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The Museum of Us
An intoxicating debut novel that will leave you questioning what is real and why we escape into fantasy, perfect for fans of Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer and Falling into Place by Amy Zhang.Secrets are con they trick you into letting them out. Sadie loves her rocker boyfriend Henry and her running partner and best friend Lucie, but no one can measure up to her truest love and hero, the dazzling and passionate George. George, her secret. When something goes wrong and Sadie is taken to the hospital calling out for George, her hidden life may be exposed. Now she must confront the truth of the past, and protect a world she is terrified to lose."A teen learns to use her rich interior world to fight trauma, but is this the only way out? This honest, heartfelt tale is deep and mysterious as imagination itself." --Judy Blundell, author of What I Saw and How I Lied and Strings Attached"You'll inhale as you skid into the first chapter and only exhale as you cling to the last. A beautiful book about longing and loss . . . and what is real." --Teresa Toten, author of The Hero of Room 13B, winner of the Governor General Award, and Beware That Girl
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 26, 2018
32 people are currently reading
1718 people want to read
About the author
Tara Wilson Redd
2 books48 followersTara Wilson Redd, a graduate of Reed College, grew up all over the United States, including in St. Louis, Seattle, and Central Oregon. An impenitent dilettante, she is interested in everything, but especially language, travel, and animals. When she is home from her adventures, she lives in Washington, DC where she works in libraries.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
May 13, 2018
We all daydream. We all get caught up in an imaginary “us,” the one who has wonderful adventures, is the side of us no one knows and we aren’t always alone. We may have a partner in our daydreams, someone who makes us brave, sees the best in us and pushes us to new heights. What happens when the lines between fantasy and reality get blurred just a little too much? What happens when we would rather go to our “happy place” rather than face reality?
THE MUSEUM OF US by Tara Wilson Redd is the story of Sadie, and we meet her after a tragic accident has her hospitalized and calling out for her imaginary friend, George and now the very depths of her soul will be exposed and it is terrifying.
As each brittle page is turned, we are witness to Sadie’s deepest fear of exposure, of having the world she goes to taken away, of being told she has “issues.” Deep within Sadie’s mind the truth is there and we can see that to tell that truth causes her to fear losing more than just herself.
Edgy, dark and tumultuous, Tara Wilson Redd’s tale is NOT a read to settle in and cozy up to. It is a tale of the mechanisms we use to cope when we cannot accept or understand life. Prepare to be uncomfortable or unsure in the beginning, but as Sadie begins to sharpen those blurred lines, you will NEED to know the rest of the story. Sadie is truly a mess, yet as we see things from her perspective, we can see that the “help” she is receiving is hitting a brick wall or falling short of finding the key to unlock Sadie’s mind. We will see, along with Sadie that only she has the key.
This isn’t an easy read, but when all layers have been torn back, it will tear at your heart, for both Sadie and her imaginary friend George.
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Random House Children's Books!
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books (June 26, 2018)
Publication Date: June 26, 2018
Genre: YA Social Issues
Print Length: 288 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
THE MUSEUM OF US by Tara Wilson Redd is the story of Sadie, and we meet her after a tragic accident has her hospitalized and calling out for her imaginary friend, George and now the very depths of her soul will be exposed and it is terrifying.
As each brittle page is turned, we are witness to Sadie’s deepest fear of exposure, of having the world she goes to taken away, of being told she has “issues.” Deep within Sadie’s mind the truth is there and we can see that to tell that truth causes her to fear losing more than just herself.
Edgy, dark and tumultuous, Tara Wilson Redd’s tale is NOT a read to settle in and cozy up to. It is a tale of the mechanisms we use to cope when we cannot accept or understand life. Prepare to be uncomfortable or unsure in the beginning, but as Sadie begins to sharpen those blurred lines, you will NEED to know the rest of the story. Sadie is truly a mess, yet as we see things from her perspective, we can see that the “help” she is receiving is hitting a brick wall or falling short of finding the key to unlock Sadie’s mind. We will see, along with Sadie that only she has the key.
This isn’t an easy read, but when all layers have been torn back, it will tear at your heart, for both Sadie and her imaginary friend George.
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Random House Children's Books!
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books (June 26, 2018)
Publication Date: June 26, 2018
Genre: YA Social Issues
Print Length: 288 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
March 26, 2018
I received an ARC copy of The Museum of Us by Tara Wilson Redd in exchange for an honest review. Thanks goes to NetGalley, as well as Random House/Wendy Lamb Books for this advanced copy which is expected to be released on June 26, 2018.
Sometimes, well, often I find myself sitting at my kitchen table, walking down the street, laying in bed, riding in an airplane without really being “there.” I slip away from reality for moments on end, dreaming about far off places, worlds, and possibilities. I get a sort of idea in my head and just like that become obsessed with dreaming it to life. A lot of my time is spent in these fantasies that it is very easy for me to lose my grasp of reality. That being said, The Museum of Us by Tara Wilson Redd is a book that instantly speaks to dreamers like me. It is a spell binding story of the dangers of becoming so absorbed in the world of fiction that life outside of it appears almost meaningless by comparison.
Sadie is caught between two worlds. There is the real world where she has supportive parents from whom Sadie falls in love with old vinyl records and vintage cars. She is one of the stars of her high school’s cross country team,where she meets her best friend Lucie. She has a punk rocker boyfriend Henry whose love for Sadie is boundless.
And then there is Sadie’s world. Not her parents, Lucie, nor Henry can compare to this made up universe where Sadie can be a spy,own a wand and have soaring adventures. But most importantly, George is in this world. With George, Sadie is free to be anyone she wants. Together, they smoke cigarettes in Parisian streets and sneak into forbidden libraries. There memories make up an entire museum that no one else can see. All of Sadie’s fantasies and all the worlds she have ever traversed in books come to life in her head with George, her secret. Sadie knows and can readily admit to herself that George is not real. However, when she is alone he somehow comes to life in her head. Sadie has real conversations with him, has real feelings for him and can touch him just like a real person. Everything is real for Sadie, but at the same time isn’t. George makes Sadie feel real, happier than her family, friends and boyfriend can which is why even in their presence, Sadie is lost somewhere else in her imagination with George.
Both of Sadie’s worlds come crashing down on her one day when she crashes into a tree on the highway, having been lost in the world inside her head with George. She wakes up in a hospital room to a broken leg and the end of George’s existence just beginning. No one knows about Sadie’s world with George but are all coming dangerously close. Unconscious, Sadie had been calling out for George the minutes following the accident and must explain this “George” that no one knows of to Dr. Roberts who believes that Sadie’s crash was a suicide attempt. Not yet willing to let go of her other world Sadie spends the next several days in a mental hospital.
During the span of two weeks Sadie alternates back and forth between her two universes. There are several flashbacks to important moments in Sadie’s life including the first car crash she was in with her parents. This memory continues to haunt Sadie as she believes the death of the other driver falls on her shoulders, having distracted her father from the road. Through these flashbacks the reader learns much about Sadie’s character. Ever since she was young she was always seen as the special, or more, strange girl. She spent most of her time alone on the playground acting out scenes going on in her imagination, causing teachers and even her parents to worry about her and thus seek out help. As Sadie grows older, she learns to protect and mask her other world, out of fear it may be taken away from her.
In the hospital Sadie is in danger of losing her made up world and finds herself oscillating back and forth between her life with George and her life in the real world. She is given a spiral green notebook with simple, yet impossible instructions: write a true story. Between these pages Sadie must fight a battle against her mind and choose an unreachable world of wonder and that which wants to take it away.
The writing style is timeless. It’s riveting with evocative descriptions which are sure to appeal to readers. The Museum of Us paints a flawless portrait to show the possibilities and also the dangers of losing oneself in imagination, a very common habit amongst readers. While many readers have had mixed feelings of Redd’s treatment of mental illness – depression and suicide – , I found it to be delicate and insightful. This theme overlays the entire novel but not to the point that it takes away from the beauty of the plot and the relatable quality of the protagonist Sadie. It wasn’t so much mental illness that was really a major subject of discussion in the book but rather Sadie’s journey from realizing her illness to taking it upon herself to find her way out of the dangers of her own mind. Though the conclusion was a bit disappointing and felt rather rushed, I admired Sadie’s strength and determination to let go of and entire world that up till the end, was holding her back from living amongst the real.
Sadie’s struggle is real. Her journey in the hospital takes her back as she is forced to face her childhood traumas and make sense of her world and everything around her. She must accept reality and walk away from threats to her relationships with her family, friends and even herself. This is something I really admired about Redd’s treatment of Sadie’s illness. She was not pushed, put under painful operations or influenced in any way from others. Alone, Sadie battles her illness and though she relapses and must overcome several obstacles, manages to save herself, without much outside help. I think this represents an example to many that change is possible and not everything has to be how it always was. Every reader, in one way or another can connect with this book in the sense that we all have demons that we defeat and walk away from in our own race. There is no one way, no special pill, no cheery support group, no magical crystal ball and definitely no such judgmental clock guiding our lives or leading us away from danger. In the end, we are all in it alone and it is where we choose to be and who we choose to become from here that makes us the writers of our own stories.
Sometimes, well, often I find myself sitting at my kitchen table, walking down the street, laying in bed, riding in an airplane without really being “there.” I slip away from reality for moments on end, dreaming about far off places, worlds, and possibilities. I get a sort of idea in my head and just like that become obsessed with dreaming it to life. A lot of my time is spent in these fantasies that it is very easy for me to lose my grasp of reality. That being said, The Museum of Us by Tara Wilson Redd is a book that instantly speaks to dreamers like me. It is a spell binding story of the dangers of becoming so absorbed in the world of fiction that life outside of it appears almost meaningless by comparison.
