Dianne Bates

Azt mondják, a tények néha furcsábbak, mint a kitalált történetek… de meg tudjátok-e különböztetni őket egymástól?
Hallottatok már Crabzilláról, az óriási rákról, amelynek hosszabbak a lábai, mint egy embernek? Tudtátok, hogy a világ ötven legmagasabb hegye a Himalájában található? Gondoltátok volna, hogy egy emberbe hétszer csapott bele a villám, és túlélte? Várjunk csak… tényleg így van?
A Tények és talányok tárházában több mint kétszáz különös és meghökkentő világcsúcsról olvashattok, amelyek próbára tesznek titeket: meg tudjátok-e különböztetni a valóságot a kitalált történetektől. Teszteljétek a családotokat és döbbentsétek meg a barátaitokat több órányi vicces furcsasággal!… (meer)

From the description I thought this novel (it's Australian, btw) was going to be a novel about a predatory therapist who takes advantage of their troubled teen patient; this was not so.

Sophie was born to a drug-addict mother and an unknown father. From age five or so she was raised by her aunt and uncle, but eventually transitioned into a series of foster homes. At 17 she was allowed to live independently in a flat with two roommates, getting an allowance from the state and finishing her senior year of high school. In large part because of her history of being repeatedly abandoned, Sophie was seriously troubled and wound up being hospitalized for suicidal ideation.

Her therapist at the hospital seems professional enough to me, but Sophie had been neglected so much that she was like a love sponge and mistook the therapeutic relationship for something more. After she left the hospital she started stalking the woman, even sneaking into her house and spending the night there (hidden, unbeknownst to anyone). Of course the therapist repeatedly rejected her, as well she should have, but it only caused Sophie to have more depression and self-hatred.

This is, I think, an excellent depiction of what can happen when transference goes too far. I really liked this book. My only complaint -- and it is a significant one -- is that Sophie's roommates, particularly Matt, were way too perfect. They were incredibly patient with her and accepting, no matter how outrageous her behavior got, and they didn't even know her very well. Such people exist, of course, but they're hard to pull off credibly in fiction.… (meer)