What do you think?
Rate this book
The Sick Parents Club
From the author of the bestselling “Away From Here: A Young Adult Novel”, comes another semi-autobiographical novel about three generations of family, and the bond forged in the struggle to break the grip of mental illness.
Synopsis:
“The bullet let loose on July 22nd, 1939, destroyed a house full of children who went to sleep normal, but awoke forever deformed. The bullet ricocheted, lodging itself so deep inside each of them that none realized they’d been hit until years later. There were no survivors that day, even though there were many.”
So begins the latest work from bestselling novelist Nathan Dunbar, as he chronicles the dark secret that forever altered the trajectory of his family. As he struggles to complete that book, he realizes that another story begs to be written—the story of his own teenaged years, a time he spent asking questions about the origin of his parent’s mental illnesses, and forging a bond with the best friends he’s ever know.
As he writes memories flood back—of summer days spent playing basketball, of surviving his household with his twin sister, Clover, and the way he felt when Serafina moved in to the neighborhood. That summer he experienced something he only told her, something he’s never allowed himself to express until now, and when he does it will force a confrontation between the future he wants and the past he struggles to reconcile with.
Welcome to the Sick Parents Club.
Synopsis:
“The bullet let loose on July 22nd, 1939, destroyed a house full of children who went to sleep normal, but awoke forever deformed. The bullet ricocheted, lodging itself so deep inside each of them that none realized they’d been hit until years later. There were no survivors that day, even though there were many.”
So begins the latest work from bestselling novelist Nathan Dunbar, as he chronicles the dark secret that forever altered the trajectory of his family. As he struggles to complete that book, he realizes that another story begs to be written—the story of his own teenaged years, a time he spent asking questions about the origin of his parent’s mental illnesses, and forging a bond with the best friends he’s ever know.
As he writes memories flood back—of summer days spent playing basketball, of surviving his household with his twin sister, Clover, and the way he felt when Serafina moved in to the neighborhood. That summer he experienced something he only told her, something he’s never allowed himself to express until now, and when he does it will force a confrontation between the future he wants and the past he struggles to reconcile with.
Welcome to the Sick Parents Club.
Kindle Edition
First published April 24, 2019
33 people are currently reading
403 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
April 2, 2019
***Author (not a) review...some information about Sick Parents Club (no spoilers!)
When You Say “semi-autobiographical” What Does That Mean?
I love the blending of fiction and non-fiction! I realized with Away From Here that many of you didn’t know (of course) which parts were totally made up, and which were either ripped from the headlines of my life, or otherwise based on real events/people, so let me guide you along the most personal book I’ve ever written:
The Setting = Real. The book takes place in a neighborhood called “The Meadows”, which is based around the neighborhood I was born, raised, and lived in until I was 21, Fresh Meadows, Queens, New York. The neighborhood was (in the 1990’s, anyway) as I describe in the book. And, as I say, memory is a funhouse mirror, not a photograph, so The Meadows is how I remember it, and how it was when I was growing up there. Some places are absolutely real, however, like The Back, the basketball court, the pizza place (shout out to Fresh Meadows Pizza!), the Oak Grove, and many other locations.
The People = Mostly Real. Characters are always a blend (as Scott noted very nicely in a recent FB post). Am I Nathan? A little bit. I’d rather say that he has my voice more than him actually being me. The other characters are largely blends, but based around the characters of my life.
The Crime = I still remember so vividly my mom telling me about my great grandmother that one night when I was a kid, and how it was a secret that no one wanted to talk about, including those who knew what happened. That was my first view into the nature of denial, and how sometimes people don’t, in fact, want to confront the past, but to just simply move on from it.
What’s the Plot? What Genre is it?
So Willow [Winters] saw the cover and said “is that women’s fiction?” To which I replied that I had no idea what that was, then looked it up, then said “it might be now that I looked it up.” But the truth of the matter is that I don’t care very much for genre labels (hell, some people refer to Nirvana as an ‘alternative’ band, when to me they’ve always been a punch-rock three piece). In some cases I get it—we need to organize things in our minds so that we think we know what we’re getting when we one click—after all, you don’t want to accidentally pick up a male/male shifter romance when you’re trying to read a mystery novel—I understand. But outside of those extremes, I’m not sure where to place this book, and I’m just fine with letting you decide for yourself, should you need such labels.