Sadie is caught between two worlds. There is the real world where she has supportive parents from whom Sadie falls in love with old vinyl records and vintage cars. She is one of the stars of her high school’s cross country team,where she meets her best friend Lucie. She has a punk rocker boyfriend Henry whose love for Sadie is boundless.
And then there is Sadie’s world. Not her parents, Lucie, nor Henry can compare to this made up universe where Sadie can be a spy,own a wand and have soaring adventures. But most importantly, George is in this world. With George, Sadie is free to be anyone she wants. Together, they smoke cigarettes in Parisian streets and sneak into forbidden libraries. There memories make up an entire museum that no one else can see. All of Sadie’s fantasies and all the worlds she have ever traversed in books come to life in her head with George, her secret. Sadie knows and can readily admit to herself that George is not real. However, when she is alone he somehow comes to life in her head. Sadie has real conversations with him, has real feelings for him and can touch him just like a real person. Everything is real for Sadie, but at the same time isn’t. George makes Sadie feel real, happier than her family, friends and boyfriend can which is why even in their presence, Sadie is lost somewhere else in her imagination with George.
Both of Sadie’s worlds come crashing down on her one day when she crashes into a tree on the highway, having been lost in the world inside her head with George. She wakes up in a hospital room to a broken leg and the end of George’s existence just beginning. No one knows about Sadie’s world with George but are all coming dangerously close. Unconscious, Sadie had been calling out for George the minutes following the accident and must explain this “George” that no one knows of to Dr. Roberts who believes that Sadie’s crash was a suicide attempt. Not yet willing to let go of her other world Sadie spends the next several days in a mental hospital.
During the span of two weeks Sadie alternates back and forth between her two universes. There are several flashbacks to important moments in Sadie’s life including the first car crash she was in with her parents. This memory continues to haunt Sadie as she believes the death of the other driver falls on her shoulders, having distracted her father from the road. Through these flashbacks the reader learns much about Sadie’s character. Ever since she was young she was always seen as the special, or more, strange girl. She spent most of her time alone on the playground acting out scenes going on in her imagination, causing teachers and even her parents to worry about her and thus seek out help. As Sadie grows older, she learns to protect and mask her other world, out of fear it may be taken away from her.
In the hospital Sadie is in danger of losing her made up world and finds herself oscillating back and forth between her life with George and her life in the real world. She is given a spiral green notebook with simple, yet impossible instructions: write a true story. Between these pages Sadie must fight a battle against her mind and choose an unreachable world of wonder and that which wants to take it away.
The writing style is timeless. It’s riveting with evocative descriptions which are sure to appeal to readers. The Museum of Us paints a flawless portrait to show the possibilities and also the dangers of losing oneself in imagination, a very common habit amongst readers. While many readers have had mixed feelings of Redd’s treatment of mental illness – depression and suicide – , I found it to be delicate and insightful. This theme overlays the entire novel but not to the point that it takes away from the beauty of the plot and the relatable quality of the protagonist Sadie. It wasn’t so much mental illness that was really a major subject of discussion in the book but rather Sadie’s journey from realizing her illness to taking it upon herself to find her way out of the dangers of her own mind. Though the conclusion was a bit disappointing and felt rather rushed, I admired Sadie’s strength and determination to let go of and entire world that up till the end, was holding her back from living amongst the real.
Sadie’s struggle is real. Her journey in the hospital takes her back as she is forced to face her childhood traumas and make sense of her world and everything around her. She must accept reality and walk away from threats to her relationships with her family, friends and even herself. This is something I really admired about Redd’s treatment of Sadie’s illness. She was not pushed, put under painful operations or influenced in any way from others. Alone, Sadie battles her illness and though she relapses and must overcome several obstacles, manages to save herself, without much outside help. I think this represents an example to many that change is possible and not everything has to be how it always was. Every reader, in one way or another can connect with this book in the sense that we all have demons that we defeat and walk away from in our own race. There is no one way, no special pill, no cheery support group, no magical crystal ball and definitely no such judgmental clock guiding our lives or leading us away from danger. In the end, we are all in it alone and it is where we choose to be and who we choose to become from here that makes us the writers of our own stories.
March 17, 2018
“I never could resist an unread book.
You know when you read the back cover of a book and get so into it, because the idea of the story is so awesome? And even before you’ve read it, you’re super-excited just to get to spend time in that world with those people?”
This book had a very misleading synopsis but was such a beautifully written book.
Sadie has a supportive family, a best friend, and a loving boyfriend. She also has a secret life, one of magic and mystery and adventure, and George.
Sadie gets into a car accident and has to spend days in a hospital, and then a psychiatric ward. She has to face the truth - what is real?
I cannot praise the writing of the book enough. It is beautifully written and extremely insightful.
This book deals with mental health issues in a very sensitive way. Sadie has had trauma and uses fantasy as an escape from depression. I loved how supportive her friends and family were. I loved the attitude of the book and mental illness, that it’s ok to ask for help.
“Everyone runs their own race, but we are stronger when we run that race together.”
This book will appeal to a lot of readers. I think that a lot of avid readers will see bits of themselves in Sadie, of getting lost in a story.
“That’s the magic of fiction; that something can be more true than truth.”
You know when you read the back cover of a book and get so into it, because the idea of the story is so awesome? And even before you’ve read it, you’re super-excited just to get to spend time in that world with those people?”
This book had a very misleading synopsis but was such a beautifully written book.
Sadie has a supportive family, a best friend, and a loving boyfriend. She also has a secret life, one of magic and mystery and adventure, and George.
Sadie gets into a car accident and has to spend days in a hospital, and then a psychiatric ward. She has to face the truth - what is real?
I cannot praise the writing of the book enough. It is beautifully written and extremely insightful.
This book deals with mental health issues in a very sensitive way. Sadie has had trauma and uses fantasy as an escape from depression. I loved how supportive her friends and family were. I loved the attitude of the book and mental illness, that it’s ok to ask for help.
“Everyone runs their own race, but we are stronger when we run that race together.”
This book will appeal to a lot of readers. I think that a lot of avid readers will see bits of themselves in Sadie, of getting lost in a story.
“That’s the magic of fiction; that something can be more true than truth.”
October 9, 2018
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Sadie and George have been on amazing adventures, and he was always there for her when she needed him. However, George was not real. He only existed in her imagination, and Sadie was struggling more and more with being present in the real world and escaping it with George.
After a car accident landed her in the hospital, Sadie was forced to confront her issues, and had to choose between George and living in the real world.
This was a really interesting exploration of mental health. Though Redd never comes out with an official diagnosis, I was well aware that Sadie was dealing with some form of mental illness. That was part of the mystery in this book, which was never fully revealed, but I was also curious about the root cause of Sadie's behavior.
Redd alternates between past and present, real world and Sadie's imaginary world, as she slowly reveals the point where George first manifested and why. The whole process was sometimes odd, but oddly interesting, and I found myself wanting to know more and more with every page, because it was obvious something was off with Sadie. Every important person in her life seemed to know there was something wrong, but Sadie constantly evaded their probing, and worked harder to keep that part of herself hidden.
This was a beautifully written and honest portrayal of one woman's struggle with trauma from her past and the choice to move forward and heal or keep it hidden away forever.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
Sadie and George have been on amazing adventures, and he was always there for her when she needed him. However, George was not real. He only existed in her imagination, and Sadie was struggling more and more with being present in the real world and escaping it with George.
After a car accident landed her in the hospital, Sadie was forced to confront her issues, and had to choose between George and living in the real world.
This was a really interesting exploration of mental health. Though Redd never comes out with an official diagnosis, I was well aware that Sadie was dealing with some form of mental illness. That was part of the mystery in this book, which was never fully revealed, but I was also curious about the root cause of Sadie's behavior.
Redd alternates between past and present, real world and Sadie's imaginary world, as she slowly reveals the point where George first manifested and why. The whole process was sometimes odd, but oddly interesting, and I found myself wanting to know more and more with every page, because it was obvious something was off with Sadie. Every important person in her life seemed to know there was something wrong, but Sadie constantly evaded their probing, and worked harder to keep that part of herself hidden.
This was a beautifully written and honest portrayal of one woman's struggle with trauma from her past and the choice to move forward and heal or keep it hidden away forever.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
September 1, 2018
This book struck a chord with me and I soon realized that its premise was similar to Made you up, but in a higher level. After a long time finding a book that tugged at my heartstrings like All the bright places, I had an instinct that it was up my alley. The Museum of us is so raw, appealing and emotionally touching. I love everything about it: the cover, the simple-but-poignant premise.
This story is about Sadie - who is caught up between 2 worlds. In this daydreaming world , she has lived through countless adventures around the world, in different times and alternate universes. George keeps her company in those escapades and she wants to protect and keep secret about him at all costs. By contrast, in the real world, no one can compare with her made up universe and George because they're so real and beautiful. Their adventures are vivid and intersting. After a car accident, her situation deteriorates and she has to made a decision of abandoning him or letting herself get lost in this.
IT's a tough decision, of course. I can see her pain and her struggle to get rid of her made-up friend. If I were in her shoes, I'm not sure that I would come to a brave decision like her. It's said that 2 weeks is too short to wrap things up, but I don't think so. The writing makes me have an impression that the time is so long.
