Customer Reviews

The Order of Things: A Novel

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I purchased this book at a deep discount store having no prior knowledge of the author or the book. This is a novel written in the first person about a woman who notices that several aspects of her life have become abnormal to the point that she self-assesses that she's mentally unbalanced. Others in her work environment have seen this and support her decision to voluntarily enter a psych hospital for help.

I found the book interesting in part because it was fast moving and quite different from what I routinely read (mysteries). Much of the book was about her thoughts and perspectives per how the hospital and staff operated and how and when she adapted or didn't. As I read it, the writing was very passive, matter of fact and non-emotional. She ultimately notices a prisoner who has been brought to the facility for a short stay and ends up in the next room over night. They begin to communicate much as prisoners reportedly do who are not permitted to speak between cells in a prison. While I thought a good deal of that was a bit hard to accept, the content of their interaction and shared views based on their respective experiences was the true sum and substance of the book.

It's focus is some self-discovery and insights about people who have led diverse lives and was a fascinating way to present the thoughts and main points of the story.

Andreas will always remember the year the butterflies didn't migrate. She won't remember it because of the butterflies; she'll remember it because it's the year the order of things in her life slowly fell out of place and she slipped once again into depression. In Andreas's previous bouts of depression, she never received medical help but this time she does. As a patient at a psychiatric hospital, she has a breakthrough but not because of her group sessions and doctor visits. Her breakthrough happens after a late night conversation with a prison inmate, through a floor vent. These two have nothing in common, but the conversation that night, about things past and present, is what she needs to help her see a sliver of light.

The principle idea of the book, how one lives and deals with depression, was intriguing but THE ORDER OF THINGS was not well executed. The basics (location and main characters) of the story were in place but the development of the characters and the issues with depression were minimal. Even though I found this book slightly flawed and lacking development, it did point out that you never know who is going to help bring you through the storms and trials in your life.

Reviewed by Tawana Price
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers

University research librarian Andreas "Andy" Hackett suffers from deep depression that has begun to impact her work and her everyday living. Going to the job is increasingly difficult so a desperate Andy signs herself into Holly Pines psychiatric hospital for needed help.

However, the therapy depress her further as Andy feels the staff has no interest in helping the patients; in other words it is a job not a profession. Weeks later with the insurance about to end, Andy spends her last night at the chapel where she notices middle aged African-American Lathin due to the bandages on his arms. Later, back in her room, Lathin starts talking to her through the connecting vent. He talks about his family especially his daughter Mary who is an abuse victim who has become a psychosomatic mute. She talks about how shallow life feels and her only good times in a depressing moving from one place to another childhood were with her cousin on their grandmother's farm until her best friend relative died tragically while Andy failed to help her.

This engaging character study stars an intelligent but troubled woman whose past affirms the child is the adult theory of psychology. Andy is simply unhappy as she has been her entire life except for those brief moments on the farm; even those memories are devastated by the accidental death of her best friend. Readers will empathize with her and appreciate the catharsis dialogue between her and Lathin through the vent as everyone needs a friendly listener. Ironically fans will want a happy ending, but the climax is too simple in to short a time even if confession is good for the soul.

Harriet Klausner