Nathan Dunbar is a successful writer, and he’s decided to serialize his next book for The New Yorker magazine as he steps into the world of non-fiction for the first time. While he’s writing it a conversation with his wife makes him realize that the real story he wants to tell isn’t a true crime novel, but the effect that crime had on him and his family, many generations later. That’s when he decides to write the real book—The Sick Parents Club.
Two months later the book is written, and he decides to meet with his twin sister, Clover, who’s also a successful author. Unlike Nathan, however, Clover has shut the door to the past—uncomfortable and embarrassed by the home they grew up in. Despite that, she agrees to beta read her brother’s book, and they meet up in the old neighborhood over coffee to discuss it.
All is going well until he tries to discuss some of the things not in the book—the experiences he had as a kid that he’s told almost no one about. Will his sister believe him? Was his experience even real? And can he make peace with the past that he’s never been able to reconcile?
The narrative shifts between 2016 when Nate and Clover are adults, and 1996, when they just began high school. Through the 1996 narrative we’re told the story of the Sick Parents Club—a tale of good friends, first loves, mentally ill parents, and a boy’s search to understand his place in a family filled with turmoil.
What Was Your Inspiration For Writing This Particular Book?
I’ve always been interested in the dynamics of family, and specifically the dynamics of family members throughout generations—the nature of genealogies. I remember reading Amy Tan’s “Joy Luck Club” (my title is unrelated, and if you’re one of the ten people who never read the book or saw the movie please do either right after you finish this newsletter), and thinking about how the decisions made by family members in one generation can impact those not yet born, and the unrequested burdens we oftentimes bear once we’re christened with a last name.
I started to reflect on how those situations are navigated by people, and specifically by women, and how the near impossible balance of mitigating the damage of the past while trying to forge a new future can sometimes cause you to fail at both, but other times, when successful, make you a living, breathing superhero.
This book is a celebration of those women—as flawed, deeply complex, and undeniably heroic, in ways I still struggle to wrap my brain around. Maybe this is my attempt to do just that.
But that narrative—of is the story of the women in my family, a book too vast and lacking in too many sources to ever write as pure non-fiction. But that’s where the ‘semi’ part of ‘semi-autobiographical’ comes in—the moment where we allow fiction to do its work when helping us inform the past.
I can’t wait for you to read this one!
—Christopher, April 2019
When You Say “semi-autobiographical” What Does That Mean?
I love the blending of fiction and non-fiction! I realized with Away From Here that many of you didn’t know (of course) which parts were totally made up, and which were either ripped from the headlines of my life, or otherwise based on real events/people, so let me guide you along the most personal book I’ve ever written:
The Setting = Real. The book takes place in a neighborhood called “The Meadows”, which is based around the neighborhood I was born, raised, and lived in until I was 21, Fresh Meadows, Queens, New York. The neighborhood was (in the 1990’s, anyway) as I describe in the book. And, as I say, memory is a funhouse mirror, not a photograph, so The Meadows is how I remember it, and how it was when I was growing up there. Some places are absolutely real, however, like The Back, the basketball court, the pizza place (shout out to Fresh Meadows Pizza!), the Oak Grove, and many other locations.
The People = Mostly Real. Characters are always a blend (as Scott noted very nicely in a recent FB post). Am I Nathan? A little bit. I’d rather say that he has my voice more than him actually being me. The other characters are largely blends, but based around the characters of my life.
The Crime = I still remember so vividly my mom telling me about my great grandmother that one night when I was a kid, and how it was a secret that no one wanted to talk about, including those who knew what happened. That was my first view into the nature of denial, and how sometimes people don’t, in fact, want to confront the past, but to just simply move on from it.
What’s the Plot? What Genre is it?
So Willow [Winters] saw the cover and said “is that women’s fiction?” To which I replied that I had no idea what that was, then looked it up, then said “it might be now that I looked it up.” But the truth of the matter is that I don’t care very much for genre labels (hell, some people refer to Nirvana as an ‘alternative’ band, when to me they’ve always been a punch-rock three piece). In some cases I get it—we need to organize things in our minds so that we think we know what we’re getting when we one click—after all, you don’t want to accidentally pick up a male/male shifter romance when you’re trying to read a mystery novel—I understand. But outside of those extremes, I’m not sure where to place this book, and I’m just fine with letting you decide for yourself, should you need such labels.
Nathan Dunbar is a successful writer, and he’s decided to serialize his next book for The New Yorker magazine as he steps into the world of non-fiction for the first time. While he’s writing it a conversation with his wife makes him realize that the real story he wants to tell isn’t a true crime novel, but the effect that crime had on him and his family, many generations later. That’s when he decides to write the real book—The Sick Parents Club.
