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Bleeding Souls
In an unsentimental, raw portrait of depression, self-mutilation, and suicide, L. B. Blake dives into the fractured, self-loathing mind of Kay Hathaway, a bright, young college student and aspiring writer. Kay does everything she’s supposed to do—she gets good grades, holds down a part-time job, and has friends, even a boyfriend. Yet she secretly makes herself bleed just to survive the day. Kay is a cutter.
But lies and long sleeves can only keep her secret for so long . . .
But lies and long sleeves can only keep her secret for so long . . .
- GenresMental HealthFiction
244 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 24, 2014
4 people are currently reading
358 people want to read
About the author
L.B. Blake
1 bookL.B. Blake is a recovering cutter. She lives in Michigan with her husband, daughter, and two dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 19, 2016
Normally, I don't like writing reviews on my phone. I'm making an exception here. I could have forgiven this novel the problems a good copy editor should have fixed-- verb subject agreement, verb tenses, and a couple other grammar errors littered throughout if the novel hadn't been so painful.
Not the subject matter but the portrayal. Killing the heroine at the end isn't what is required to make a novel and unflinching look at self harm and mental illness. In fact, the caricature nature of the character makes it difficult to believe she'll be anything but dead by the end.
Kay is flat. She's almost entirely made up of destructive behaviors and failed relationships with no other characteristics, the italics that start each chapter are confusing, and the book didn't have to be written by a recovering cutter because there is nothing so gritty in the story that couldn't have come out of a case study.
Worse than that the flatness was the use of time jumps. Moving through some of Kay's most emotional moments with a jump forward in time diminishes the emotional impact of her discoveries. Furthermore, her moments of emotional growth or emotional stability all happen "off screen" so to speak. Blake has purposefully created and isolated a character with no support network and no desire to create a support network. Character growth from the start of the novel to the end is minimal. Though her character experiences life changing events, they seem to have no effect on the character at a base level. The trajectory which is set within the first fifteen or so pages remains unchanged throughout the novel.
I understand this book as a purge of feelings from the author but not as an attempt to impart some understanding of the concepts and motivations behind self harm. It creates such a narrow definition of what may motivate self-harm, failing to link it to many mental illnesses it shares co-morbidity with, that it presents a very traditional idea of what causes self-harming behaviours. It may resonate with some, but will fall flat with many others based on the lack of facets.
Beyond all of that, Blake's portrayal of talk therapy and medication is both narrow and outdated. For those suffering from self-harming behaviours, this book paints a picture which is reductive to who they are and detrimental. That's not to say that it's not a distorted form of thinking found in mental illness, but the fact that none of the characters not struggling with mental illness do not challenge these thought patterns is unforgivable.
Not the subject matter but the portrayal. Killing the heroine at the end isn't what is required to make a novel and unflinching look at self harm and mental illness. In fact, the caricature nature of the character makes it difficult to believe she'll be anything but dead by the end.
Kay is flat. She's almost entirely made up of destructive behaviors and failed relationships with no other characteristics, the italics that start each chapter are confusing, and the book didn't have to be written by a recovering cutter because there is nothing so gritty in the story that couldn't have come out of a case study.
Worse than that the flatness was the use of time jumps. Moving through some of Kay's most emotional moments with a jump forward in time diminishes the emotional impact of her discoveries. Furthermore, her moments of emotional growth or emotional stability all happen "off screen" so to speak. Blake has purposefully created and isolated a character with no support network and no desire to create a support network. Character growth from the start of the novel to the end is minimal. Though her character experiences life changing events, they seem to have no effect on the character at a base level. The trajectory which is set within the first fifteen or so pages remains unchanged throughout the novel.
I understand this book as a purge of feelings from the author but not as an attempt to impart some understanding of the concepts and motivations behind self harm. It creates such a narrow definition of what may motivate self-harm, failing to link it to many mental illnesses it shares co-morbidity with, that it presents a very traditional idea of what causes self-harming behaviours. It may resonate with some, but will fall flat with many others based on the lack of facets.
Beyond all of that, Blake's portrayal of talk therapy and medication is both narrow and outdated. For those suffering from self-harming behaviours, this book paints a picture which is reductive to who they are and detrimental. That's not to say that it's not a distorted form of thinking found in mental illness, but the fact that none of the characters not struggling with mental illness do not challenge these thought patterns is unforgivable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2015
I thought this was a fantastic book. It almost hurts me how accurate this book is. There are people that absolutely hate themselves. This is a simple truth that can be, at times, hard to accept. We don't know why we hate ourselves. There never seems to be a clear cut reason. Therapy never seems to help and those people are left with nothing. No one around them ever seems to help. These people use a variety of different means to cope, one of those things being cutting.
It's hard to find anyone anywhere that accepts cutting. What would people prefer for us to do? I certainly don't have the money to drink myself into a stupor every time my self-loath consumes me. I agree with Blake's Kay so much. Its her fucking body, leave her alone. Cutting helps her function.
As a cutter myself, I read this book hoping to find answers to my own self-hatred. As I went along, I hoped Blake would provide some insight that would make me like myself just a little more. I did not find any such solace in this book.
Do not read this book if you may be considering suicide. It convinced me that there is no way to escape one's own self-hatred. This is the first and only book that I have cried after finishing. There is no out for me and I have to learn to accept that. Here's to 60+ years of pain.
Thank you, Blake, for helping me to give up any chance of getting better.
It's hard to find anyone anywhere that accepts cutting. What would people prefer for us to do? I certainly don't have the money to drink myself into a stupor every time my self-loath consumes me. I agree with Blake's Kay so much. Its her fucking body, leave her alone. Cutting helps her function.
As a cutter myself, I read this book hoping to find answers to my own self-hatred. As I went along, I hoped Blake would provide some insight that would make me like myself just a little more. I did not find any such solace in this book.
Do not read this book if you may be considering suicide. It convinced me that there is no way to escape one's own self-hatred. This is the first and only book that I have cried after finishing. There is no out for me and I have to learn to accept that. Here's to 60+ years of pain.
Thank you, Blake, for helping me to give up any chance of getting better.
January 15, 2015
Okay. This book. I read it a while ago on my kindle & out of all the books I have on it, this is the one I keep going back to. I can't fully explain my thoughts about it, as I'm still struggling to get over it. I can (sadly) relate to it, and yes there are many many triggers, so if you have depression or suffer from self harm, please be aware. It was hard for me to push forward & read it, but I'm extremely proud of myself for it. You may all think you know what will be the contents of the book, but you honestly have no idea. It is such a roller coaster of emotions.
As hard as it was for me to get through it, you have to force yourself to read it, just for the ending & the lead up to it. I know what it's like, & yes I'm talking from experience but it still made me think about how I am & what I do & it has helped me out a little.
Enough about me, the book is what is important. Please read it, yes it's an insight to depression & self harm, but it's about time people understood what can be behind a smile & long sleeves. Give it a chance.
As hard as it was for me to get through it, you have to force yourself to read it, just for the ending & the lead up to it. I know what it's like, & yes I'm talking from experience but it still made me think about how I am & what I do & it has helped me out a little.
Enough about me, the book is what is important. Please read it, yes it's an insight to depression & self harm, but it's about time people understood what can be behind a smile & long sleeves. Give it a chance.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews