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Schizo
The fascinating, shocking, and ultimately quite hopeful story of one teen’s downward spiral into mental illness by the bestselling author of Tweak.
Miles is the ultimate unreliable narrator—a teen recovering from a schizophrenic breakdown who believes he is getting better . . . when in reality he is growing worse.
Driven to the point of obsession to find his missing younger brother, Teddy, and wrapped up in a romance that may or may not be the real thing, Miles is forever chasing shadows. As Miles feels his world closing around him, he struggles to keep it open, but what you think you know about his world is actually a blur of gray, and the sharp focus of reality proves startling.
Written by the New York Times bestselling author of Tweak, Schizo is the fascinating, and ultimately quite hopeful, story of one teen's downward spiral into mental illness as he chases the clues to a missing brother. Perfect for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and It’s Kind of a Funny Story.
Miles is the ultimate unreliable narrator—a teen recovering from a schizophrenic breakdown who believes he is getting better . . . when in reality he is growing worse.
Driven to the point of obsession to find his missing younger brother, Teddy, and wrapped up in a romance that may or may not be the real thing, Miles is forever chasing shadows. As Miles feels his world closing around him, he struggles to keep it open, but what you think you know about his world is actually a blur of gray, and the sharp focus of reality proves startling.
Written by the New York Times bestselling author of Tweak, Schizo is the fascinating, and ultimately quite hopeful, story of one teen's downward spiral into mental illness as he chases the clues to a missing brother. Perfect for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and It’s Kind of a Funny Story.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2014
183 people are currently reading
9441 people want to read
About the author
Nic Sheff
6 books873 followersNic Sheff is the author of two memoirs about his struggles with addiction: the New York Times bestselling Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines and We All Fall Down: Living with Addiction. Nic lives in Los Angeles, California where he writes for film and television.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 643 reviews
March 9, 2024
Miles Cole will steal your heart. Unwittingly and apologetically, he’ll shatter it. With determination and pride, he’ll help to piece it together with tentative hope. This 16-year old boy is sweet, compassionate and justifiably troubled. Diagnosed with Schizophrenia, his life teeters between reality and delusions, as a cacophony of medications race through his veins and scorch the lining of his stomach.
Mr. Sheff cleverly allows Miles tells his own story. In doing so, Miles’ observations identify and clarify surprising symptoms of this mental disorder providing readers with a rare glimpse of the self-loathing, ricocheting thoughts that constantly plague a riddled mind. Brilliantly, he illuminates the stigma of the psychosis with an almost casual thought, noting the incomprehensible, terrifying connection he shares with the tortured souls of the homeless people filling the streets. Futile attempts to build a relationship with a girl that is at best indifferent, too often cruel are absolutely heart-wrenching. Empathy is easily evoked. This life must be a kind of hell; but Miles bears a burden that looms even larger.
Guilt.
His initial episode occurred during a family visit to the beach. The loud, frightening seizure commanded the attention of not only his parents and younger siblings; but seemingly the entire beach was focused on Miles. Amid the mayhem his young brother, Teddy is abducted.
Schizo begins with Miles considering suicide, as a means of relief for those he loves; but he sees another way. Everyone can be happy again. He must rescue Teddy. His fast-paced, courageous, ludicrous, quest is gripping. The kaleidoscopic range of emotions; hope, love, confidence, fury, self-doubt, wholly exhaust the young man. Symptoms are exacerbated with the mental, physical and emotional fatigue and the metaphorical roller coaster speeds up until it is hurtling out of control, with this reader clinging tightly, truly invested. Never have I wished so desperately to reach into a tome and hold a character.
As this irresistible story furiously frenzies to an end; Mr. Sheff deftly, (and dare I say a bit smugly) pulls the rug out from under the reader. A tiny twist delivers a punch so powerful that this already magnificent book is catapulted to phenomenal.
Sidebar: I have been a huge fan of Mr. Sheff’s writing since he bared his soul and captured my heart in Tweak, Growing up on Methamphetamines. I feel an almost kinship…..a familiar fondness for the young Mr. Sheff; which only strengthened when he wrung out my heart in We All Fall Down, Living With Addiction.
Working with an amazing English teacher, I have the privilege of giving “Book Talks” to five high school classes. In addition to introducing and recommending a book; a couple copies of the book are donated to the classroom library and a couple of copies from my own tiny library are shared with the students. So, filled with confidence that the students would love this book, at least as much as I do, that when I told them that there were a few copies circulating, I also blurted out, “…if you go out and buy this book and it does NOT rock your socks; I’ll buy it back from you!”
Mr. Sheff cleverly allows Miles tells his own story. In doing so, Miles’ observations identify and clarify surprising symptoms of this mental disorder providing readers with a rare glimpse of the self-loathing, ricocheting thoughts that constantly plague a riddled mind. Brilliantly, he illuminates the stigma of the psychosis with an almost casual thought, noting the incomprehensible, terrifying connection he shares with the tortured souls of the homeless people filling the streets. Futile attempts to build a relationship with a girl that is at best indifferent, too often cruel are absolutely heart-wrenching. Empathy is easily evoked. This life must be a kind of hell; but Miles bears a burden that looms even larger.
Guilt.
His initial episode occurred during a family visit to the beach. The loud, frightening seizure commanded the attention of not only his parents and younger siblings; but seemingly the entire beach was focused on Miles. Amid the mayhem his young brother, Teddy is abducted.
Schizo begins with Miles considering suicide, as a means of relief for those he loves; but he sees another way. Everyone can be happy again. He must rescue Teddy. His fast-paced, courageous, ludicrous, quest is gripping. The kaleidoscopic range of emotions; hope, love, confidence, fury, self-doubt, wholly exhaust the young man. Symptoms are exacerbated with the mental, physical and emotional fatigue and the metaphorical roller coaster speeds up until it is hurtling out of control, with this reader clinging tightly, truly invested. Never have I wished so desperately to reach into a tome and hold a character.
As this irresistible story furiously frenzies to an end; Mr. Sheff deftly, (and dare I say a bit smugly) pulls the rug out from under the reader. A tiny twist delivers a punch so powerful that this already magnificent book is catapulted to phenomenal.