Two months later the book is written, and he decides to meet with his twin sister, Clover, who’s also a successful author. Unlike Nathan, however, Clover has shut the door to the past—uncomfortable and embarrassed by the home they grew up in. Despite that, she agrees to beta read her brother’s book, and they meet up in the old neighborhood over coffee to discuss it.
All is going well until he tries to discuss some of the things not in the book—the experiences he had as a kid that he’s told almost no one about. Will his sister believe him? Was his experience even real? And can he make peace with the past that he’s never been able to reconcile?
The narrative shifts between 2016 when Nate and Clover are adults, and 1996, when they just began high school. Through the 1996 narrative we’re told the story of the Sick Parents Club—a tale of good friends, first loves, mentally ill parents, and a boy’s search to understand his place in a family filled with turmoil.
What Was Your Inspiration For Writing This Particular Book?
I’ve always been interested in the dynamics of family, and specifically the dynamics of family members throughout generations—the nature of genealogies. I remember reading Amy Tan’s “Joy Luck Club” (my title is unrelated, and if you’re one of the ten people who never read the book or saw the movie please do either right after you finish this newsletter), and thinking about how the decisions made by family members in one generation can impact those not yet born, and the unrequested burdens we oftentimes bear once we’re christened with a last name.
I started to reflect on how those situations are navigated by people, and specifically by women, and how the near impossible balance of mitigating the damage of the past while trying to forge a new future can sometimes cause you to fail at both, but other times, when successful, make you a living, breathing superhero.
This book is a celebration of those women—as flawed, deeply complex, and undeniably heroic, in ways I still struggle to wrap my brain around. Maybe this is my attempt to do just that.
But that narrative—of is the story of the women in my family, a book too vast and lacking in too many sources to ever write as pure non-fiction. But that’s where the ‘semi’ part of ‘semi-autobiographical’ comes in—the moment where we allow fiction to do its work when helping us inform the past.
I can’t wait for you to read this one!
—Christopher, April 2019
April 27, 2019
This book grabbed my heart so raw emotional and real.Different from any other books.
April 22, 2019
Have you ever wondered if an unknown past directly influences your life path? Do you ever think about the branches of your family tree, wondering about people you've never met?
The Sick Parents Club gives you insight into how an event in the past, far back on the family tree of the main character, has set his path in motion. Christopher takes you on a journey as Nathan Dunbar, the main character, reveals how his family tree has affected his life, and how he is taking control of his future. Through examining the events in his family's past, and telling the story of his youth, Nathan is able to realize how one singular event causes ripples that affect people even years after the fact.
Can one past event shape the future permantently? Will the past decide your fate? Or will understanding the past help you to avoid continuing the cycle?
The Sick Parents Club gives you insight into how an event in the past, far back on the family tree of the main character, has set his path in motion. Christopher takes you on a journey as Nathan Dunbar, the main character, reveals how his family tree has affected his life, and how he is taking control of his future. Through examining the events in his family's past, and telling the story of his youth, Nathan is able to realize how one singular event causes ripples that affect people even years after the fact.
Can one past event shape the future permantently? Will the past decide your fate? Or will understanding the past help you to avoid continuing the cycle?
May 2, 2019
It's very rare that you find a book that actually makes you reflect on yourself and your own life. A book that makes you think about your own past and wonder how it has shaped you.
Are there things that are actually passed down throughout the generations, or are we taught them by the way we are raised? Are certain behaviors and actions inherited, or are they learned? These are the kinds of questions that reading this book brought to my mind.
This usually really isn't my kind of genre. It was written almost like an autobiography. The main character, Nate, is an author and he had decided to write a book about his past, his family history, so the story read like an autobiography. Usually I can't get into those, but, in typical Harlan fashion, I was hooked from the very first sentence. I honestly did not want to put this book down, but I knew if I didn't, things would go undone around the house.
This book was a story about a path to self-discovery. A story about how one incident, generations ago, had paved the path for generations to come. How someone would build up enough courage to step off the path and create a new and better one for themselves and their own children. The past does not have to define who you are today. Your future is what you make of it. Learn from the past, grieve for the victims, but don't let it define you.
If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I totally would. It deserves it. It was an absolutely incredible, thought provoking journey that I enjoyed every second of.
5 out of 5 stars!
Are there things that are actually passed down throughout the generations, or are we taught them by the way we are raised? Are certain behaviors and actions inherited, or are they learned? These are the kinds of questions that reading this book brought to my mind.