This story is about Sadie - who is caught up between 2 worlds. In this daydreaming world , she has lived through countless adventures around the world, in different times and alternate universes. George keeps her company in those escapades and she wants to protect and keep secret about him at all costs. By contrast, in the real world, no one can compare with her made up universe and George because they're so real and beautiful. Their adventures are vivid and intersting. After a car accident, her situation deteriorates and she has to made a decision of abandoning him or letting herself get lost in this.
IT's a tough decision, of course. I can see her pain and her struggle to get rid of her made-up friend. If I were in her shoes, I'm not sure that I would come to a brave decision like her. It's said that 2 weeks is too short to wrap things up, but I don't think so. The writing makes me have an impression that the time is so long.
August 28, 2023
*Thanks to NetGalley for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review!*
Actual Rating: 1.5
Trigger Warning: Mental Illness, Cutting
This was definitely not what I expected from the blurb. The synopsis for the The Museum of Us follows Sadie, who is living the good life with her boyfriend Henry and her best friend Lucie. When Sadie gets into a car crash, she is sent to the hospital as she cries out for George. George, her hero, her prince, her secret. One other thing - George isn't real.
I had no idea that this story was about mental illness when I started reading it. And honestly The Museum of Us surprised me, because I could relate so much to Sadie. I too have created worlds and adventures in my mind, imagined myself as a tragic hero in order to escape from the harsh realities of the world. I too often lose myself in daydreams, and yes, I start talking to myself aloud, gesturing, and walking about. BUT ENOUGH ABOUT ME.
That was about it when it came to relating to Sadie. To be honest, I couldn't really connect with her trains of thought of actions, and sometimes it was even a little irritating. I felt like I lacked understanding about Lucie and Henry as well, and even George. The only character that was truly fleshed out was Sadie, and everyone there was simply "there."
The writing style was not exactly my cup of tea either. I personally am a fan of figurative language and visual imagery, but the writing style was a little more straightforward and simple. The chapters bounce back and forth between times and between reality and imagination, so it can get a little confusing, but the chapter titles do help, not to mention that they're Harry Potter references!
Actual Rating: 1.5
Trigger Warning: Mental Illness, Cutting
This was definitely not what I expected from the blurb. The synopsis for the The Museum of Us follows Sadie, who is living the good life with her boyfriend Henry and her best friend Lucie. When Sadie gets into a car crash, she is sent to the hospital as she cries out for George. George, her hero, her prince, her secret. One other thing - George isn't real.
I had no idea that this story was about mental illness when I started reading it. And honestly The Museum of Us surprised me, because I could relate so much to Sadie. I too have created worlds and adventures in my mind, imagined myself as a tragic hero in order to escape from the harsh realities of the world. I too often lose myself in daydreams, and yes, I start talking to myself aloud, gesturing, and walking about. BUT ENOUGH ABOUT ME.
That was about it when it came to relating to Sadie. To be honest, I couldn't really connect with her trains of thought of actions, and sometimes it was even a little irritating. I felt like I lacked understanding about Lucie and Henry as well, and even George. The only character that was truly fleshed out was Sadie, and everyone there was simply "there."
The writing style was not exactly my cup of tea either. I personally am a fan of figurative language and visual imagery, but the writing style was a little more straightforward and simple. The chapters bounce back and forth between times and between reality and imagination, so it can get a little confusing, but the chapter titles do help, not to mention that they're Harry Potter references!
July 2, 2018
1 STAR
As a child psychologist, I am not a fan of books that don’t portray mental illness realistically.
George is Sadie’s hallucination. Readers know he’s not real early on in the book. Sadie knows he’s not real, but she goes in and out of the delusion he is. Because of her psychosis, Sadie can’t be seen as a reliable narrator. Some of the chapters were her limited third person POV, but it’s hard to know what parts of that were delusions because much of the chapters were interactions between Sadie and George.
I hate the trope that mentally ill characters resist treatment. Sadie wants to keep her delusion, which actually can be how schizophrenics feel, their quiet minds are more troubling than the voices. Hallucinations aren’t as organized as Sadie’s, but her zoning out is accurate. Voices often tell sufferers to hurt themselves (rarely others), it’s the part of the individual’s psyche, not an actual voice, it just feels real.
At the end we’re thrown a surprise that George is the guy who died in the other car of an accident she had at age eleven. The problem with this is that earlier Sadie has said she had lesser formed delusions all her life so that wouldn’t fit into the accident narrative.
Sadie spent 2 weeks in the hospital, which these days is long. The hapless psychiatrist sends Sadie home with antidepressants, not anti psychotics. Although the psychiatrist knew Sadie was delusional, it wasn’t addressed until she had one foot out the door. I understand that Sadie wasn’t ready, but she needed meds for it and should have been told why.
As a child psychologist, I am not a fan of books that don’t portray mental illness realistically.
George is Sadie’s hallucination. Readers know he’s not real early on in the book. Sadie knows he’s not real, but she goes in and out of the delusion he is. Because of her psychosis, Sadie can’t be seen as a reliable narrator. Some of the chapters were her limited third person POV, but it’s hard to know what parts of that were delusions because much of the chapters were interactions between Sadie and George.
I hate the trope that mentally ill characters resist treatment. Sadie wants to keep her delusion, which actually can be how schizophrenics feel, their quiet minds are more troubling than the voices. Hallucinations aren’t as organized as Sadie’s, but her zoning out is accurate. Voices often tell sufferers to hurt themselves (rarely others), it’s the part of the individual’s psyche, not an actual voice, it just feels real.
At the end we’re thrown a surprise that George is the guy who died in the other car of an accident she had at age eleven. The problem with this is that earlier Sadie has said she had lesser formed delusions all her life so that wouldn’t fit into the accident narrative.
Sadie spent 2 weeks in the hospital, which these days is long. The hapless psychiatrist sends Sadie home with antidepressants, not anti psychotics. Although the psychiatrist knew Sadie was delusional, it wasn’t addressed until she had one foot out the door. I understand that Sadie wasn’t ready, but she needed meds for it and should have been told why.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2017
This book is something else and I think it’s one that might stick with readers for a long time after they’ve reached the last page because throughout my entire read I couldn’t stop seeing bits of myself in our main character Sadie.
It’s so hard to even write this review because there were many moments when I was smiling at something thinking, yeah I’ve been there or I’ve totally done that, and as it progressed into more of the reality aspect and what that meant for her state of mind is where I sort of had to sit back and wonder where I was in comparison to that journey. Thankfully I never took it as far as she did, but it’s easy to see how someone with her childhood and the trauma resulting from a car accident paired with little social interaction could lead to someone burying themselves in fantasy where they get to be the hero.
I appreciated the back and forth struggle that was presented throughout the novel but I do wonder at the ending. No spoilers, but to have one character explain the long and hard journey that awaits but then end they way it did left me unsure if it was supposed to be symbolic for acceptance or an actual overall resolution but as of my own interpretation I’m hoping it’s the former.
**thank you to netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
It’s so hard to even write this review because there were many moments when I was smiling at something thinking, yeah I’ve been there or I’ve totally done that, and as it progressed into more of the reality aspect and what that meant for her state of mind is where I sort of had to sit back and wonder where I was in comparison to that journey. Thankfully I never took it as far as she did, but it’s easy to see how someone with her childhood and the trauma resulting from a car accident paired with little social interaction could lead to someone burying themselves in fantasy where they get to be the hero.
I appreciated the back and forth struggle that was presented throughout the novel but I do wonder at the ending. No spoilers, but to have one character explain the long and hard journey that awaits but then end they way it did left me unsure if it was supposed to be symbolic for acceptance or an actual overall resolution but as of my own interpretation I’m hoping it’s the former.
**thank you to netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
March 26, 2018
*I received this book for free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
I wanted to like this but something about it wasn’t clicking for me. It was a story about mental illness and meant to be heartbreaking and powerful, but for that to happen I would need to have formed an attachment to the characters, which I didn’t. I can’t even think of characteristics of each character because they all didn’t seem real or formed at all. And the ending confused me. I think it was trying to have this deep message but the wording was weird or they weren’t telling it right and all I got was confusion. It was trying too hard.
I wanted to like this but something about it wasn’t clicking for me. It was a story about mental illness and meant to be heartbreaking and powerful, but for that to happen I would need to have formed an attachment to the characters, which I didn’t. I can’t even think of characteristics of each character because they all didn’t seem real or formed at all. And the ending confused me. I think it was trying to have this deep message but the wording was weird or they weren’t telling it right and all I got was confusion. It was trying too hard.
January 10, 2018
**an ARC was provided to me by Net Galley for review purposes**
I found this book to be a little confusing. Mostly, because the synopsis paints a completely different picture then what the book is actually about. Maybe that's what the publisher was going for, but I was expecting a completely different book. I thought that the writing was beautiful and that the plot was quite unique. It was interesting to go into this book not knowing exactly what is going on, which I think is the ideal way to approach this book. I just wish that the synopsis was a little less vague.
**synopsis below. stop reading here if you don't want to know the plot.**
The plot revolves around Sadie who is constantly losing herself in daydreams. She has an imaginary friend named George whom she goes on adventures with. After a car crash she is between consciousness and she is calling out George's name. She is committed to a psych ward when she refuses to talk about who George is and why she is calling out his name.