Sidebar: I have been a huge fan of Mr. Sheff’s writing since he bared his soul and captured my heart in Tweak, Growing up on Methamphetamines. I feel an almost kinship…..a familiar fondness for the young Mr. Sheff; which only strengthened when he wrung out my heart in We All Fall Down, Living With Addiction.
Working with an amazing English teacher, I have the privilege of giving “Book Talks” to five high school classes. In addition to introducing and recommending a book; a couple copies of the book are donated to the classroom library and a couple of copies from my own tiny library are shared with the students. So, filled with confidence that the students would love this book, at least as much as I do, that when I told them that there were a few copies circulating, I also blurted out, “…if you go out and buy this book and it does NOT rock your socks; I’ll buy it back from you!”
February 14, 2019
Initially, when I began this book, I set it down after the second chapter, and wrote an extremely negative review on the book. After finishing that and a break from writing, I made the decision to pick up the book again. Four hours and about 200 painful pages later, I can officially say that my feelings have not changed, but only became more intense and negative as I continued to see derogatory language thrown around and a mental illness poorly represented.
As an early disclaimer, I suffer from schizophrenia and first developed the disorder about three years ago. I'm nineteen now. This book is one of the most horrible, most atrocious representations of the disorder I have ever seen. I hope all of the positive reviews on this book aren't being genuine, because this book has its own circle of hell. Schizo is a sloppily put together, poorly researched book that fails to properly portray the lives of people with schizophrenia, from crude descriptions to plain offensive phrases to not only people with schizophrenia, but also transgender people. The way Sheff portrays this illness and the way people seem to believe this book is good insight is just humiliating, contributing to a dangerous stigma because people who write, edit, publish, and consume books like these don't do their research at all.
As for the review, I wasn't sure where to start at first; this book is a mess, and quite possibly one of the worst books I've ever read. The writing itself read like a fifth grader's writing, and quickly felt bland until it began to pick up and Sheff's writing began to get better. For the rest of the few hours that I read this, I was shocked by how loose the plot was, how predictable each twist and turn was, and the ending wasn't even good at all. There was absolutely no satisfaction after reading a crude, painful book that only got worse with every sentence. Sheff continuously used derogatory remarks such as being crazy or psycho, going all the way to the extent of using a transphobic slur (yes, tr*nny is a slur) and referring to the transgender person as he/she, which is just as bad as calling them a girlboy. I'm not even sure how ignorant the publisher was on trans issues, or if the publisher even knew that the language Sheff used in this book was offensive, but the way Sheff portrayed certain characters such as Miles and Sweet Pea were extremely exaggerated caricatures of real life people. In addition to this, the characters had no depth to them, even Miles. Miles's self-degrading remarks were limited to how he was the "crazy" one out of the family, or how he felt he would grow up to be some homeless drunk passed out on some bus bench, and nothing of any depth. In fact, Sheff seems to entirely ignore that most people with schizophrenia do grow up to lead functional lives, and instead hyperfixates on Miles's desire to be "normal". He makes the implication that people with schizophrenia don't lead normal lives (actually, nobody leads a normal life, depending on your definition), and overall, what he insinuates and shows on the surface are all deeply problematic and unrepresentative of the disorder.
I have zero confidence that Sheff has done any research on this disorder. He has probably done the bare minimum, if at all. Miles takes six different medication, most of which have chances of having interactions with each other, and it really feels like that Sheff pulled up a list and picked from what had the best names and didn't do any further research other than the superficial what-does-it-dos and how much to take. He neglected drug interactions, and also neglected the gradual return of symptoms when someone with schizophrenia stops taking their medication. Miles was fine for a while after he stopped taking his medication, and then the voice came back, and then another episode. Sheff continues to fail to show other core aspects of schizophrenia; the only prevalent ones are the hallucinations, and the delusion Miles had about his younger "brother" is iffy at best. Miles doesn't show negative symptoms except for when he's on his medication, and when he's off them, every symptom he was having before suddenly vanished. Hell, I'd even say that Miles's state on medication was a better portrayal of the illness than when he was off medication, but it still wasn't good at all. The psychotic episodes that he went through didn't feel real at all, and it was not only confusing but very easy to see through the fabricated version of reality that he was experiencing. It did not meet any of my expectations or my hopes. Symptoms happened very, very infrequently and Miles barely meets DSM-5's criterion for schizophrenia. The execution of symptoms that were actually present was shockingly poor and repetitive and became uninteresting after the first time. In addition to all this, the usage of psychoactive substances (drugs) worsens schizophrenia, but it doesn't seem to affect Miles in this scenario, not to mention all of the interactions the medication Sheff listed that Miles took has with drugs and alcohol. I was quite shocked that he hadn't ended up dead, but to my dismay the usage of these medications with drugs and alcohol had been poorly represented too.
The offensive terminology used in this book is inappropriate and it's shocking how this book even got published in the first place. Miles constantly refers to himself as crazy and it's surely a fault of Sheff's poor research. It seems clear that he has not done his research on the mental illness at all if he continues to use discriminatory terminology throughout the course of the book. While it's understandable that it's from Miles's perspective, but it doesn't excuse the uncomfortable language and the usage of slurs. Sheff should have educated himself more on not only people with schizophrenia but also trans people. Every character feels like a flat, gross caricature; the foreign people struggle with English and the people with schizophrenia are perceived as homeless and talking to things that aren't there. Not to mention that Eliza is just there to be Miles's love interest, nothing else. Miles's parents are the only characters that have a real in depth relationship, and they're the only interesting characters in this entire book.
This book is so poorly written that most, if not all of the scenes are extremely awkward and have a profuse lack of intensity that it should have to be a good book. If Sheff did his research, he is absolutely not applying it, even though he should. Overall, this book was gross, upsetting, and I would never, ever recommend it to anyone unless they're looking for an excruciatingly horrible book to laugh at. This book is extremely forgettable (I forgot pretty much half of my points a few hours after reading) and not worth reading if you want insight on mental illness. The only insight you'll get from reading this book is how horribly Sheff writes mental illness, particularly schizophrenia. This book has been disproportionately shameful, depressing, disappointing, embarrassing and humiliating and the number of people that seem to actively support this book have clearly no insight on the illness and just how much this book fails to represent the population of people with this illness.