This usually really isn't my kind of genre. It was written almost like an autobiography. The main character, Nate, is an author and he had decided to write a book about his past, his family history, so the story read like an autobiography. Usually I can't get into those, but, in typical Harlan fashion, I was hooked from the very first sentence. I honestly did not want to put this book down, but I knew if I didn't, things would go undone around the house.
This book was a story about a path to self-discovery. A story about how one incident, generations ago, had paved the path for generations to come. How someone would build up enough courage to step off the path and create a new and better one for themselves and their own children. The past does not have to define who you are today. Your future is what you make of it. Learn from the past, grieve for the victims, but don't let it define you.
If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I totally would. It deserves it. It was an absolutely incredible, thought provoking journey that I enjoyed every second of.
5 out of 5 stars!
May 7, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. To me, it had a flow unlike anything I’ve read by this author. I think this was a story he really needed to tell. I loved reading the adventures of Nate and Clover and their friends and it brought back memories of my childhood. I don’t think any family is perfect. We just get through it the best we can. This book is definitely worth reading.
April 30, 2019
Wow this book is a book I think everyone should and needs to read.I found the flow of the whole book was fantastic. The story of Nathan and his twin sister Clover.It makes you take the time to think of your own family and how and what our ancestors did that affects how our lives are today I would highly recommend this read to everyone Christopher Harlan is one hell of a Author that everyone needs to read .
April 30, 2019
Excellent book. Amazing characters and storyline.
April 30, 2019
I absolutely loved it! Definitely puts yours thoughts in perspective! Thinking back to school days and signs of things from friends and classmates and myself! Do worth the read!
January 7, 2024
I really enjoyed reading this book.. It is very different from his other books which I am ok with.. Which I am speechless.. I think everyone should read this book.. It touched me for the very moment I read it..
May 7, 2019
Christopher Harlan delivers an intricately woven tale of a family that spans generations. From the past to the present, an event that rocked a family to the core and created “victims of victims”. This story is based in truth and real events dating back to 1939.
The Sick Parents Club takes a hard look at depression, anxiety, pain and life long suffering. The albatross around the necks of so many families. Where parents hide their pain from their children in the hopes that they aren’t effected by the darkness that overwhelms them.
This book made me think very deeply about events in my own family and how they ultimately changed us. This is not just novel it is journey of perception, truth and understanding.
Christopher Harlan eloquently writes a story that grabs you from the start and enthralls you until the end.
The Sick Parents Club takes a hard look at depression, anxiety, pain and life long suffering. The albatross around the necks of so many families. Where parents hide their pain from their children in the hopes that they aren’t effected by the darkness that overwhelms them.
This book made me think very deeply about events in my own family and how they ultimately changed us. This is not just novel it is journey of perception, truth and understanding.
Christopher Harlan eloquently writes a story that grabs you from the start and enthralls you until the end.
April 30, 2019
Can one tragic event affect future generations of a family? This story is so thought provoking and will make you wonder about your own family story. This book shows how 4 generations of a family dealt with this issue and continue to do so. This story had me captivated from beginning to end. Christopher done an amazing job. The flow of the book was so good. I couldn't put it down. I keep going back to the question I asked at the beginning Can one tragic event affect future generations. I think Christopher did an amazing job of answering this question. Definitely worth more than 5 stars. And definitely makes you think about how I will handle things from now on!
April 26, 2019
I truly enjoyed this book. Christopher Harlan did such a wonderful job in this thought provoking and authentic book.
May 7, 2019
This book grabbed my attention from the very beginning and didn't let go. The writing was absolutely amazing! You could tell this was a story very important to the author. He put a lot of heart and soul into this story and it shows.
August 13, 2019
This is a new author to me. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. From a
kids perspective on his feelings.
When all the adults around have issues amongst themselves.
kids perspective on his feelings.
When all the adults around have issues amongst themselves.
April 29, 2019
In the middle of our angst filled teen-aged years or even our self-discovering twenties who has not wondered.....just how badly have my ancestors screwed up my life?
In Nathan we find ourselves along for the ride as he tries to find out just how much the murder of his great-grandmother has affected the rest of the family. And his much bigger quandary, does that bad DNA that would allow his great-grandfather to kill his wife live in him?
Nathan and his twin, Clover, have very different ways of handling things. Nathan believes knowledge is key to well, everything. Clover hasn't wanted to devel too deep into family history or even talk about how lacking their own parents were.