My main gripe with this book, besides the extremely vague synopsis, is that at one point Sadie makes a comment about not belonging in a psych ward and that only crazy people belong in psych wards. I don't remember that exact line, but it was something along those lines. Throughout the book Sadie perpetuates the idea that people with mental health problems are crazy and unstable, which is not true. Perpetuating that kind of idea in a book that is marketed towards a teen and young adult audience is not ideal. Eventually Sadie does come to terms with her mental health issues, however, at no point does she clarify or amend her previous sentiment. I would be a lot more eager to recommend this book to people if Sadie had a change of heart or if she retracted her statements. Overall, this book just gave me mixed feelings.
I found this book to be a little confusing. Mostly, because the synopsis paints a completely different picture then what the book is actually about. Maybe that's what the publisher was going for, but I was expecting a completely different book. I thought that the writing was beautiful and that the plot was quite unique. It was interesting to go into this book not knowing exactly what is going on, which I think is the ideal way to approach this book. I just wish that the synopsis was a little less vague.
**synopsis below. stop reading here if you don't want to know the plot.**
The plot revolves around Sadie who is constantly losing herself in daydreams. She has an imaginary friend named George whom she goes on adventures with. After a car crash she is between consciousness and she is calling out George's name. She is committed to a psych ward when she refuses to talk about who George is and why she is calling out his name.
My main gripe with this book, besides the extremely vague synopsis, is that at one point Sadie makes a comment about not belonging in a psych ward and that only crazy people belong in psych wards. I don't remember that exact line, but it was something along those lines. Throughout the book Sadie perpetuates the idea that people with mental health problems are crazy and unstable, which is not true. Perpetuating that kind of idea in a book that is marketed towards a teen and young adult audience is not ideal. Eventually Sadie does come to terms with her mental health issues, however, at no point does she clarify or amend her previous sentiment. I would be a lot more eager to recommend this book to people if Sadie had a change of heart or if she retracted her statements. Overall, this book just gave me mixed feelings.
October 31, 2018
Read my full review here!
2 stars
I feel like this author was trying so hard to make this book emotional and in the process of that, it shows that she tried too hard. I feel like everything that happened in this book was foreshadowed and didn't really make me feel anything.
Henry and Lucie were bland characters and were included in the story, but we didn't know anything about them, the flashbacks were supposed to make us get to know them better but it ended up just being confusing.
The time jumps between reality, a flashback or the present were awfully confusing and most of the time I had no clue which timeline we were in.
I had seen such amazing reviews for this book, I'm sadly disappointed.
2 stars
I feel like this author was trying so hard to make this book emotional and in the process of that, it shows that she tried too hard. I feel like everything that happened in this book was foreshadowed and didn't really make me feel anything.
Henry and Lucie were bland characters and were included in the story, but we didn't know anything about them, the flashbacks were supposed to make us get to know them better but it ended up just being confusing.
The time jumps between reality, a flashback or the present were awfully confusing and most of the time I had no clue which timeline we were in.
I had seen such amazing reviews for this book, I'm sadly disappointed.
November 22, 2020
This was a really unique story, and I found it interesting enough to finish. Unfortunately, I think the editing of it wasn't great. It wasn't pieced together as well as it should have, in my opinion. The writing just felt off for me.
February 5, 2018
Imaginary friends are normal, right? Lots of kids enjoy having a special and secret friend who accepts them unquestioningly and indulges their fantasies in ways that affirm their unique identity.
For Sadie, dreamy and socially awkward, George is that special someone, a hot, swashbuckling, funny, complicated guy, a sort of dream date who allows her to live out the adventures in the movies and books she loves. Together, they are pirates, spies, soldiers, wizards. But Sadie is in high school, with a real life boyfriend, Henry, and a best friend named Lucie, who have often remarked on the fact that Sadie seems to be a world away, more interested in what's happening in her head than what's actually going on around her.
But no one knows about George and how she spends every moment she can with the love of her life.
Then disaster strikes and suddenly her parents realize that Sadie is slipping away from reality in some disturbing ways. Hospitalized for psychiatric evaluation after a car accident in which she breaks her leg and calls out frantically for George, Sadie tries to protect her relationship with her fantasy, only to confront the deeper roots of her break with the real world.
Chapters alternate between Sadie's adventures with George, mostly in flashbacks, and the painful reality of her hospital stay. She knows she must somehow let go of him, but everything about George is so much better than the rough edges of real relationships. Readers will be haunted by THE MUSEUM OF US, which offers a fascinating glimpse of the temptations of fantasy taken too far.
I enjoy young adult books in which teens' parents are portrayed as authentic personalities, and THE MUSEUM OF US did not disappoint. The relationship between Sadie and her parents has been complicated since they gave up their formerly footloose lifestyle in the wake of a traumatic event five years earlier. Hiding out in her bedroom in the family's basement, Sadie has had free rein to indulge a fantasy world her loving parents know nothing about until she winds up in the hospital. They are frantic and confused by their daughter's state of mind but remain constant in their loving support.
THE MUSEUM OF US will be published June 26, 2018. I received a free advanced readers copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Cross-posted at https://thelibrarianslair.blogspot.com/
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For Sadie, dreamy and socially awkward, George is that special someone, a hot, swashbuckling, funny, complicated guy, a sort of dream date who allows her to live out the adventures in the movies and books she loves. Together, they are pirates, spies, soldiers, wizards. But Sadie is in high school, with a real life boyfriend, Henry, and a best friend named Lucie, who have often remarked on the fact that Sadie seems to be a world away, more interested in what's happening in her head than what's actually going on around her.
But no one knows about George and how she spends every moment she can with the love of her life.
Then disaster strikes and suddenly her parents realize that Sadie is slipping away from reality in some disturbing ways. Hospitalized for psychiatric evaluation after a car accident in which she breaks her leg and calls out frantically for George, Sadie tries to protect her relationship with her fantasy, only to confront the deeper roots of her break with the real world.
Chapters alternate between Sadie's adventures with George, mostly in flashbacks, and the painful reality of her hospital stay. She knows she must somehow let go of him, but everything about George is so much better than the rough edges of real relationships. Readers will be haunted by THE MUSEUM OF US, which offers a fascinating glimpse of the temptations of fantasy taken too far.
I enjoy young adult books in which teens' parents are portrayed as authentic personalities, and THE MUSEUM OF US did not disappoint. The relationship between Sadie and her parents has been complicated since they gave up their formerly footloose lifestyle in the wake of a traumatic event five years earlier. Hiding out in her bedroom in the family's basement, Sadie has had free rein to indulge a fantasy world her loving parents know nothing about until she winds up in the hospital. They are frantic and confused by their daughter's state of mind but remain constant in their loving support.
THE MUSEUM OF US will be published June 26, 2018. I received a free advanced readers copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Cross-posted at https://thelibrarianslair.blogspot.com/
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June 29, 2018
Sometimes the world really is too much to face, and many of us resort to daydreams or escapist behavior. For many of my friends and me, escape may come in the form of reading books and watching movies, harmless enough pursuits, I suppose, when one considers all the other options that are available. But for Sadie, her dreams and imagination are so vivid that often, reality pales next to them. In her fantasy life, she and her romantic partner, George, have many wild adventures, visiting several exotic settings, working as spies, making magic, and pulling off last minute escapes. Sadie simply cannot imagine what her life would be like without George. But after she is injured in a car wreck she is hospitalized, and she knows she must keep George a secret if she is to ever leave the place. Even though her best friend Lucie and boyfriend Henry have accused her of daydreaming and not being fully present, neither of them has any idea how much of a hold George has on her. Thus, as she works with a therapist and continues to hide the truth about George, she also slowly begins to realize that she must go on without him and that if she doesn't, then she will be lost. In some ways, this story reminded me of A Beautiful Mind, and I ached for Sadie, torn as she is between all that life has to offer her with its risks and the beautiful safety of imagined risks and adventures with George, who exists only in her imagination. After all, he's helped her get through some very hard times. This beautifully written story is poignant, reminding me of the power of story and the imagination to help humans cope with trauma and life's tragedies and challenges. Henry was such a splendidly supportive boyfriend too, seeing Sadie in all the ways she couldn't see herself. The descriptions of the worlds that began to crumble as Sadie lets go of George were particularly powerful.
July 18, 2018
THE MUSEUM OF US by debut author Tara Wilson Redd is a thought-provoking and beautifully written ode to the secret worlds of imagination that occupy the minds of authors, readers and dreamers alike, as well as an acknowledgement of the dangers of such worlds.
Sadie Black occupies two worlds. The first is her real life, with her parents, her boyfriend Henry and her best friend Lucie. She’s an average high school student who loves Harry Potter and old movies and runs cross country. The second is the one in her mind, where, with her friend George, she can be a wizard, a spy, a detective, preparing for the Triwizard Tournament or escaping an ambush from deadly enemies. She and George are best friends, inseparable. The only problem? He’s not real, and no one else knows about him.
Both of Sadie’s worlds come crashing down when she’s in a car accident and is found calling George’s name. Now the world that has brought Sadie solace from the stresses of her real one is threatened.
The structure of the novel is something that is immediately unique. The chapters alternate between the days that Sadie spends in the hospital after her accident, told from her point of view, and chapters either spent with George, Henry or Lucie in the past, told from a third person narration. At first, there seems to be several components missing from the story; several aspects of the present don’t quite make sense, but the two narratives weave together perfectly, filling in the missing puzzle pieces as the novel progresses. I’ll admit that the two narrative styles were jarring at first, but as I grew used to them they blended together seamlessly, and it makes sense why the author chose to vary the style later on.
Sadie is a great character. She is quirky and odd, but in an endearing and relatable way. She loves old movies and reads nonstop, able to quote hundreds of different films and authors on a dime. She’s awkward and beautiful. The narrative style works such that when we hear from Sadie directly, we are able to understand her point of view, her coping mechanisms and how hard it would be for her to give up George and their imaginary world. Though this, we are able to sympathize with her. Her relationship with George is equivalent to a really good book that you never want to end. She’s convinced that she is nothing special, so she’s cooked up this world where she can be anything she wants. Who hasn’t wanted to do that before? Redd shows through Sadie, however, that when it comes to mental illness, the true key to getting better lies within one’s own willingness to do so. The novel is about Sadie’s journey to accepting help.
The little details that Redd incorporates into George make him just as real as the other characters, if not more so. By the end of the novel, readers come to recognize his little habits and sayings. The relationship he and Sadie have is heartbreaking in that we know that for Sadie’s sake, it has to be fleeting.
But Redd developed Sadie’s relationship with Henry, as well. Henry is such a sweet character who clearly loves and cares about Sadie. He was also really well fleshed out considering that he sometimes had to take a backseat to George.
One aspect of the novel that might have been a little bit more developed is Sadie’s other relationships. Her parents are kind of absent for most of the novel, and I think for the ending it would have been more powerful to explore the dynamic among the three of them more. The same goes for Lucie, who only gets to be present in three chapters. Overall, I would not have minded if the novel was longer in order to allow for the developments of these characters and their relationships to Sadie, though I understand that George and Henry are clearly the two most important people to Sadie’s story, so they needed to be the most prominent.
Tara Wilson Redd has written a beautiful, important debut novel about mental illness. The way that Sadie has come to use her imaginary world to cope with traumas from her real life will speak to anyone who has ever wanted to escape their own reality. In other words, she wrote a book that resonates with real readers. I would recommend this novel to fans of Rainbow Rowell and Francesca Zappia, or anyone who has ever felt lonely in their need to escape reality sometimes. If that’s you, then I hope you pick up this book if only to discover that you are not, actually, alone.
Reviewed by Cat
Sadie Black occupies two worlds. The first is her real life, with her parents, her boyfriend Henry and her best friend Lucie. She’s an average high school student who loves Harry Potter and old movies and runs cross country. The second is the one in her mind, where, with her friend George, she can be a wizard, a spy, a detective, preparing for the Triwizard Tournament or escaping an ambush from deadly enemies. She and George are best friends, inseparable. The only problem? He’s not real, and no one else knows about him.
Both of Sadie’s worlds come crashing down when she’s in a car accident and is found calling George’s name. Now the world that has brought Sadie solace from the stresses of her real one is threatened.
The structure of the novel is something that is immediately unique. The chapters alternate between the days that Sadie spends in the hospital after her accident, told from her point of view, and chapters either spent with George, Henry or Lucie in the past, told from a third person narration. At first, there seems to be several components missing from the story; several aspects of the present don’t quite make sense, but the two narratives weave together perfectly, filling in the missing puzzle pieces as the novel progresses. I’ll admit that the two narrative styles were jarring at first, but as I grew used to them they blended together seamlessly, and it makes sense why the author chose to vary the style later on.
Sadie is a great character. She is quirky and odd, but in an endearing and relatable way. She loves old movies and reads nonstop, able to quote hundreds of different films and authors on a dime. She’s awkward and beautiful. The narrative style works such that when we hear from Sadie directly, we are able to understand her point of view, her coping mechanisms and how hard it would be for her to give up George and their imaginary world. Though this, we are able to sympathize with her. Her relationship with George is equivalent to a really good book that you never want to end. She’s convinced that she is nothing special, so she’s cooked up this world where she can be anything she wants. Who hasn’t wanted to do that before? Redd shows through Sadie, however, that when it comes to mental illness, the true key to getting better lies within one’s own willingness to do so. The novel is about Sadie’s journey to accepting help.
The little details that Redd incorporates into George make him just as real as the other characters, if not more so. By the end of the novel, readers come to recognize his little habits and sayings. The relationship he and Sadie have is heartbreaking in that we know that for Sadie’s sake, it has to be fleeting.
But Redd developed Sadie’s relationship with Henry, as well. Henry is such a sweet character who clearly loves and cares about Sadie. He was also really well fleshed out considering that he sometimes had to take a backseat to George.
One aspect of the novel that might have been a little bit more developed is Sadie’s other relationships. Her parents are kind of absent for most of the novel, and I think for the ending it would have been more powerful to explore the dynamic among the three of them more. The same goes for Lucie, who only gets to be present in three chapters. Overall, I would not have minded if the novel was longer in order to allow for the developments of these characters and their relationships to Sadie, though I understand that George and Henry are clearly the two most important people to Sadie’s story, so they needed to be the most prominent.
Tara Wilson Redd has written a beautiful, important debut novel about mental illness. The way that Sadie has come to use her imaginary world to cope with traumas from her real life will speak to anyone who has ever wanted to escape their own reality. In other words, she wrote a book that resonates with real readers. I would recommend this novel to fans of Rainbow Rowell and Francesca Zappia, or anyone who has ever felt lonely in their need to escape reality sometimes. If that’s you, then I hope you pick up this book if only to discover that you are not, actually, alone.
Reviewed by Cat
June 29, 2018
This review, and many others, can be found at Lost in My Library. I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This one surprised me. It was a lot more intense than I thought it would be, and it kept being more intense than I thought it would be.
I wasn't sure how this was going to go in the beginning. I think I was just reading too fast, because I had no idea what was going on. I couldn't figure out whether her parents were alive or not, or how old she was, or a lot of other basics. That all sorted itself out when I slowed down a bit, though. There are more complicated things that are only put together at the end of the book, and I think those reveals were done quite well.
There is one thing that I have to bring up, with the disclaimer that this quote is from the ARC and might have been changed by the final copy. Next time I'm in a bookstore, I'm definitely going to check the final copy to see. At one point when Sadie is trying to figure out whether a person being discussed is who she has in mind, she asks the clarifying question: "Like, gym Nazi Mr. Rigley?" Casual Nazi comparisons are never okay. I highly doubt that Mr. Rigley is a literal neo-Nazi, and unless he is, the use of the term to describe him works to normalize the actions of some of the worst people to ever exist.
Overall, I think that this book handled complex and heavy subjects quite beautifully, and if you're looking for a different angle on a mental health book, this could be right up your alley.
Content warnings:
This one surprised me. It was a lot more intense than I thought it would be, and it kept being more intense than I thought it would be.
I wasn't sure how this was going to go in the beginning. I think I was just reading too fast, because I had no idea what was going on. I couldn't figure out whether her parents were alive or not, or how old she was, or a lot of other basics. That all sorted itself out when I slowed down a bit, though. There are more complicated things that are only put together at the end of the book, and I think those reveals were done quite well.
There is one thing that I have to bring up, with the disclaimer that this quote is from the ARC and might have been changed by the final copy. Next time I'm in a bookstore, I'm definitely going to check the final copy to see. At one point when Sadie is trying to figure out whether a person being discussed is who she has in mind, she asks the clarifying question: "Like, gym Nazi Mr. Rigley?" Casual Nazi comparisons are never okay. I highly doubt that Mr. Rigley is a literal neo-Nazi, and unless he is, the use of the term to describe him works to normalize the actions of some of the worst people to ever exist.
Overall, I think that this book handled complex and heavy subjects quite beautifully, and if you're looking for a different angle on a mental health book, this could be right up your alley.
Content warnings:
May 25, 2018
3.5 Imaginative Stars
Review by Amy
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog
Tara Wilson Redd’s The Museum of Us was a world of imagination, adventure and discovery. A young adult story that melds fantasy, reality, mental health, and teenage angst into a creative, imaginative, and emotional world.
Sadie has been hiding a secret for years and when she gets into an accident, she is afraid it is going to be discovered. As she recovers physically in the hospital, she also begins to question her mental health, as others around her do the same. She struggles with her relationships and reality while balancing her fantasy world and concealing her secrets.
This book was thought provoking and had some slightly difficult content. The summary of the book makes it sound mysterious, but I don’t think the blurb does it justice. The main premise of the book was revealed early on, and the book focused on a Sadie’s journey through a troubling past, as she struggles to discover who she is and what her future holds, while making some tough choices along the way.
I think this book would appeal to young adult fiction lovers who enjoy a mix of fantasy and reality, as it toggled back and forth between the two worlds frequently. Unfortunately, I did not connect with the book or the characters and despite the creative concept, I did not find myself completely consumed by this book. It was a quick read, but I would have loved to develop a deeper attachment to a few of the characters.
**ARC provided by author for honest review**
Review by Amy
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog
Tara Wilson Redd’s The Museum of Us was a world of imagination, adventure and discovery. A young adult story that melds fantasy, reality, mental health, and teenage angst into a creative, imaginative, and emotional world.
Sadie has been hiding a secret for years and when she gets into an accident, she is afraid it is going to be discovered. As she recovers physically in the hospital, she also begins to question her mental health, as others around her do the same. She struggles with her relationships and reality while balancing her fantasy world and concealing her secrets.
This book was thought provoking and had some slightly difficult content. The summary of the book makes it sound mysterious, but I don’t think the blurb does it justice. The main premise of the book was revealed early on, and the book focused on a Sadie’s journey through a troubling past, as she struggles to discover who she is and what her future holds, while making some tough choices along the way.
I think this book would appeal to young adult fiction lovers who enjoy a mix of fantasy and reality, as it toggled back and forth between the two worlds frequently. Unfortunately, I did not connect with the book or the characters and despite the creative concept, I did not find myself completely consumed by this book. It was a quick read, but I would have loved to develop a deeper attachment to a few of the characters.
**ARC provided by author for honest review**
August 12, 2018
*
Read more of my reviews at Whoo Gives A Hoot
*
Okay so I really wanted to give this story a chance because it deals with the issue of mental health, which is something very near and dear to my heart because I have seen both my father and younger sister dealing with their demons over the years. Mental health is real, it's dark and it's something that is ofter brushed under the rug because it doesn't fit into a neat little box filled with sunshine and rainbows.
Since not many authors are willing to address this controversial topic I was excited to see what direction the author would go in, especially since this also happened to be her debut novel. While there were some high points in both the writing and the storytelling, it definately had some low points as well. I had a difficult time connecting with Sadie and oftentimes I found myself lost and confused by some of the aspects surrounding the real truth behind mental health. Although it wasn't completely accurate, I think the author did a decent job at portraying some of the struggles and I liked the overall idea behind the story.
This is a good book for young adult readers and a great debut novel for the author! Readers please keep in mind that this story does deal with a sensitive topic so be prepared for possible triggers.
Okay so I really wanted to give this story a chance because it deals with the issue of mental health, which is something very near and dear to my heart because I have seen both my father and younger sister dealing with their demons over the years. Mental health is real, it's dark and it's something that is ofter brushed under the rug because it doesn't fit into a neat little box filled with sunshine and rainbows.
Since not many authors are willing to address this controversial topic I was excited to see what direction the author would go in, especially since this also happened to be her debut novel. While there were some high points in both the writing and the storytelling, it definately had some low points as well. I had a difficult time connecting with Sadie and oftentimes I found myself lost and confused by some of the aspects surrounding the real truth behind mental health. Although it wasn't completely accurate, I think the author did a decent job at portraying some of the struggles and I liked the overall idea behind the story.
This is a good book for young adult readers and a great debut novel for the author! Readers please keep in mind that this story does deal with a sensitive topic so be prepared for possible triggers.
August 1, 2018
The short version of how I feel about the book and my review told through emojis: 🤔😱😳😨😦😯😣😭😕🤔🤔😭😨😌🙂
The long version of how I feel about the book and my review told through actual words:
The Museum of Us was definitely not what I expected, and I have extremely mixed feelings about the book.
It took me a while to fully understand Sadie's backstory because it's never immediately clear what is going on, but I thought it was a beautiful and stunning betrayal of human emotion and the miracle of daydreams. It introduced me fully to something that I've never heard about before, and it showed mental illness is a stunning and honest portrayal. As a mental health advocate, I thought it was vital to show how self-harm works and what bipolar disorder really looks like.
The ending was my favorite part because it shows how Sadie has matured and it offered closure to the official end of her friendship with her best friend, while also paying tribute to her favorite movie, Now, Voyager. It was so beautiful that I was considering changing my Instagram bio to the last words of Now, Voyager, and I've become interested in watching it.
Happy Wednesday! Hope your day is going well. And if it isn't, I hope that tomorrow or sometime in the near future, it gets better. Because I promise that it will. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but soon.
with love,
Reenie
💋
The long version of how I feel about the book and my review told through actual words:
The Museum of Us was definitely not what I expected, and I have extremely mixed feelings about the book.
It took me a while to fully understand Sadie's backstory because it's never immediately clear what is going on, but I thought it was a beautiful and stunning betrayal of human emotion and the miracle of daydreams. It introduced me fully to something that I've never heard about before, and it showed mental illness is a stunning and honest portrayal. As a mental health advocate, I thought it was vital to show how self-harm works and what bipolar disorder really looks like.
The ending was my favorite part because it shows how Sadie has matured and it offered closure to the official end of her friendship with her best friend, while also paying tribute to her favorite movie, Now, Voyager. It was so beautiful that I was considering changing my Instagram bio to the last words of Now, Voyager, and I've become interested in watching it.
Happy Wednesday! Hope your day is going well. And if it isn't, I hope that tomorrow or sometime in the near future, it gets better. Because I promise that it will. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but soon.
with love,
Reenie
💋
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2018
*I received this as an ARC from NetGalley*
I was very intrigued to read this because it sounded really interesting and different. The writing is excellent and I really enjoyed the way the author describes things. But I felt that it didn't go deep enough into the mental health realm. I know that everyone deals with mental health differently but most people have a harder time walking away from something, be it real or not, than just deciding to give it up. I had a hard time with Sadie not really realizing how lost she was and her doctor didn't seem to really help her issues, just prescribed a medication.
I myself have some mental health issues and for a long time it was hard for me to ask for help, but I found it in the form that I needed.
Maybe since I didn't totally relate to Sadie in going that far into daydreams that you really believe that it is happening, might have been why I didn't totally connect to this book.
Overall I thought it was a good read and well written, just wasn't for me.
I was very intrigued to read this because it sounded really interesting and different. The writing is excellent and I really enjoyed the way the author describes things. But I felt that it didn't go deep enough into the mental health realm. I know that everyone deals with mental health differently but most people have a harder time walking away from something, be it real or not, than just deciding to give it up. I had a hard time with Sadie not really realizing how lost she was and her doctor didn't seem to really help her issues, just prescribed a medication.
I myself have some mental health issues and for a long time it was hard for me to ask for help, but I found it in the form that I needed.
Maybe since I didn't totally relate to Sadie in going that far into daydreams that you really believe that it is happening, might have been why I didn't totally connect to this book.
Overall I thought it was a good read and well written, just wasn't for me.
January 28, 2020
I really wanted to like this book because the plot was so intriguing (and the beautiful cover omg)! 💔 The first two chapters were super mesmerising, but then everything went downhill soon after. The relationship between the main protagonist Sadie and her boyfriend Henry confused me so much, like I didn't sense that they genuinely love each other at all. It felt more like a fluctuation (aka a total mistake) than anything else. I just don't understand how they're together lol. I was really hoping for Sadie's character development to shine, which eventually did, but only in the last few pages! This book could've been way shorter if that was the case!!! Like 100 pages would've been heaps better! 😫
March 15, 2018
I received The Museum of Us by Tara Wilson Redd from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. It doesn't impact my review in anyway.
When I first received The Museum of Us by Tara Wilson I thought it was going to be completely different. The writing style wasn't bad, but the plot ended up not being for me at this time. I ended up not finishing it at 22 percent because I couldn't get more into it, but maybe it'll be my cup of tea another time. (I should really say my cup of Dr. Pepper because I don't drink tea or coffee.)
Thank you for giving me the chance to review it! That cover was also pretty.
When I first received The Museum of Us by Tara Wilson I thought it was going to be completely different. The writing style wasn't bad, but the plot ended up not being for me at this time. I ended up not finishing it at 22 percent because I couldn't get more into it, but maybe it'll be my cup of tea another time. (I should really say my cup of Dr. Pepper because I don't drink tea or coffee.)
Thank you for giving me the chance to review it! That cover was also pretty.
October 16, 2018
When I first read the synopsis of this book, I was not sure if I was going to like it, but the synopsis paints a totally different story. The beginning of the book at first completely confused me. The story unfurls into mental health exposure. The main character, Sadie, is living in two worlds - the real world with her parents, friend Lucie, and boyfriend Henry - and then her secret world with George who no one knows about. This is a powerful, emotional, and intense journey of a story. Redd has an amazing writing style with a strong story line that grabs your attention and doesn't let go, especially when you find out who George really is.
April 16, 2018
**FTC DISCLAIMER: I RECEIVED AN E-ARC FROM NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW. RECEIPT OF THIS BOOK IN THIS MANNER DOES NOT AFFECT MY OPINION OF THE BOOK OR THE CONTENT OF MY REVIEW.**
Sadie is living within two worlds. There’s the real world where she has supportive parents who encourage her to pursue her dreams and interests, and from whom she’s been given a love of traveling, vintage cars, and old vinyl records. This is also the world where Henry, her rocker boyfriend, lives. He treats her very well and they have a lot in common and genuinely enjoy each other’s company. In the real world, Sadie is vice captain of the cross country team, along with her best friend, Lucie. They love running together and enjoy a lot of the same movies and hobbies and always have a lot of fun together. She even enjoys school, for the most part.
But, then, there’s Sadie’s world. It’s a secret and nothing in the real world comes close to this world that Sadie has created for herself, where she can be a spy, a student at Hogwarts, have any number of adventures and be anyone she wants to be. This is the world where George, her truest love and hero, lives. “George and I have lived in hundreds of worlds and hundreds of books. We passed our O.W.L. exams side by side. There are no mountains we have not scaled, no oceans we have not explored, and yet there’s infinitely more to see. He’s taken me to Amsterdam countless times, to drink countless bottles of stars. I don’t know why I live this way, but I can’t stop. I’d die without George. I’d be empty.” Together, they travel the world and beyond. The memories of their time together fill an entire museum that only they can see, only they know exists. Sadie can admit to, herself, that George isn’t real, but when she’s alone, or bored, or overwhelmed, here he comes, sneaking into her head and taking her off on one of their amazing adventures.
But, when Sadie is in an accident and transported to the hospital, calling out for George, both of her worlds threaten to collide. The paramedics who brought her in and the police, as well as the doctors and nurses, all want to know who George is and where he is, as they’re concerned that he may be injured and have been left st the scene of the accident. And everyone wants to know what caused the accident, was she trying to hurt herself, or worse?
First off, wow, just wow! This was such a powerful, emotional, intense, sweet, loving (and many more adjectives lol) journey of a story. And this is Tara Wilson Redd’s debut novel, so we should definitely keep an eye out for future books, as she’s bound to continue to improve. She has an amazing writing style with a strong ability to write a storyline that grabs your attention and won’t let go. You find yourself willfully immersed in this world she’s created, which is a little ironic, if you think about it. Redd is also skilled at character development, all of her characters were amazing and noticeably matured as the story went on.
As a dreamer, as someone who gets lost in the stories I read or in daydreams, Sadie’s rich fantasy life keeps your attention and imagination really spoke to me. I once heard someone say that “I don’t read because I have no life. I read because I choose to have many. Richard Peck said, in Anonymously Yours, “I read because one life isn't enough, and in the page of a book I can be anybody; I read because the words that build the story become mine, to build my life; I read not for happy endings but for new beginnings; I'm just beginning myself, and I wouldn't mind a map;” Sadie embodies both of these quotes both in how she fully immersed herself into her fantasies and because of how many of her dreams and fantasies are inspired by old movies and the books she reads. The problem is that Sadie finds herself spending too much time in her world of fantasies and at the expense of her real life, her real responsibilities, her real relationships.
“And in the grand scheme of things, embracing the truth of your plight is likely to do more good than harm.” This book does such an excellent job at dealing with mental illness, past traumas and using fantasy to avoid dealing with reality and to hide from the effects of those past traumas. During her time in the hospital, Sadie was encouraged to go at her own pace; she was never pressured or rushed. Her therapist and nurses were compassionate and listened to her as she was ready to talk. They never promised that if she took this medicine or went to this therapy session, it would be a quick fix. They were a solid support system to get her started.
“Everyone runs their own race, but we are stronger when we run that race together.” I loved how supportive and understanding Sadie’s parents were. They let her know that they were there to talk to whenever she was ready and that she could talk to them about anything. Henry and Lucie were amazing, as well. They both let her know, in their own way, that they were there for her, whatever she needed, even if it was just to sit with her for a little while so she didn’t feel alone.
Ultimately, Sadie has to decide for herself whether or not she’s ready to move forward and deal with the traumas from her past and her depression or to continue in her fantasies. But, she does have an amazing support system to help her through, no matter what she decides.
Sadie is living within two worlds. There’s the real world where she has supportive parents who encourage her to pursue her dreams and interests, and from whom she’s been given a love of traveling, vintage cars, and old vinyl records. This is also the world where Henry, her rocker boyfriend, lives. He treats her very well and they have a lot in common and genuinely enjoy each other’s company. In the real world, Sadie is vice captain of the cross country team, along with her best friend, Lucie. They love running together and enjoy a lot of the same movies and hobbies and always have a lot of fun together. She even enjoys school, for the most part.
But, then, there’s Sadie’s world. It’s a secret and nothing in the real world comes close to this world that Sadie has created for herself, where she can be a spy, a student at Hogwarts, have any number of adventures and be anyone she wants to be. This is the world where George, her truest love and hero, lives. “George and I have lived in hundreds of worlds and hundreds of books. We passed our O.W.L. exams side by side. There are no mountains we have not scaled, no oceans we have not explored, and yet there’s infinitely more to see. He’s taken me to Amsterdam countless times, to drink countless bottles of stars. I don’t know why I live this way, but I can’t stop. I’d die without George. I’d be empty.” Together, they travel the world and beyond. The memories of their time together fill an entire museum that only they can see, only they know exists. Sadie can admit to, herself, that George isn’t real, but when she’s alone, or bored, or overwhelmed, here he comes, sneaking into her head and taking her off on one of their amazing adventures.
But, when Sadie is in an accident and transported to the hospital, calling out for George, both of her worlds threaten to collide. The paramedics who brought her in and the police, as well as the doctors and nurses, all want to know who George is and where he is, as they’re concerned that he may be injured and have been left st the scene of the accident. And everyone wants to know what caused the accident, was she trying to hurt herself, or worse?
First off, wow, just wow! This was such a powerful, emotional, intense, sweet, loving (and many more adjectives lol) journey of a story. And this is Tara Wilson Redd’s debut novel, so we should definitely keep an eye out for future books, as she’s bound to continue to improve. She has an amazing writing style with a strong ability to write a storyline that grabs your attention and won’t let go. You find yourself willfully immersed in this world she’s created, which is a little ironic, if you think about it. Redd is also skilled at character development, all of her characters were amazing and noticeably matured as the story went on.
As a dreamer, as someone who gets lost in the stories I read or in daydreams, Sadie’s rich fantasy life keeps your attention and imagination really spoke to me. I once heard someone say that “I don’t read because I have no life. I read because I choose to have many. Richard Peck said, in Anonymously Yours, “I read because one life isn't enough, and in the page of a book I can be anybody; I read because the words that build the story become mine, to build my life; I read not for happy endings but for new beginnings; I'm just beginning myself, and I wouldn't mind a map;” Sadie embodies both of these quotes both in how she fully immersed herself into her fantasies and because of how many of her dreams and fantasies are inspired by old movies and the books she reads. The problem is that Sadie finds herself spending too much time in her world of fantasies and at the expense of her real life, her real responsibilities, her real relationships.
“And in the grand scheme of things, embracing the truth of your plight is likely to do more good than harm.” This book does such an excellent job at dealing with mental illness, past traumas and using fantasy to avoid dealing with reality and to hide from the effects of those past traumas. During her time in the hospital, Sadie was encouraged to go at her own pace; she was never pressured or rushed. Her therapist and nurses were compassionate and listened to her as she was ready to talk. They never promised that if she took this medicine or went to this therapy session, it would be a quick fix. They were a solid support system to get her started.
“Everyone runs their own race, but we are stronger when we run that race together.” I loved how supportive and understanding Sadie’s parents were. They let her know that they were there to talk to whenever she was ready and that she could talk to them about anything. Henry and Lucie were amazing, as well. They both let her know, in their own way, that they were there for her, whatever she needed, even if it was just to sit with her for a little while so she didn’t feel alone.
Ultimately, Sadie has to decide for herself whether or not she’s ready to move forward and deal with the traumas from her past and her depression or to continue in her fantasies. But, she does have an amazing support system to help her through, no matter what she decides.
Read
July 1, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Depression
Suicidal ideation
Self harm (cutting)
Depression
Suicidal ideation
Self harm (cutting)
Read
May 8, 2024Secrets are con artists: they trick you into letting them out.
This book was not what I was expecting when I first downloaded it. The blurb that accompanied it was vague and mysterious and something about that intrigued me.
Sadie loves her rocker boyfriend Henry and her running partner and best friend Lucie, but no one can measure up to her truest love and hero, the dazzling and passionate George. George, her secret.
When something goes wrong and Sadie is taken to the hospital calling out for George, her hidden life may be exposed. Now she must confront the truth of the past, and protect a world she is terrified to lose.
I don't know why I was so drawn to this blurb, but it spoke to me and I wanted to read it immediately. And I'm so glad I did!
My favorite thing about The Museum of Us is the way it deals with mental health and mental illness. The entire book takes place over two weeks (another thing I really enjoyed was the compressed timeline) in the psych ward of a hospital. Redd's treatment of the hospital and its nurses and doctors is delicate. She doesn't make them into the enemy, not really. There are a few times that the institution is vilified, but the health care professionals are treated with respect. I find this to be extremely important, especially in today's world where conversations about mental health are still shaky and have to be approached delicately.
The Museum of Us addresses mental health head on. Without saying too much (because I don't want to give anything away), I love the way that Redd handles Sadie's character and Sadie's specific needs.
In fact, I love the way Redd handles all of her characters. She makes them individuals who are quirky and different and real. They're raw and they have flaws. But in typical YA fashion, they're much larger than life. They're beautiful and broken and they rely on each other. Unrealistic characters can ruin a book for me faster than nearly anything else.
The many pop culture references made this book timely, but in a way that it won't make this book seem aged in a few years. The references to Harry Potter make it feel modern, but Harry Potter will remain relevant for many years to come. Sadie also has an affinity for old movies and old music. Her love of Casablanca and other black-and-white films makes this novel charming and timeless.
Something that I loved about this book is its absolute quotability. I highlighted so many things in this galley that stuck out to me. The author has a way of saying very profound things in very simple language. Of course, I can't share many of them with you without revealing the plot, and I won't spoil the plot for you. It was too beautifully and expertly crafted for that.
The Museum of Us is shrouded in mystery and is completely unputdownable (yes, it's a word.) It's riveting. It's captivating. And I stayed up well past my bedtime to read it. I hope that you love it just as much as I did.
I recommend it to anybody who's open to conversations about mental health. But this book should come with a trigger warning: there is some minor discussion about cutting that I was not prepared for. If this is triggering to you, just know that it's minor, but it was triggering for me.
This book was not what I was expecting when I first downloaded it. The blurb that accompanied it was vague and mysterious and something about that intrigued me.
Sadie loves her rocker boyfriend Henry and her running partner and best friend Lucie, but no one can measure up to her truest love and hero, the dazzling and passionate George. George, her secret.