As an early disclaimer, I suffer from schizophrenia and first developed the disorder about three years ago. I'm nineteen now. This book is one of the most horrible, most atrocious representations of the disorder I have ever seen. I hope all of the positive reviews on this book aren't being genuine, because this book has its own circle of hell. Schizo is a sloppily put together, poorly researched book that fails to properly portray the lives of people with schizophrenia, from crude descriptions to plain offensive phrases to not only people with schizophrenia, but also transgender people. The way Sheff portrays this illness and the way people seem to believe this book is good insight is just humiliating, contributing to a dangerous stigma because people who write, edit, publish, and consume books like these don't do their research at all.
As for the review, I wasn't sure where to start at first; this book is a mess, and quite possibly one of the worst books I've ever read. The writing itself read like a fifth grader's writing, and quickly felt bland until it began to pick up and Sheff's writing began to get better. For the rest of the few hours that I read this, I was shocked by how loose the plot was, how predictable each twist and turn was, and the ending wasn't even good at all. There was absolutely no satisfaction after reading a crude, painful book that only got worse with every sentence. Sheff continuously used derogatory remarks such as being crazy or psycho, going all the way to the extent of using a transphobic slur (yes, tr*nny is a slur) and referring to the transgender person as he/she, which is just as bad as calling them a girlboy. I'm not even sure how ignorant the publisher was on trans issues, or if the publisher even knew that the language Sheff used in this book was offensive, but the way Sheff portrayed certain characters such as Miles and Sweet Pea were extremely exaggerated caricatures of real life people. In addition to this, the characters had no depth to them, even Miles. Miles's self-degrading remarks were limited to how he was the "crazy" one out of the family, or how he felt he would grow up to be some homeless drunk passed out on some bus bench, and nothing of any depth. In fact, Sheff seems to entirely ignore that most people with schizophrenia do grow up to lead functional lives, and instead hyperfixates on Miles's desire to be "normal". He makes the implication that people with schizophrenia don't lead normal lives (actually, nobody leads a normal life, depending on your definition), and overall, what he insinuates and shows on the surface are all deeply problematic and unrepresentative of the disorder.
I have zero confidence that Sheff has done any research on this disorder. He has probably done the bare minimum, if at all. Miles takes six different medication, most of which have chances of having interactions with each other, and it really feels like that Sheff pulled up a list and picked from what had the best names and didn't do any further research other than the superficial what-does-it-dos and how much to take. He neglected drug interactions, and also neglected the gradual return of symptoms when someone with schizophrenia stops taking their medication. Miles was fine for a while after he stopped taking his medication, and then the voice came back, and then another episode. Sheff continues to fail to show other core aspects of schizophrenia; the only prevalent ones are the hallucinations, and the delusion Miles had about his younger "brother" is iffy at best. Miles doesn't show negative symptoms except for when he's on his medication, and when he's off them, every symptom he was having before suddenly vanished. Hell, I'd even say that Miles's state on medication was a better portrayal of the illness than when he was off medication, but it still wasn't good at all. The psychotic episodes that he went through didn't feel real at all, and it was not only confusing but very easy to see through the fabricated version of reality that he was experiencing. It did not meet any of my expectations or my hopes. Symptoms happened very, very infrequently and Miles barely meets DSM-5's criterion for schizophrenia. The execution of symptoms that were actually present was shockingly poor and repetitive and became uninteresting after the first time. In addition to all this, the usage of psychoactive substances (drugs) worsens schizophrenia, but it doesn't seem to affect Miles in this scenario, not to mention all of the interactions the medication Sheff listed that Miles took has with drugs and alcohol. I was quite shocked that he hadn't ended up dead, but to my dismay the usage of these medications with drugs and alcohol had been poorly represented too.
The offensive terminology used in this book is inappropriate and it's shocking how this book even got published in the first place. Miles constantly refers to himself as crazy and it's surely a fault of Sheff's poor research. It seems clear that he has not done his research on the mental illness at all if he continues to use discriminatory terminology throughout the course of the book. While it's understandable that it's from Miles's perspective, but it doesn't excuse the uncomfortable language and the usage of slurs. Sheff should have educated himself more on not only people with schizophrenia but also trans people. Every character feels like a flat, gross caricature; the foreign people struggle with English and the people with schizophrenia are perceived as homeless and talking to things that aren't there. Not to mention that Eliza is just there to be Miles's love interest, nothing else. Miles's parents are the only characters that have a real in depth relationship, and they're the only interesting characters in this entire book.
This book is so poorly written that most, if not all of the scenes are extremely awkward and have a profuse lack of intensity that it should have to be a good book. If Sheff did his research, he is absolutely not applying it, even though he should. Overall, this book was gross, upsetting, and I would never, ever recommend it to anyone unless they're looking for an excruciatingly horrible book to laugh at. This book is extremely forgettable (I forgot pretty much half of my points a few hours after reading) and not worth reading if you want insight on mental illness. The only insight you'll get from reading this book is how horribly Sheff writes mental illness, particularly schizophrenia. This book has been disproportionately shameful, depressing, disappointing, embarrassing and humiliating and the number of people that seem to actively support this book have clearly no insight on the illness and just how much this book fails to represent the population of people with this illness.
March 22, 2025
#The52BookClub
40. Stream of consciousness narrative
Want to read
August 24, 2019I must know who's on this cover!
2019: STILL want to know who this is
2019: STILL want to know who this is
October 17, 2017
Schizo tells us a story of Miles, a schizophrenic who suffers from the guilt of his missing brother. In this book we are given access to what he is thinking and experiencing. The feeling of paranoia that Miles faced managed to put me on edge too.
This book is a bit of a roller coaster for me. I only know of Schizophrenia in general, you know, the general knowledge you get from dictionaries and a few articles here and there. But I've never quite understood the illness itself and even less of what the patients might go through. Nic Sheff did a terrific work in portraying Miles's character as a schizophrenic.