In our story we have two different timelines running. Grown up Nathan is working on a series of articles chronicling the murder. He then, at the suggestion of his wife, begins to write a book about it so that he can get the whole story out and maybe put some of his long held questions and ghosts to rest. Clover for once is in agreement that the story needs telling and she too needs to be able to put the past where it belongs.
Young Nathan is so sweet. A nerd. Comic book loving and by no means part of the popular crowd he surrounds himself with a small group of loyal friends. Carmine, Damien, Serafina and Clover. Carmine the slightly overweight sidekick who's been there his whole life. Damien (Colorblind) the kid who dresses funny, has a weird obsession (WWE Wrestling), and lives quietly so as not to draw attention. Serafina is Damien's sister. She's the rebel girl who isn't popular beautiful but beautiful because she knows her own mind and has a different view of the world because what has happened to her.
All these kids have one thing in common.....their parents suck! Nathan's mom suffers from severe depression. Dad, well he's just....just....there? Damien and Serafina have lost their mom to cancer and dad has become a violent drunk. Yup, all the typical things that no one wants to let anyone else know is going on behind the front door.
Now Nathan takes his family history seriously. Did anyone realize the damage that was going to happen to the family once Angelikh (his GG) was killed? How it would change his grandmother from a young girl to a young mother as she took over raising her siblings? Could it be in the DNA that these women would choose lousy men to marry or was it part of the "ricochet of the bullet through the family"? Would he turn into a bad man since their DNA ran through him? And biggest of all, why did no one want to talk about it, why did it have to be such a big secret......could they heal if they opened up? See, I told you for a teen-aged boy he's "deep".
This story took me back to my discovery of the "great family secret". No, nothing as violent as murder but in my world, just as devastating. I knew exactly what Nathan was going through trying to figure out just how much our past shapes us and can we ever get out from under it. Are we doomed to continue to make the same poor choices? Are we capable of causing others that much pain? How do we break the cycle?
But what made me happy was to see how in the end he found strength in all the women in his family. He saw that even though they might have chosen the "wrong" men or lived unthinkable tragedies they were in fact strong. Stronger than he, and in some cases themselves, gave them credit for. They did there best by their children. They fought the depression and other illnesses for as long as they could. And in his mom's case, she instilled a value for education, a love of writing and to keep going no matter what. It serves as a reminder maturity and experience do indeed play a vital role in our perceptions and that they will continue to evolve as we continue to do so.
In Nathan we find ourselves along for the ride as he tries to find out just how much the murder of his great-grandmother has affected the rest of the family. And his much bigger quandary, does that bad DNA that would allow his great-grandfather to kill his wife live in him?
Nathan and his twin, Clover, have very different ways of handling things. Nathan believes knowledge is key to well, everything. Clover hasn't wanted to devel too deep into family history or even talk about how lacking their own parents were.
In our story we have two different timelines running. Grown up Nathan is working on a series of articles chronicling the murder. He then, at the suggestion of his wife, begins to write a book about it so that he can get the whole story out and maybe put some of his long held questions and ghosts to rest. Clover for once is in agreement that the story needs telling and she too needs to be able to put the past where it belongs.
Young Nathan is so sweet. A nerd. Comic book loving and by no means part of the popular crowd he surrounds himself with a small group of loyal friends. Carmine, Damien, Serafina and Clover. Carmine the slightly overweight sidekick who's been there his whole life. Damien (Colorblind) the kid who dresses funny, has a weird obsession (WWE Wrestling), and lives quietly so as not to draw attention. Serafina is Damien's sister. She's the rebel girl who isn't popular beautiful but beautiful because she knows her own mind and has a different view of the world because what has happened to her.
All these kids have one thing in common.....their parents suck! Nathan's mom suffers from severe depression. Dad, well he's just....just....there? Damien and Serafina have lost their mom to cancer and dad has become a violent drunk. Yup, all the typical things that no one wants to let anyone else know is going on behind the front door.
Now Nathan takes his family history seriously. Did anyone realize the damage that was going to happen to the family once Angelikh (his GG) was killed? How it would change his grandmother from a young girl to a young mother as she took over raising her siblings? Could it be in the DNA that these women would choose lousy men to marry or was it part of the "ricochet of the bullet through the family"? Would he turn into a bad man since their DNA ran through him? And biggest of all, why did no one want to talk about it, why did it have to be such a big secret......could they heal if they opened up? See, I told you for a teen-aged boy he's "deep".
This story took me back to my discovery of the "great family secret". No, nothing as violent as murder but in my world, just as devastating. I knew exactly what Nathan was going through trying to figure out just how much our past shapes us and can we ever get out from under it. Are we doomed to continue to make the same poor choices? Are we capable of causing others that much pain? How do we break the cycle?
But what made me happy was to see how in the end he found strength in all the women in his family. He saw that even though they might have chosen the "wrong" men or lived unthinkable tragedies they were in fact strong. Stronger than he, and in some cases themselves, gave them credit for. They did there best by their children. They fought the depression and other illnesses for as long as they could. And in his mom's case, she instilled a value for education, a love of writing and to keep going no matter what. It serves as a reminder maturity and experience do indeed play a vital role in our perceptions and that they will continue to evolve as we continue to do so.
May 7, 2019
Whilst I own several of Christopher Harlan's books, I just haven't got round to reading them due to how busy my life is, but there was something about the blurb of The Sick Parents Club that told me I had to find the time to read it. I'm always on the lookout for stories that make you stop and think, and wow this book does just that. Christopher Harlan has created a powerful story that takes readers on a journey and leaves them with some important messages that will have them looking over their own family stories.
The Sick Parents Club is partly based on true events and shows how past events can impact on the future. It shows that whilst an event takes place many years ago, the after effects can ripple down the generations and also have consequences on their lives. I loved how this book jumped back and forth as, in my opinion, this gives the reader a better understanding of the story and the consequences suffered by not only Nathan, but also his twin sister who deals with things differently. We also learn about their friends and how their own families have their own battles to face. For me, I feel like writing his family's story was Nathan's way of fully breaking the cycle and allowing himself to move on from the demons that had stopped previous generations. I guess you could say he found his own form therapy.
I was able to relate with parts of this 5 star read due to my own battle with depression and anxiety. I'm thankfully 'out the other side', but it took years of hard work and professional help to get to where I am now. I've said for a long time that some of my problems were connected to not only my parents, but also my grandparents, and that I needed to break the cycles they created. I can also see these cycles being continued by other family members who sadly haven't realised it themselves. As a parent, I'm determined that the cycles end with me and my son's life will be different to what I experienced growing up.
I believe this story will touch so many readers lives, and this is definitely a book everyone needs to pick up and read. Mental health is something that should be spoken about and I'm so glad that this author isn't afraid to face such a difficult topic head on. My only hope is that readers take away the lessons they learn from this book and put them to good use. A victim doesn't have to remain a victim. Life long cycles can be broken. Everyone deals with things differently, but no one way is the right way. I could go on about what I'm taking away from this amazing book, but I want you to read it yourself and take away your own lessons as each person's experience will be different. I just know that you HAVE to read this book!
The Sick Parents Club is partly based on true events and shows how past events can impact on the future. It shows that whilst an event takes place many years ago, the after effects can ripple down the generations and also have consequences on their lives. I loved how this book jumped back and forth as, in my opinion, this gives the reader a better understanding of the story and the consequences suffered by not only Nathan, but also his twin sister who deals with things differently. We also learn about their friends and how their own families have their own battles to face. For me, I feel like writing his family's story was Nathan's way of fully breaking the cycle and allowing himself to move on from the demons that had stopped previous generations. I guess you could say he found his own form therapy.
I was able to relate with parts of this 5 star read due to my own battle with depression and anxiety. I'm thankfully 'out the other side', but it took years of hard work and professional help to get to where I am now. I've said for a long time that some of my problems were connected to not only my parents, but also my grandparents, and that I needed to break the cycles they created. I can also see these cycles being continued by other family members who sadly haven't realised it themselves. As a parent, I'm determined that the cycles end with me and my son's life will be different to what I experienced growing up.
I believe this story will touch so many readers lives, and this is definitely a book everyone needs to pick up and read. Mental health is something that should be spoken about and I'm so glad that this author isn't afraid to face such a difficult topic head on. My only hope is that readers take away the lessons they learn from this book and put them to good use. A victim doesn't have to remain a victim. Life long cycles can be broken. Everyone deals with things differently, but no one way is the right way. I could go on about what I'm taking away from this amazing book, but I want you to read it yourself and take away your own lessons as each person's experience will be different. I just know that you HAVE to read this book!
May 6, 2019
"There was no bus ticket you could buy to escape the demons that lived inside. They would always catch you."
