Afbeelding auteur

Sarah Hopkins

Auteur van Greenham Common: Women at the Wire

9 Werken 106 Leden 8 Besprekingen

Over de Auteur

Bevat de naam: HOPKINS SARA

Werken van Sarah Hopkins

Greenham Common: Women at the Wire (1984) — Redacteur — 47 exemplaren
The Subjects (2019) 21 exemplaren
The Crimes of Billy Fish (2007) 16 exemplaren
Speak to me (1970) 8 exemplaren
This Picture of You (2014) 8 exemplaren
Good Grief (1993) 1 exemplaar
Past Life Melodies 1 exemplaar

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Algemene kennis

Geslacht
female

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Besprekingen

I am late coming to this novel but I loved this it. I thought this a very authentic, compassionate portrayal of how childhood experiences shape the adult we become. I cared about Billy and rose and the other characters in this story. I would like to read more of this author's work.
½
 
Gemarkeerd
HelenBaker | 1 andere bespreking | Jun 16, 2023 |
Excellent book about a relationship which began in 20th century New York and is now in decline in Sydney. Also the child of that New York passion is now having his own issues. There's also a focus on a group of Aboriginal people. I found the whole story to have a ring of authenticity and was written in a way that kept my interest without having to resort to strategically placed teasers.
 
Gemarkeerd
oldblack | Dec 4, 2022 |
Sixteen-year-old Daniel is on the verge of being sentenced to time in juvie when fate intervenes. He is detoured to a new place... a place with no bars, a place he's told he is "lucky to attend", In spite of the fact that he's unsure of where he's headed, he agrees to the compromise.

The majority of this novel is set in the institute that Daniel is sent to. It's an intriguing place. Apart from an initial physical run-in with one of the interns ... it seems as though it's not such a bad place. Daniel meets with Dr. J who seems to run the institute. They don't have what Daniel would consider therapy sessions, at first they only meet to work out a contract encompassing what they both want.

The story unfolds from Daniel's perspective when he is in the institute and from snippets of an inquiry that is happening a decade later. It's clear that something has happened during Daniel's tenure that resulted in an investigation but the reader is along for the ride with Daniel. Throughout the novel, he tries to piece together his memories, the transcripts and some new information to build the story of what happened.

All the young people who are at the institute are meeting privately with Dr. J. All of them have different items in their contracts. They work on subjects that interest them, they learn about themselves, and it seems as though they are setting their own pace as they struggle with their individual challenges. Daniel's past is littered with abusive men who were brought into his life by his mother. He explores her weakness and his frustration as he reluctantly divulges bits and pieces of his personal history the way he remembers it.

All of the characters in this novel are interesting. They are full-bodied, revealing deep secrets and strange little nuances about themselves. The characters all interact with one another differently, and the longer they spend together the more they seem to learn about getting along with one another.

Ultimately, I feel like this book is about weighing the value of different types of treatment for people living with mental illness. I was touched by the twist at the end of the book (I'm not going to reveal it here). The story has left so many questions in my mind: is medication the answer for mental illness? Do we all just need to be listened to? Are some people so affected by the negative aspects of the world that they are unable to exist peacefully? What if mental illness isn't abnormal and is simply a variation of normal?

This tale is firmly planted in the contemporary world. It felt to me as though there was a component of science fiction in it, perhaps just because some of the "therapy" and "lessons" were a bit above my ability to understand. I've been curious about some of the things the author described and have found myself researching them.

"I was not playing God; I was trying to block out the noise so I could hear him." - Dr. J.

If you love interesting characters and an intriguing plot...that isn't handed to you on a platter... yes, you have to think about this one (and I love that) then you will enjoy this book.
… (meer)
 
Gemarkeerd
KinzieThings | 3 andere besprekingen | Jun 16, 2020 |
The Subjects is definitely a book that offers a unique perspective. Written from the firsthand account of Daniel, a high functioning delinquent , who at 16 years old was sent through an alternative sentencing program in place of jail time after he was caught selling prescription drugs. Given the benefit of hindsight, the story is told after Daniel has grown up and he looks back on his time at the “school”. The “school”is a unique place with loosely defined curriculum, and private therapy sessions. One of a chosen few, Daniel finds himself among a very different group of young people who have very unique ways of thinking and interacting with the world. As he builds friendships and interacts with this isolated environment, Daniel grows and learns how to become a functional adult. However, the school isn’t what it appears to be, and it has a much larger, more nefarious purpose. There is a lot of deep subject matter in this book, and there were moments where the storyline becomes kind of opaque and a little unclear. Generally well written given the specialty of the subject matter and a disturbing look into the exploitation of at risk children around the world. Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy.… (meer)
 
Gemarkeerd
hana321 | 3 andere besprekingen | Feb 15, 2020 |

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Statistieken

Werken
9
Leden
106
Populariteit
#181,887
Waardering
3.8
Besprekingen
8
ISBNs
18
Talen
1

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