantage of and her mind just built a different, though pretty world around the ugly things kids did to her. In fact, she escaped from reality all the time and by escape, she got totally engrossed in her fantasy so that she lost track of time, days, what was going on around her. Her delusions are beautiful, fairies and painting the sky, she's searching for heaven. No, she's not suicidal.I have no way of judging if Brian James did a good job of portraying what it's like to have "acute schizophrenia." I have nothing to compare it to and the only research I saw that he did was pick up a hitchhiker who shared with him what it was like to have schizophrenia.* But this isn't a "Guide for Schizophrenics." It's just a fictional account of a girl falling into her delusional life, believing the boy she meets in therapy that says the drugs are just going to make her a robot person. Alec. Alec the angry boy who falls for the delusional girl that paints pretty pictures for him that calm him down. But he doesn't realize how serious she is. And she doesn't realize he doesn't believe in her dream. That they will walk into the sun in the ocean, hand in hand and the world will fall to dust all around them and they will be in heaven. What he sees as metaphor she sees as reality.I think Alec is so busy being angry at the world, at his parents, at his doctors, that he doesn't really take the time to really hear her. He listens and Sabrina believes he's the only one that's ever understood her, but the things he tells her only feeds her paranoia and just when she's getting better, he undoes everything. He tells her they are the only normal ones. And tells her how to fake taking her medicine. And that if she takes her medicine, she'll become one of them. Sabrina has been noticing her escaping has not been working and now she realizes it's the medicine. They are changing her. And her paranoia sets in deep. Unknowingly, Alec makes her much, much worse because they never tell each other what their diseases are,they just describe what the doctors say is wrong with them. The word schizophrenia never comes up.I think Mr. James tells a great story about a girl coming undone and no one really hearing her. A story about a young girl who knows she's not right, she's special but she doesn't quite understand why it's wrong to be this kind of special. And she's not sure why she should let go of this specialness since it is who she is. Mr. James definitely got that right. As a person that has to take many psychiatric drugs on a daily basis, I fight with that too. And I understand not wanting to change who you are. As soon as Sabrina starts being more lucid, she starts missing her dreams, her escapes from reality. Facing reality is scary and dreaming is much more preferable. So when she feels her escape being taken away, she feels like she's changing, losing herself. I totally identify with her. It's kind of like when you're drinking and you're uninhibited so that you're more social. You'd like to be that way all the time, right? But you can't drink all the time, there are rules. For Sabrina, they are taking away those feelings that she uses to cope as she gets better. It's a good thing, but it's hard to lose when you've always had it.The story is really beautifully written as Sabrina's delusions are descriptive and original. She's artistic so her delusions are as well. Mr. James isn't flowery in his descriptions yet they are poetic and painted all the same. After the fateful meeting with Alec, I could feel the ball rolling down the hill as Sabrina's mind gained momentum toward her explosive rock bottom, until no one could be trusted, even her own reflection. It's very intense, almost like waiting for a thunderstorm. When they separate her from Alec, she wants to leave the hospital immediately. No one realizes the true effect he's had on her, not even Alec.I enjoyed reading this story so much. It was told from Sabrina's point of view and it was so mesmerizing reading her thought process. She was lucid at times, remembering to pretend to act normal and other times, completely lost. So foreign to any mental illness I've ever known. And so frightening. And the story was completely different in a good way. Told from the point of view of the person with the mental illness, the victim of the disease, it never vilified her as something evil or soul sucking or a potential murderer. She was the victim of a disease, a "chemical imbalance". I was almost giddy to see it described like that. Why, oh, because that's what many mental illnesses are. And the medicines bring balance back and make a person stable.I don't know much about schizophrenia. The little I do know is that I'm glad it isn't the disorder I have. But I have been told by mental health professionals that people with the disease can lead very productive lives. So there's hope. And that's kind of where I was left at the end of this book, with some hope. And I applaud Mr. James for his writing, for the inventiveness of Sabrina's delusions and dreams and for writing from the sick person's point of view. Thank you for not making her someone to be hated or pitied. Yes, this is personal for me.**Brian James, the author, reached out to me on Goodreads to let me know it he did a lot of research on schizophrenia and that his mention of the hitch hiker was merely a shout out for all his valuable and brave sharing of what his daily life is like living with the illness.Thank you to MacMillian and Feiwel and Friends for allowing me to read an ARC of this via NetGalley.This in no way influenced my review of this novel.