The importance of communication between friends and family is also part of the message written in this book. I would say that this is a much more intense version of Turtles All the Way Down, not only because the type of illness is different but also due to the sense of urgency instilled by the main character's feeling of guilt.
Schizo is a manifestation of hope for those who are struggling with mental illnesses or whose loved ones are going through something similar. One of the main reasons I picked this book up was because the author himself had his fair share of experience with mental illness.
According to the little biography at the back of the book, Sheff wrote Schizo to examine what happens when someone struggles with Schizophrenia at such a fragile time of his life, during his teen years. Much of the novel is borrowed from his own experience but is also a departure. Sheff hopes to show that mental illness is not a death sentence.
This book is a bit of a roller coaster for me. I only know of Schizophrenia in general, you know, the general knowledge you get from dictionaries and a few articles here and there. But I've never quite understood the illness itself and even less of what the patients might go through. Nic Sheff did a terrific work in portraying Miles's character as a schizophrenic.
The importance of communication between friends and family is also part of the message written in this book. I would say that this is a much more intense version of Turtles All the Way Down, not only because the type of illness is different but also due to the sense of urgency instilled by the main character's feeling of guilt.
Schizo is a manifestation of hope for those who are struggling with mental illnesses or whose loved ones are going through something similar. One of the main reasons I picked this book up was because the author himself had his fair share of experience with mental illness.
According to the little biography at the back of the book, Sheff wrote Schizo to examine what happens when someone struggles with Schizophrenia at such a fragile time of his life, during his teen years. Much of the novel is borrowed from his own experience but is also a departure. Sheff hopes to show that mental illness is not a death sentence.
To tell the truth about who I am and what's going on with me, that is everything. Sharing. Asking for help. I gotta do that shit. I gotta try.
June 3, 2014
4.5 stars
I was excited when I learned that Nic Sheff continues to do well and is writing fiction. I enjoyed this as I enjoyed his previous two books. I was worried I'd be reading a fictional version of him, but he has created a character who is unique, while using his experience to stay true to the mental illness. The story builds well, and I never felt like anything was predictable. It's worth reading without any spoilers. Well done, Mr. Sheff.
I was excited when I learned that Nic Sheff continues to do well and is writing fiction. I enjoyed this as I enjoyed his previous two books. I was worried I'd be reading a fictional version of him, but he has created a character who is unique, while using his experience to stay true to the mental illness. The story builds well, and I never felt like anything was predictable. It's worth reading without any spoilers. Well done, Mr. Sheff.
April 6, 2017
someone get me a physical copy of thisssss •
Finished it in one day. It was a really really good one. Almost every time I decide to read a book dealing with psychological issues I'm all worried it's gonna be too corny or super unrealistic. To say this book was super realistic would be a lie, a lot of important issues were painted over but it is fiction and it is all we have. The plot twist had me go
Finished it in one day. It was a really really good one. Almost every time I decide to read a book dealing with psychological issues I'm all worried it's gonna be too corny or super unrealistic. To say this book was super realistic would be a lie, a lot of important issues were painted over but it is fiction and it is all we have. The plot twist had me go
July 18, 2017
*****For my full review, go to Darling & Co.*****
This was my second novel for Mental Health Awareness Month. I honestly didn't know what to expect. Most of what I know about schizophrenia is from TV and movies, and I know that I should take everything that I see there with a grain of salt. When Nic Sheff started this novel, he did a lot of research on the subject, and so I felt going into this novel that it was going to be more realistic. On the cover, it says "How do you manage when you don't know what's real?" I knew there would be some sort of twist in the novel and I spent the entire time trying to figure out what was real and what wasn't just like Miles, the main character, does. It was eye opening.
I thought this was an amazing introductory novel into schizophrenia. I know every case is different, each person is affected by their mental illness differently, but this was still eye opening. Watching his downward spiral as he stops taking his medication all together, and when he learns that it is because he has been on the wrong medication the last two years that he hasn't made progress is saddening. But the guilt that he has been carrying around with him the last two years is the hardest part. Guilt can tear apart the healthiest of people.
The part that I loved the most was a part towards the end when Miles is talking to a friend, Wanika, he has made while in the hospital the second time. They are outside smoking and talking about their diseases and how Miles always apologizes. She tells him this:
"We're fucking sick and we take medication. What's the big deal? Would you be blaming yourself if you had fucking cancer or some shit?" (p. 246)
If there has ever been a more true statement said, I haven't heard it. Just because you suffer from a mental illness doesn't mean you have to apologize for it, especially if you are doing something about it.
This book is wonderful, and I feel like I have a better grasp on schizophrenia after reading it.
This was my second novel for Mental Health Awareness Month. I honestly didn't know what to expect. Most of what I know about schizophrenia is from TV and movies, and I know that I should take everything that I see there with a grain of salt. When Nic Sheff started this novel, he did a lot of research on the subject, and so I felt going into this novel that it was going to be more realistic. On the cover, it says "How do you manage when you don't know what's real?" I knew there would be some sort of twist in the novel and I spent the entire time trying to figure out what was real and what wasn't just like Miles, the main character, does. It was eye opening.
I thought this was an amazing introductory novel into schizophrenia. I know every case is different, each person is affected by their mental illness differently, but this was still eye opening. Watching his downward spiral as he stops taking his medication all together, and when he learns that it is because he has been on the wrong medication the last two years that he hasn't made progress is saddening. But the guilt that he has been carrying around with him the last two years is the hardest part. Guilt can tear apart the healthiest of people.
The part that I loved the most was a part towards the end when Miles is talking to a friend, Wanika, he has made while in the hospital the second time. They are outside smoking and talking about their diseases and how Miles always apologizes. She tells him this:
"We're fucking sick and we take medication. What's the big deal? Would you be blaming yourself if you had fucking cancer or some shit?" (p. 246)
If there has ever been a more true statement said, I haven't heard it. Just because you suffer from a mental illness doesn't mean you have to apologize for it, especially if you are doing something about it.