When something goes wrong and Sadie is taken to the hospital calling out for George, her hidden life may be exposed. Now she must confront the truth of the past, and protect a world she is terrified to lose.
I don't know why I was so drawn to this blurb, but it spoke to me and I wanted to read it immediately. And I'm so glad I did!
My favorite thing about The Museum of Us is the way it deals with mental health and mental illness. The entire book takes place over two weeks (another thing I really enjoyed was the compressed timeline) in the psych ward of a hospital. Redd's treatment of the hospital and its nurses and doctors is delicate. She doesn't make them into the enemy, not really. There are a few times that the institution is vilified, but the health care professionals are treated with respect. I find this to be extremely important, especially in today's world where conversations about mental health are still shaky and have to be approached delicately.
The Museum of Us addresses mental health head on. Without saying too much (because I don't want to give anything away), I love the way that Redd handles Sadie's character and Sadie's specific needs.
In fact, I love the way Redd handles all of her characters. She makes them individuals who are quirky and different and real. They're raw and they have flaws. But in typical YA fashion, they're much larger than life. They're beautiful and broken and they rely on each other. Unrealistic characters can ruin a book for me faster than nearly anything else.
The many pop culture references made this book timely, but in a way that it won't make this book seem aged in a few years. The references to Harry Potter make it feel modern, but Harry Potter will remain relevant for many years to come. Sadie also has an affinity for old movies and old music. Her love of Casablanca and other black-and-white films makes this novel charming and timeless.
Something that I loved about this book is its absolute quotability. I highlighted so many things in this galley that stuck out to me. The author has a way of saying very profound things in very simple language. Of course, I can't share many of them with you without revealing the plot, and I won't spoil the plot for you. It was too beautifully and expertly crafted for that.
The Museum of Us is shrouded in mystery and is completely unputdownable (yes, it's a word.) It's riveting. It's captivating. And I stayed up well past my bedtime to read it. I hope that you love it just as much as I did.
I recommend it to anybody who's open to conversations about mental health. But this book should come with a trigger warning: there is some minor discussion about cutting that I was not prepared for. If this is triggering to you, just know that it's minor, but it was triggering for me.
July 23, 2018
Wow!
This book was pretty amazing.
I loved Sadie and related to her quite a bit. I too was an imaginative kid who created elaborate fantasies in her head. Sometimes based on books or movies or a montage of both. Sometimes I just free-style created. Sometimes I acted them out with friends, other times my toys. Sometimes I'd sit and draw. Other times I'd just let my mind wander. I was a creative kid (The Neverending Story was my favorite movie), but I always knew the difference between fantasy and reality. Also, I never let my imaginary friends go as far as Sadie did with George (can't even recall having imaginary friends after starting school and meeting other kids my age).
But I loved Sadie's imagination! I loved being transported to Hogwarts or the Star Palace and how colorful were the descriptions of these fantasy destinations. And I loved George. He wasn't the perfect Prince Charming. He had moods and feelings. Sometimes he was all for adventure and other times he was sad and fearful. Although I do wonder if these weren't just reflections of Sadie's quickly-changing moods.
I liked how the author so carefully handled Sadie's mental issues. She didn't go into gratuitous detail, but didn't sugar coat things either. The transitioning between the world of the hospital and the world of magic in Sadie's head was painful to read, and I got all kinds of feels.
The Twist was something I suspected before it was actually revealed, but the author eased into it so well I didn't mind already have somewhat guessed.
I loved almost everything about this book?
So if I loved this book like I did, why only four stars?
I would have liked to get to know some of the other characters better. Henry and Lucie seemed awesome, but a little too good to be true. They felt more fantastical than George in their perfection. I would have liked to have seen more facets to their personalities. And Eleanor. She started out seeming like she had a pretty important role in Sadie's in-hospital story, but then the author "killed her off" (not literally) pretty quickly and that was it. With her, it felt as though the author changed her mind about having the character in the story, but didn't want to erase her entirely...so had to orchestrate a quick exit Also, the ending seemed to wrap up a little too neatly for how messy Sadie's life had become. Everyone hugging and accepting and Everything Being OK In the End (roll credits, studio audience says "awwww" and applauds) was kind of sitcom-y.
Other than that, this book was amazing!
This book was pretty amazing.
I loved Sadie and related to her quite a bit. I too was an imaginative kid who created elaborate fantasies in her head. Sometimes based on books or movies or a montage of both. Sometimes I just free-style created. Sometimes I acted them out with friends, other times my toys. Sometimes I'd sit and draw. Other times I'd just let my mind wander. I was a creative kid (The Neverending Story was my favorite movie), but I always knew the difference between fantasy and reality. Also, I never let my imaginary friends go as far as Sadie did with George (can't even recall having imaginary friends after starting school and meeting other kids my age).
But I loved Sadie's imagination! I loved being transported to Hogwarts or the Star Palace and how colorful were the descriptions of these fantasy destinations. And I loved George. He wasn't the perfect Prince Charming. He had moods and feelings. Sometimes he was all for adventure and other times he was sad and fearful. Although I do wonder if these weren't just reflections of Sadie's quickly-changing moods.
I liked how the author so carefully handled Sadie's mental issues. She didn't go into gratuitous detail, but didn't sugar coat things either. The transitioning between the world of the hospital and the world of magic in Sadie's head was painful to read, and I got all kinds of feels.
The Twist was something I suspected before it was actually revealed, but the author eased into it so well I didn't mind already have somewhat guessed.
I loved almost everything about this book?
So if I loved this book like I did, why only four stars?
I would have liked to get to know some of the other characters better. Henry and Lucie seemed awesome, but a little too good to be true. They felt more fantastical than George in their perfection. I would have liked to have seen more facets to their personalities. And Eleanor. She started out seeming like she had a pretty important role in Sadie's in-hospital story, but then the author "killed her off" (not literally) pretty quickly and that was it. With her, it felt as though the author changed her mind about having the character in the story, but didn't want to erase her entirely...so had to orchestrate a quick exit Also, the ending seemed to wrap up a little too neatly for how messy Sadie's life had become. Everyone hugging and accepting and Everything Being OK In the End (roll credits, studio audience says "awwww" and applauds) was kind of sitcom-y.
Other than that, this book was amazing!
September 24, 2018
The best thing about this book was that it wasn't too long. It's a lot of drivel, and while the majority of the book I'd be willing to give a 2 or a 3, the ending was so ridiculous it was straight back to one.
The good: I didn't pay for this book? There are Beatles references too.
The bad: So half of this book is a fangirl's innocent daydreaming about being whisked away to Hogwarts or being a spy, which is what most fangirls probably do when they get bored sitting in a lecture. but Sadie's happens a lot, and it's noticeable, and this is very concerning. Honestly, I wasn't that concerned about it myself, but I was forced to read very Mary Sue fanfiction-esque tales as we progressed through the story, and I was more than glad to be pulled back to the real world.
The ugly:
The good: I didn't pay for this book? There are Beatles references too.
The bad: So half of this book is a fangirl's innocent daydreaming about being whisked away to Hogwarts or being a spy, which is what most fangirls probably do when they get bored sitting in a lecture. but Sadie's happens a lot, and it's noticeable, and this is very concerning. Honestly, I wasn't that concerned about it myself, but I was forced to read very Mary Sue fanfiction-esque tales as we progressed through the story, and I was more than glad to be pulled back to the real world.
The ugly:
December 22, 2017
*I was provided an arc by NetGalley in exchange for a review*
Sometimes you start reading a book and think you have a clue what you're in for and then it completely surprises you. That's how this book was for me. After the first few pages I thought I had it figured out. Thought I knew where this story was going. I had no clue.
This book hits very close to home. I really connected with the main character Sadie, as I think most readers will. The love for books mixed in with the escape of reality they provide was all throughout this novel. I loved the story, even though parts of it broke my heart. But what I love most, is how it is written. Sadie's voice is poetic and haunting as much as it is enchanting and captivating. Her story is tragic and beautiful in its own way.
I very much so recommend this book. It's unlike anything I've read before and I believe the story will stay with readers long after you've put the book down.
Sometimes you start reading a book and think you have a clue what you're in for and then it completely surprises you. That's how this book was for me. After the first few pages I thought I had it figured out. Thought I knew where this story was going. I had no clue.
This book hits very close to home. I really connected with the main character Sadie, as I think most readers will. The love for books mixed in with the escape of reality they provide was all throughout this novel. I loved the story, even though parts of it broke my heart. But what I love most, is how it is written. Sadie's voice is poetic and haunting as much as it is enchanting and captivating. Her story is tragic and beautiful in its own way.
I very much so recommend this book. It's unlike anything I've read before and I believe the story will stay with readers long after you've put the book down.
January 23, 2018
The Museum of Us
by Tara Wilson Redd
Random House Children's
Wendy Lamb Books
Teens & YA
Pub Date 26 Jun 2018
I am reviewing a copy of The Museum of Us through Random House Children's and Netgalley:
Let me start of by saying The Museum of Us impressive debut novel.
We have a way of letting secrets, even our own out.
Sadie loves her boyfriend whose a rocker named Henry, her best friend and and running partner Lucie but it is George she is passionate about, George who is her secret.
The only problem is George isn't real, he's her imaginary friend, the one she tries to keep secret from everyone.
Until an accident changes everything and she finds herself in for Psychiatric help, will she be able to let George go? Or will she hold on to him?
Find out in The Museum of Us
Five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
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