Nathan Dunbar's family has a secret. A family tragedy that became the Voldemort of the Dunbar name - that which shall not be named. Nathan has decided to write about it for all the world to see. In this story we follow Nathan and his sister Clover back in time to their childhood, their parents, their friends, and we learn that a damaged past doesn't have form damaged people. It is such an emotional story and takes you on a roller coaster of feels.
As time dilutes the genetics of those who came before us, each newly formed branch of our family tree can sprout its own leaves, it's own offshoots-stronger, greener, healthier. Sure, our past can have a role in forming who we are, but it is ultimately possible to break the chain - the chain that holds us to believing that we are who we come from, that what plagued the past generations is somehow so ingrained in our own DNA that it is inescapable.
As I was reading this, I realized how little I know of my parents' relationships with their parents and their grandparents, and so on. I know some facts, but not the emotional side. Were they close? What kind of people were they? I know what MY relationship was with my grandparents and the one I had with my great-grandmother for the short time I had her in my life. I've seen pictures of generations past, but I know next to nothing about them. I'd like to change that.
I absolutely adore this author. He can make you swoon with hot cops in romantic thrillers, bring you back to your younger, awkward teenage years with his Young Adult books (which trust me are really for everyone), and make you feel like you are one of the inner circle of authors in his Wordsmith series. His writing style is one of elegance and intellect, and he has the capability of drawing you in to the story so you feel like you are sitting across a table from him at Starbucks as he simply just.....talks to you.
This is brilliant book. Hands down one of the best I've read. Ever. Please go grab it. You won't be sorry!
Nathan Dunbar's family has a secret. A family tragedy that became the Voldemort of the Dunbar name - that which shall not be named. Nathan has decided to write about it for all the world to see. In this story we follow Nathan and his sister Clover back in time to their childhood, their parents, their friends, and we learn that a damaged past doesn't have form damaged people. It is such an emotional story and takes you on a roller coaster of feels.
As time dilutes the genetics of those who came before us, each newly formed branch of our family tree can sprout its own leaves, it's own offshoots-stronger, greener, healthier. Sure, our past can have a role in forming who we are, but it is ultimately possible to break the chain - the chain that holds us to believing that we are who we come from, that what plagued the past generations is somehow so ingrained in our own DNA that it is inescapable.
As I was reading this, I realized how little I know of my parents' relationships with their parents and their grandparents, and so on. I know some facts, but not the emotional side. Were they close? What kind of people were they? I know what MY relationship was with my grandparents and the one I had with my great-grandmother for the short time I had her in my life. I've seen pictures of generations past, but I know next to nothing about them. I'd like to change that.
I absolutely adore this author. He can make you swoon with hot cops in romantic thrillers, bring you back to your younger, awkward teenage years with his Young Adult books (which trust me are really for everyone), and make you feel like you are one of the inner circle of authors in his Wordsmith series. His writing style is one of elegance and intellect, and he has the capability of drawing you in to the story so you feel like you are sitting across a table from him at Starbucks as he simply just.....talks to you.
This is brilliant book. Hands down one of the best I've read. Ever. Please go grab it. You won't be sorry!
May 3, 2019
“It’s the irony of depression and anxiety. It reduces you to a coward, it robs you of who you really are, it takes your strength and feasts on your energy. But surviving it makes you the strongest person in the world, even if you look like you’re only a mild gust of wind from blowing away forever.”
I’m going to go ahead and put this out into the universe in hopes that a teacher or administrator might stumble upon my review.... I would love to see Christopher Harlan’s The Sick Parents Club read in schools. I’m thinking middle school while the kids are old enough to understand but (hopefully) still young enough to be changed by it before they really get out into the world. Yes, there is some cursing but let’s be real, it wouldn’t be the first time they’ve heard it and the message is more than worth looking over a few f-bombs. The book paints a picture and puts names to concepts that I had to learn the hard way and that I’ve tried to instill in my children since early elementary. Hurt people hurt people. People can’t give what they don’t have. Feel sorry for the bullies because heaven only knows what they’ve been through or are going through to make them act that way and choose a life and actions that cut them off from meaningful relationships. They are likely the most victimized of all. Forgive them because they know not what they do. And, of course, be mindful of how you treat people because every interaction you have with someone changes them - even if it is only a tiny bit - so be a light instead of dragging people into darkness. Sick Parents illustrates the ricochet pattern of trauma and mental illness as it is passed down through generations - either through genetics or the impact of growing up with mentally ill parents. It also puts a spotlight on the long term effects of shaming and stigmatizing and trying to “hide” mental health issues. If you read this book and aren’t changed in some way, don’t look at the people who (have) wrong(ed) you through at least a slightly different lens, you’ve missed it.