This book is wonderful, and I feel like I have a better grasp on schizophrenia after reading it.
November 20, 2014
DUMB book! I saw the end coming from 13 miles away and seriously, does this kid need to swear every other sentence?! Thank you Alexa for recommending this book!
October 9, 2014
Originally at The Fictional Reader
I haven’t read many books about mental illness which is a shame because it’s a really important topic; something that isn’t talked about enough. When I read the synopsis of Schizo I was immediately intrigued, the plot sounds very intense.
I was really surprised by the length of this book: it is quite a short novel. I don’t mean that it is a short story, but since many novels are easily over 300 pages, this is quite short in comparison. And I think that’s a good thing. Schizo is exactly as long as it should be; otherwise the book would have dragged on in certain parts. The reason I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars has something to do with the plot, namely that I kind of already guessed the big twist at the end so I wasn’t that surprised by it. But the “plot twist” is not the most important part of this novel, which is why I didn’t really mind the fact that I already guessed it.
The story line was very engrossing and addictive. I wanted to know what would happen to Miles and most of all, to Teddy. Reading through the perspective of a teenager with schizophrenia was really unique and it affected the story line as well. Because you don’t know what is real, and what is a part of his disease. It captivated me and made sure I almost finished this book in 1 sitting.
Of course, I can’t forget to talk about the main character, Miles. He is a teenager in high school struggling with schizophrenia. While reading through his perspective, you can really learn a lot about his character. Miles is a very loving and sweet guy which you can see in the way he treats his parents, little sister and two best friends. What is most remarkable about him though, is the guilt he carries with him for “ruining” his family. He would do anything to make it right, in his opinion. What I also loved about reading through his perspective, is that he knows he has a disease. He knows he has schizophrenia, and although he takes his medication he is still afraid to have another episode.
There are a few side characters that you grow to love as well. There’s Jane, his little sister, who adores Miles. Together, they are working on a comic book that Jane has created. Then you have Jackie and Preston, his two best friends from high school. I especially liked Jackie, she was a very concerned and good friend to Miles. And of course, there are his parents. Miles’ dad seems loving and soft while his mom is portrayed more as a woman who is suffering from grief a lot.
I can’t tell you too much about the characters or the storyline because that will spoil the book for you but know that I really enjoyed reading it. In my opinion, the author wrote this story very well; it was a unique insight into the mind of a teenager who is suffering from a mental illness.
As a last note, after I finished the epilogue I read “about the author”. I will quote a part of the author’s biography from Goodreads: “… Sheff dropped out of college to seek treatment, at which time he was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder.” So the author of this book lives with a mental illness himself and he mentioned his books are a way to show people that your life isn’t over just because you have a mental illness. That is really inspiring, I think it’s amazing he’s reaching more young adults with this message and this book.
I haven’t read many books about mental illness which is a shame because it’s a really important topic; something that isn’t talked about enough. When I read the synopsis of Schizo I was immediately intrigued, the plot sounds very intense.
I was really surprised by the length of this book: it is quite a short novel. I don’t mean that it is a short story, but since many novels are easily over 300 pages, this is quite short in comparison. And I think that’s a good thing. Schizo is exactly as long as it should be; otherwise the book would have dragged on in certain parts. The reason I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars has something to do with the plot, namely that I kind of already guessed the big twist at the end so I wasn’t that surprised by it. But the “plot twist” is not the most important part of this novel, which is why I didn’t really mind the fact that I already guessed it.
The story line was very engrossing and addictive. I wanted to know what would happen to Miles and most of all, to Teddy. Reading through the perspective of a teenager with schizophrenia was really unique and it affected the story line as well. Because you don’t know what is real, and what is a part of his disease. It captivated me and made sure I almost finished this book in 1 sitting.
Of course, I can’t forget to talk about the main character, Miles. He is a teenager in high school struggling with schizophrenia. While reading through his perspective, you can really learn a lot about his character. Miles is a very loving and sweet guy which you can see in the way he treats his parents, little sister and two best friends. What is most remarkable about him though, is the guilt he carries with him for “ruining” his family. He would do anything to make it right, in his opinion. What I also loved about reading through his perspective, is that he knows he has a disease. He knows he has schizophrenia, and although he takes his medication he is still afraid to have another episode.
There are a few side characters that you grow to love as well. There’s Jane, his little sister, who adores Miles. Together, they are working on a comic book that Jane has created. Then you have Jackie and Preston, his two best friends from high school. I especially liked Jackie, she was a very concerned and good friend to Miles. And of course, there are his parents. Miles’ dad seems loving and soft while his mom is portrayed more as a woman who is suffering from grief a lot.
I can’t tell you too much about the characters or the storyline because that will spoil the book for you but know that I really enjoyed reading it. In my opinion, the author wrote this story very well; it was a unique insight into the mind of a teenager who is suffering from a mental illness.
As a last note, after I finished the epilogue I read “about the author”. I will quote a part of the author’s biography from Goodreads: “… Sheff dropped out of college to seek treatment, at which time he was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder.” So the author of this book lives with a mental illness himself and he mentioned his books are a way to show people that your life isn’t over just because you have a mental illness. That is really inspiring, I think it’s amazing he’s reaching more young adults with this message and this book.
July 29, 2015
Click.
“Nine-one-one Emergency, how can I help you?”
My breathing comes fast and shallow, so I can barely get the words to come out of me.
“Th- . . . th- . . . there’s been a . . . No, I . . . I killed myself.”
Pause.
“What? I’m sorry, sir, what? Can you repeat that?”
More breathing.
“I . . . I . . . I said I killed myself. 1717 Clement Street.”
“You killed yourself?”
I close my eyes
Oh.My.God... This one is sick (too)!!
Well, I should have known! I mean, look at the title.. Duh!
“Nine-one-one Emergency, how can I help you?”
My breathing comes fast and shallow, so I can barely get the words to come out of me.
“Th- . . . th- . . . there’s been a . . . No, I . . . I killed myself.”
Pause.
“What? I’m sorry, sir, what? Can you repeat that?”
