THIS IS MY BRAIN IN LOVE by I. W. Gergorio

I am in a graduate course about YA literature and the professor has impeccable taste in books! I have to write a personal response along with a bit of curricular use and since I am bound to forget it as soon as I submit it, I am also posting here so I can keep it for the ages!

I have been playing with Starry.AI to make illustrations which I am not turning in for every assignment, but which I will post here. 

And away we go!

This book was wonderful! It put me in mind of Jennifer Nevin’s All the Bright Places, but without the terribly sad ending. 

I loved how Gergorio illustrated the emotional lives of teens, in particular those who are dealing with mental illness. She also does a beautiful job of looking at how the entire family is affected. And also how family attitudes about mental illness play into the whole thing. The scene where Jos’ mom tells her about her own struggle with depression had me weeping. There is an acceptance here that is lovely and earned even as things aren’t wrapped up perfectly. 

There are some tremendous quotes. Some that made me laugh - 

p.144  “The French kiss thing that I always told Pryia sounded gross as hell, because spit.

In reality, French kissing is actually not too bad, which may explain its popularity.”

p. 353 “That’s when I called up Priya and told her that my plan was to make the most manipulative video in the history of man.”

Some that made me cry - 

p.234 “...arguing with someone who doesn’t recognize resentment [will] further entrench them in their denial.”

p.235 “See, I think, he’s not perfect. And now he’ll realize that I don’t deserve him.”

And some that made me think - 

p. 129 “[Movies]make me hopeful that one day I’ll find someone to make me feel that way for real.”

p. 332 “Tropes resonate because they play on our hopes and fears, and if we see them over and over again it becomes part of what we expect in life.”

There are so many teenagers who are suffering from anxiety and depression. The descriptions of Will’s panic attacks are extremely realistic, and the tools he uses to try to combat them are accurate and useful. This aspect of the book works as both a mirror for kids who have anxiety as well as a window for those who don’t quite understand what that entails. 

Jos’ slow understanding of her own suffering is heartbreaking. One of the most insidious aspects of depression is the way it hides in plain sight from the person it is torturing. Reading Will’s struggle with showing her what he sees was powerful for me, as the parent of an adult with depression. The need for clear communication is obvious, but, as is so often the case with teenagers, the other issues, particularly the romantic aspect,  make it far more fraught than it should be. 

Bibliotherapy is an area that I try to integrate into my practice. I work with school therapists to help provide books for students that help explain aspects of their lives that are confusing or painful. This can be difficult because what may work for some students might be triggering for others. This is My Brain in Love is an excellent book that speaks to several different types of issues; depression and suicide, of course, but also socio-economic struggles, parental pressure, code-switching, and the stress often felt by children of immigrant parents. 

I have already added this to my collection and am looking forward to sharing it with students who want a good story, but also with students who want even more.