WOW! This is another "its so crazy its brilliant" type of book. I wasn't sure what I was expecting. I just knew this book intrigued from the synopsis and knew I wanted to read it.This book. It's crazy!!! I really loved it. What I like most about this book is the great character Sabrina. There is a reason I love to read. I love to read to be able to get into another person's mind. And being in Sabrina's mind really made me wonder. I love that my imagination ran rapid in this book. To see things that way Sabrina saw it, really awed me.The plot of the book is simple yet complex. Sabrina is learning to deal with everyday life in her own mind. I like that the reader see her every struggle and how she got there. In college I studied Psychology so for me this book is a great insight of what goes on in the minds of those who have Schizophrenia.I am a bit disappointed in the love interest. I was expecting a bit more but still liked it. My favorite part is how Sabrina saw the change in him. To see things the way she did kept me intrigued and entertained.Life Is But A Dream is so crazy its beautiful! Unable to put it down, Life Is But A Dream will take your imagination to heights to you never been to!

When I picked up this book I knew I was in for something special just looking at the cover -- it says so much about what is inside. I was not disappointed. Everything about this book -- from the cover, to the tone, to the characters -- is totally cohesive, each one complimenting the other perfectly. I love when a book just "gels".First of all the writing style is flawless. I immediately fell into Sabrina's head. I saw things the way she did, I felt her fear, her hopes, her dreams, and her desire to just live her life the way she wanted. At first, Sabrina's world seemed magical and safe, even though there was always that underlying sense of darkness lurking just under the surface of it all. I also understood her infatuation with Alec, the young man who catches her eye at the Wellness Center. Alec was one of the few patients who spoke to Sabrina and didn't judge her. He understood her. He, too, understands what it's like to see things differently, and he makes a good case for leaving things just the way they are.As soon as she met Alec, I was unsure of his true intentions. Was he taking advantage of Sabrina's illness, or did he really care for her? I worried for her when she fell so quickly, but the thing is, I could understand why she was drawn to him. He made a good argument for not staying there and letting the doctors medicate them. What harm is there in living in a fantasy land if it makes you happy? Who's to say what is the norm? The world is an ugly place, so why not do what you can to make it better for yourself? If you're happy the way you are, then stay that way.But there's another side to the story -- that no matter how nice it would be to just "get away from reality" at times, staying in that fantasy is not healthy and can be quite debilitating and unsafe in cases of mental illness. Sometimes finding normal, or what one perceives as being normal, is the safest thing for you. While some -- like Alec -- may see this as boring or threatening ones individuality, for others -- like Sabrina -- getting closer to normal may save your life.These were things I found myself thinking about after finishing the book. If you can't tell, I really enjoyed it. The story isn't mind-blowing, but the feelings and questions it evokes will stay with you long after the final page. It does have its dark moments, but I like that. I tend to not like a lot of fluff, and I felt this book was well-balanced. I recommend taking a chance and letting yourself get lost in Sabrina's world for a few hours.

Life Is But A Dream is an incredibly intense and emotional story told, in a somewhat unique way. The setting of this novel, is in a psychiatric facility and it's very different from the normal world. James attention to detail showcases what wonderful talent he possesses, as he so eloquently and almost lyrically paints the canvas of this atmosphere. The range of emotion explored in this novel, is heart-gripping, and quite telling. Yet, in some cases, a bit frustrating as well. The character's are interesting, the story told is compelling enough to keep reader's flipping the pages, and the careful way James has crafted this world is interesting enough. Sabrina, is diagnosed as being schizophrenic and is checked into the Wellness Center by her parents who are only seeking to help her to get better instead of continuing to struggle with her illness. Sabrina, on the other hand, is quite fearful of losing her dreams that she clings to. She has this undeniably interesting yet almost scary way of looking at the world and I actually loved how James was able to get inside her head and paint a picture of how she lived with her illness and the fear from the inside out. As fascinating as this character may seem at times (and she is), she is also frustrating as well. For instance, I personally didn't like that she was so willing to stop taking her medication and halt her progression of getting better, because Alex had convinced her to do so. It's not that Alex isn't an interesting character or that I didn't like him, it was the things that he was feeding Sabrina that she was so willing to believe naively that frustrated me as a reader. I liked that he cared about her and that there was someone else, with whom Sabrina could have a deep connection with, but I didn't like that he hindered her road to recovery a bit. If he loved her as he said he did (and I believe he did to a degree), then he wouldn't have convinced her to stop taking her meds. Alex, for all intent and purposes, will redeem himself later in the story. He is a likeable character, one reader's can sympathize with and enjoy to a fault, he just made a mistake I believe.I absolutely loved the way this novel started, the thing that hooked me was the blurb on the front cover of it, "Is the world crazy--or is she?" The writing was just absolutely beautiful and the story is emotionally charged. It's just beautiful and scary and special in a sense. Though, the only drawbacks for me, was that the pacing of the book moved a bit too slow for my liking.