More breathing.
“I . . . I . . . I said I killed myself. 1717 Clement Street.”
“You killed yourself?”
I close my eyes
Oh.My.God... This one is sick (too)!!
Well, I should have known! I mean, look at the title.. Duh!
March 1, 2015
I was so disappointed that I didn't really care much for this one. I don't know what to say except that it left me feeling sort of disconnected because I didn't feel empathy for the main character and I just couldn't connect.
March 8, 2024
3.5 ⭐
January 8, 2015
The day Miles had his first schizophrenic episode was the same day his younger brother, Teddy, vanished. The police think Teddy must have drowned at the beach, while an eyewitness saw Teddy get in a Ford Explorer with a stranger. Miles knows in his heart that Teddy is still alive, and in his guilt and shame he vows to bring Teddy home once and for all. However, there is so much for him to overcome. The pills, the girl, and the crows. Miles fights to keep reality clear and in his sights, but the world keeps closing down around him.
I've always been interested in a good unreliable character and Miles definitely falls into this category. His perception of reality is quite distorted and it's difficult for him to sort through the blur of it all. I don't know all that much about the mental illness that he lives with, but his story is addicting and kept me hanging on to the very end. I had to know what happens with Miles and Teddy. Of course, I had kind of half figured things out, or had my suspicions, but that didn't detract from my reading experience in the least. I don't want to say to much more about the characters for fear of giving too much away, but Nic Sheff does a good job of giving the reader a bit of insight on this mental illness. For the most part Schizo is exactly as long as it needs to be, but I did find myself wanting more when it came to .
Overall, this ultimately hopeful novel about a teen dealing with mental illness is a must read for fans of It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini and The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.
I've always been interested in a good unreliable character and Miles definitely falls into this category. His perception of reality is quite distorted and it's difficult for him to sort through the blur of it all. I don't know all that much about the mental illness that he lives with, but his story is addicting and kept me hanging on to the very end. I had to know what happens with Miles and Teddy. Of course, I had kind of half figured things out, or had my suspicions, but that didn't detract from my reading experience in the least. I don't want to say to much more about the characters for fear of giving too much away, but Nic Sheff does a good job of giving the reader a bit of insight on this mental illness. For the most part Schizo is exactly as long as it needs to be, but I did find myself wanting more when it came to .
Overall, this ultimately hopeful novel about a teen dealing with mental illness is a must read for fans of It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini and The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.
June 6, 2018
das Buch war mega gut! Es geht um einen Jungen, der unter Schizophrenie leidet und dessen Bruder unter mysteriösen Umständen verschwunden ist. Nic Sheff's Schreibstil war einfach total fast-paced und brachte es einfach auf den Punkt. Ich mochte Miles als Protagonist sehr gerne und generell waren die Charactere unglaublich realistisch und gut beschrieben. Die Auflösung des Ganzen hat mich auch total zufriedengestellt, daher 4 sehr gute Sterne!
April 6, 2021
Miles is suffering from Schizophrenia. It's not apparent immediately that he isn't getting better, in fact, what you know about Miles quickly shifts to what you don't know about him.
This is a great read for anyone trying to learn and understand mental illness with an element of hope throughout.
This is a great read for anyone trying to learn and understand mental illness with an element of hope throughout.
d-n-f
May 24, 2022not rlly feeling this tbh, it’s not bad, but i can’t bring myself to be interested in the story. it’s slow & boring
dnf@ page 60
dnf@ page 60
February 22, 2016
Note: I read Made You Up before reading Schizo, which was part of the reason that it made this book less good than I think I would consider it, had I not read Made You Up first.
This book reads very easily - I finished it in an evening and a morning - and also I really wanted to keep reading to know what would happen next. I think that’s a very important quality for a book to have.
Also, in general I liked the storyline. I liked how it wasn’t only about Miles, but also about his relation with his friends and his family (not in a problematical way, just in a showing-that-the-mentally-ill-still-care-about-others way. I also liked that sometimes Miles is afraid that he’s hallucinating while the things he sees/hears turn out to be real
I really had to get used to the writing style, though, because the story has been written in a very informal way.
Also, I didn’t like the outcome of Miles’ relationship with Eliza.
I didn’t like the epilogue either. I think it should add something to the story but it only let us know that Miles and Jackie are still friends, that Jackie and Preston are still together and that Eliza and Miles are still not talking. Epilogues, I think, shouldn’t be about solving all questions. They should solve an important one (by show-don’t-tell; not just literally writing it down) and the rest should remain for the reader’s mind.
I also felt like the psych ward-part didn’t really fit well into the story for some reason. Not saying he should/could have left it out, but for some reason it felt like it was too much to add to the story.
Most important, and final thing I didn’t really like was the plot. Or well, it was just that it didn’t surprise me unfortunately.
So why four stars after this bunch of did-not-likes? Because they weren’t major annoyances. I was (kind of) able to look past them and see the good things of the novel, mainly the great story line. The novel is still interesting and insightful. I still felt sorry for Miles. I still liked the book and would recommend it. I just think the novel could’ve been even better.
So please don’t hesitate to read this book because of the negative things I mentioned, because it’s good! But to me it just didn’t top the outstandingness of Made You Up.
This book reads very easily - I finished it in an evening and a morning - and also I really wanted to keep reading to know what would happen next. I think that’s a very important quality for a book to have.
Also, in general I liked the storyline. I liked how it wasn’t only about Miles, but also about his relation with his friends and his family (not in a problematical way, just in a showing-that-the-mentally-ill-still-care-about-others way. I also liked that sometimes Miles is afraid that he’s hallucinating while the things he sees/hears turn out to be real
I really had to get used to the writing style, though, because the story has been written in a very informal way.
Also, I didn’t like the outcome of Miles’ relationship with Eliza.
I didn’t like the epilogue either. I think it should add something to the story but it only let us know that Miles and Jackie are still friends, that Jackie and Preston are still together and that Eliza and Miles are still not talking. Epilogues, I think, shouldn’t be about solving all questions. They should solve an important one (by show-don’t-tell; not just literally writing it down) and the rest should remain for the reader’s mind.
I also felt like the psych ward-part didn’t really fit well into the story for some reason. Not saying he should/could have left it out, but for some reason it felt like it was too much to add to the story.
Most important, and final thing I didn’t really like was the plot. Or well, it was just that it didn’t surprise me unfortunately.
So why four stars after this bunch of did-not-likes? Because they weren’t major annoyances. I was (kind of) able to look past them and see the good things of the novel, mainly the great story line. The novel is still interesting and insightful. I still felt sorry for Miles. I still liked the book and would recommend it. I just think the novel could’ve been even better.
So please don’t hesitate to read this book because of the negative things I mentioned, because it’s good! But to me it just didn’t top the outstandingness of Made You Up.
May 20, 2023
I am someone who is on the psychosis spectrum, and recently decided to read some popular books regarding mental illness to see if I can relate, find inspiration, and gage how people like me are portrayed in books. This book was recommended to me several times, but despite the simplistic title raising a few minor red flags, I decided to give it a chance.
I would say I want those 250 pages back, but instead, I’ll use them as an example of how NOT to write a book, much less someone with schizophrenia. First off…the prose itself reads like it was write by a child, in fact there are some children who have far more talent. Most sentences are made up about 5 or six words, lack adjectives, and any depth, introspection, or empathy. The author in dire need of a thesaurus, especially regarding the over use of the eff word. There are page and pages of more descriptive words to use when your character is feeling angry, frustrated or shocked. Supposedly the author is a columnist, but uses sentences like “The night is dark.” Picture books have more in-depth writhing than that.
Now that lack luster plot. You can predict the ending within the first ten pages. The brother is a delusion. It’s practically spelled out within a few chapters, clumsily attempts too fool the reader with ham fisted red herrings, all leading to predictable end that anyone whose read a mystery book can guess. Sure, the revelation would come as life altering shock to someone with schizophrenia,but lets talk about his portatyal of the illness.
Google the symptoms. Grab a few medication names. Throw in pot might or might not trigger it. Congratulations. You’ve done what the author did in preparation for writing this book. The character behaves like a clumsy AI of mental illness, the positive and negative symptoms are never mentioned. The depression is slapped lazily on towards the end of the book, hallucinations and voices are mentioned only as an afterthought. The delusions are presented in a stark and wooden manner, lacking any of the vivid details that would makes someone suffering from psychosis truly believe the delusion. The occasionally mentioned hallucinations feel sensationalized. The recovery is as simplistic and lifeless as the rest of the book. And lets not forgot how completely unlikable the character is. He critically judges the appearance of everyone around him, unless they are a young woman. He’s spiteful of schizophrenics that don’t have treatment handed to them on silver platters. Apparently smoking under age is the most personality he has. And he used a transphobic slur, repeatedly. Abysmal portrayal of someone with mental illness. The character feels more suited to be on the psychopathy spectrum. Maybe that’s because the author failed to give him any sort of life.
All I can say is, as someone whose been struggling some of the symptoms of this branch of mental illness, this book doesn’t represent me.
I would say I want those 250 pages back, but instead, I’ll use them as an example of how NOT to write a book, much less someone with schizophrenia. First off…the prose itself reads like it was write by a child, in fact there are some children who have far more talent. Most sentences are made up about 5 or six words, lack adjectives, and any depth, introspection, or empathy. The author in dire need of a thesaurus, especially regarding the over use of the eff word. There are page and pages of more descriptive words to use when your character is feeling angry, frustrated or shocked. Supposedly the author is a columnist, but uses sentences like “The night is dark.” Picture books have more in-depth writhing than that.
Now that lack luster plot. You can predict the ending within the first ten pages. The brother is a delusion. It’s practically spelled out within a few chapters, clumsily attempts too fool the reader with ham fisted red herrings, all leading to predictable end that anyone whose read a mystery book can guess. Sure, the revelation would come as life altering shock to someone with schizophrenia,but lets talk about his portatyal of the illness.
Google the symptoms. Grab a few medication names. Throw in pot might or might not trigger it. Congratulations. You’ve done what the author did in preparation for writing this book. The character behaves like a clumsy AI of mental illness, the positive and negative symptoms are never mentioned. The depression is slapped lazily on towards the end of the book, hallucinations and voices are mentioned only as an afterthought. The delusions are presented in a stark and wooden manner, lacking any of the vivid details that would makes someone suffering from psychosis truly believe the delusion. The occasionally mentioned hallucinations feel sensationalized. The recovery is as simplistic and lifeless as the rest of the book. And lets not forgot how completely unlikable the character is. He critically judges the appearance of everyone around him, unless they are a young woman. He’s spiteful of schizophrenics that don’t have treatment handed to them on silver platters. Apparently smoking under age is the most personality he has. And he used a transphobic slur, repeatedly. Abysmal portrayal of someone with mental illness. The character feels more suited to be on the psychopathy spectrum. Maybe that’s because the author failed to give him any sort of life.
All I can say is, as someone whose been struggling some of the symptoms of this branch of mental illness, this book doesn’t represent me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2016
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
2.5 Stars
Miles Cole is a 16 year old boy who suffers from schizophrenia. On the same day as his first psychotic episode, his little brother, Teddy, went missing from the beach. Miles decides that it's his duty to find him and bring him home so his family can stop worrying and move on.
I usually love mental illness books, so when I saw this one I instantly knew I needed to read it! Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed. I was easily able to call how the book would end and felt that there weren't any real plot twists at all that weren't predictable in some way. I also didn't like how much swearing was in the book. It seemed like in every other sentence a f-bomb was thrown in there when it really didn't need to be. I did really like reading in the perspective of someone with schizophrenia though and found the way Miles thought intriguing. It was interesting trying to decipher what was real and what was actually his disease. I found it interesting how he knew he had schizophrenia because in most books on the subject, the main character doesn't know they have this disease. I loved how caring and thoughtful Miles was as a main character. You could see how nice of a person he was when he interacted with his parents and little sister Jane. It upset me that he blamed himself for his little brother's disappearance and I like how he would go through such big hoops to try and make it right.
After reading the authors note, you discover that Nic Sheff suffers from bipolar disorder and that he hopes his books show others that life is not over once you are diagnosed. I think that is inspiring and I give him great respect for writing books on this difficult topic.
2.5 Stars
Miles Cole is a 16 year old boy who suffers from schizophrenia. On the same day as his first psychotic episode, his little brother, Teddy, went missing from the beach. Miles decides that it's his duty to find him and bring him home so his family can stop worrying and move on.
I usually love mental illness books, so when I saw this one I instantly knew I needed to read it! Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed. I was easily able to call how the book would end and felt that there weren't any real plot twists at all that weren't predictable in some way. I also didn't like how much swearing was in the book. It seemed like in every other sentence a f-bomb was thrown in there when it really didn't need to be. I did really like reading in the perspective of someone with schizophrenia though and found the way Miles thought intriguing. It was interesting trying to decipher what was real and what was actually his disease. I found it interesting how he knew he had schizophrenia because in most books on the subject, the main character doesn't know they have this disease. I loved how caring and thoughtful Miles was as a main character. You could see how nice of a person he was when he interacted with his parents and little sister Jane. It upset me that he blamed himself for his little brother's disappearance and I like how he would go through such big hoops to try and make it right.
After reading the authors note, you discover that Nic Sheff suffers from bipolar disorder and that he hopes his books show others that life is not over once you are diagnosed. I think that is inspiring and I give him great respect for writing books on this difficult topic.
January 8, 2020
3.5 stars
so where to begin?
well being a person with multiple mental disorders (3 to be exact), I can say that I loved this book on the healing process. I think it was great and 100% accurate IMO. It was great in the beginning, then it went down hill for me in the middle, and the ending was a tear jerker because I know this struggle personally. Overall good read.
My favorite quotes
1. "Well, that's because you're a nice person. But you gotta stop it. Stop being so nice"- Wanika (intense name I kept changing it to Wonka in my head fyi)
boy haven't I heard that one too often!
2."And I am going home."- Miles
I know exactly how it feels to have only one day left in the psych ward for treatment. Finally realizing you're going back home is one of the most amazing feelings ever. If you have a home to go to I should say.
3. "And I have hope. Real .... Hope. That I can have a normal life. And do all the things that normal people do. If I just hold on. And I don't let go"-Miles
that quote speaks for itself.
** sorry if there is any typos its 1 am haha
Stay strong and keep smiling lovelys <3
so where to begin?
well being a person with multiple mental disorders (3 to be exact), I can say that I loved this book on the healing process. I think it was great and 100% accurate IMO. It was great in the beginning, then it went down hill for me in the middle, and the ending was a tear jerker because I know this struggle personally. Overall good read.
My favorite quotes
1. "Well, that's because you're a nice person. But you gotta stop it. Stop being so nice"- Wanika (intense name I kept changing it to Wonka in my head fyi)
boy haven't I heard that one too often!
2."And I am going home."- Miles
I know exactly how it feels to have only one day left in the psych ward for treatment. Finally realizing you're going back home is one of the most amazing feelings ever. If you have a home to go to I should say.
3. "And I have hope. Real .... Hope. That I can have a normal life. And do all the things that normal people do. If I just hold on. And I don't let go"-Miles
that quote speaks for itself.
** sorry if there is any typos its 1 am haha
Stay strong and keep smiling lovelys <3
April 13, 2015
Although some parts of the book were not too interesting, they all led towards Miles, the main character, getting the help he needed. There is a trigger in this book for suicide. I enjoyed this book because it shows how Miles conquers his mental illness. He manages to be okay in the end. In the about the author section, the sentence "mental illness is not a death sentence" is what many people need to hear, especially me. The story could have been better, but overall, I really liked it. If you deal with a mental illness, I would recommend reading this just to show that things can get better. It doesn't get better immediately, but with help and a support group, it can get better.
November 15, 2014
This isn't a bad book - don't let my rating sway you. Give it a try
I only rate it with the low stars because I thought it would be more intense and more psychological. I thought I would be confused about what was real and what was the illness.
But this really is a great introduction book to Schizophrenia. It gives you an intense idea of some of the confusion and frustration but also why someone might stop taking their pills. It gives a look into the mind frame and the trial and error of the medication.
If you are intrigued, be sure it give it a try. it just wasn't my kind of book.
I only rate it with the low stars because I thought it would be more intense and more psychological. I thought I would be confused about what was real and what was the illness.
But this really is a great introduction book to Schizophrenia. It gives you an intense idea of some of the confusion and frustration but also why someone might stop taking their pills. It gives a look into the mind frame and the trial and error of the medication.
If you are intrigued, be sure it give it a try. it just wasn't my kind of book.
June 10, 2015
Great book! Definitely opened my eyes to how difficult it must be to have schizophrenia and still try to maintain a normal life.
January 16, 2024
3.75.
this was a really really good representation of schizophrenia.
this was a really really good representation of schizophrenia.
July 15, 2019
*4.25
I absolutely flew through this one. Not only did I read it in less than 24 hours, but I also read way more at a time than it felt because of how quick of a read it was. Overall, the book was good and enjoyable but I can’t say it was anything amazing. Definitely glad I finally read it though.
One of the big criticisms I’m seeing from other readers is that they expected to be more confused on what is real and what isn’t because of the disorder and the blurbs, and I definitely can agree with that.
I absolutely flew through this one. Not only did I read it in less than 24 hours, but I also read way more at a time than it felt because of how quick of a read it was. Overall, the book was good and enjoyable but I can’t say it was anything amazing. Definitely glad I finally read it though.
One of the big criticisms I’m seeing from other readers is that they expected to be more confused on what is real and what isn’t because of the disorder and the blurbs, and I definitely can agree with that.
February 28, 2021
Totally forgot I read this book. Pls all read. So so good.
February 3, 2025
Well, damn.
December 12, 2024
This 17 year old is a chain smoker. Otherwise alright.
September 4, 2022
maybe there's no need to swear every 2 sentences but the twist!!! the twistiest of all twists
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