I’m going to go ahead and put this out into the universe in hopes that a teacher or administrator might stumble upon my review.... I would love to see Christopher Harlan’s The Sick Parents Club read in schools. I’m thinking middle school while the kids are old enough to understand but (hopefully) still young enough to be changed by it before they really get out into the world. Yes, there is some cursing but let’s be real, it wouldn’t be the first time they’ve heard it and the message is more than worth looking over a few f-bombs. The book paints a picture and puts names to concepts that I had to learn the hard way and that I’ve tried to instill in my children since early elementary. Hurt people hurt people. People can’t give what they don’t have. Feel sorry for the bullies because heaven only knows what they’ve been through or are going through to make them act that way and choose a life and actions that cut them off from meaningful relationships. They are likely the most victimized of all. Forgive them because they know not what they do. And, of course, be mindful of how you treat people because every interaction you have with someone changes them - even if it is only a tiny bit - so be a light instead of dragging people into darkness. Sick Parents illustrates the ricochet pattern of trauma and mental illness as it is passed down through generations - either through genetics or the impact of growing up with mentally ill parents. It also puts a spotlight on the long term effects of shaming and stigmatizing and trying to “hide” mental health issues. If you read this book and aren’t changed in some way, don’t look at the people who (have) wrong(ed) you through at least a slightly different lens, you’ve missed it.
April 30, 2019
What a masterpiece!! Christopher Harlan has a written deeply personal, powerful and thought provoking story that made me reflect on my own life and how it has shaped me.
“The Sick Parents Club” is sometimes heartbreaking but also hopeful and it was an important story to tell. As I was reading about Nate and his family, I began thinking about my own Mother who is strong and does everything for her family. We are the lucky ones because she is always there for us. Nate’s Mother was always there for him too, even when she was too sick to leave her bedroom. He could still sit with her and hold her hand which gave strength to both of them. Even if she didn’t feel like talking to Nate, a gentle squeezing of her hand was worth a thousand words.
Nate had his close friends to fill in when his family was unable to comfort him. Even though they came from less than desirable family situations, they had each other to confide in. Nate never let the sins of his great-grandfather seep into his mind and take over his life. He realized it was a part of his past that would never go away and he chose to be stronger than it and rose above the horror of what happened. Despite having a mother that was oftentimes lost in her thoughts and uncommunicative, Nate was able to get by with his sister and best friends by his side. Mental illness may have been prevalent in their family but Nate and his sister Clover didn’t allow it to shape their future. The love that Nate had for his mother gave him the strength and courage to write about the tragedy that had haunted his family for years. It made him understand that he was stronger than the men who came before him and that he deserved a life full of love and happiness.
“The Sick Parents Club” is sometimes heartbreaking but also hopeful and it was an important story to tell. As I was reading about Nate and his family, I began thinking about my own Mother who is strong and does everything for her family. We are the lucky ones because she is always there for us. Nate’s Mother was always there for him too, even when she was too sick to leave her bedroom. He could still sit with her and hold her hand which gave strength to both of them. Even if she didn’t feel like talking to Nate, a gentle squeezing of her hand was worth a thousand words.
Nate had his close friends to fill in when his family was unable to comfort him. Even though they came from less than desirable family situations, they had each other to confide in. Nate never let the sins of his great-grandfather seep into his mind and take over his life. He realized it was a part of his past that would never go away and he chose to be stronger than it and rose above the horror of what happened. Despite having a mother that was oftentimes lost in her thoughts and uncommunicative, Nate was able to get by with his sister and best friends by his side. Mental illness may have been prevalent in their family but Nate and his sister Clover didn’t allow it to shape their future. The love that Nate had for his mother gave him the strength and courage to write about the tragedy that had haunted his family for years. It made him understand that he was stronger than the men who came before him and that he deserved a life full of love and happiness.
May 7, 2019
A deeply moving portrayal of how one moment in a family’s history could impact family members generations later. This story is based on a real event that occurred in 1939 in New York City, and the author used it to weave a tale that left me questioning if one moment in my own family’s history could have the same long reaching effects. It left me wondering if the life and events of my family’s actions or inactions have helped turn me into the person I am today.
We’re allowed to live in the lives of Nate and Clover, twins growing up in a house filled with depression and other mental illnesses. We see and feel the struggle for composure and control. We see the good and the bad, all through the eyes of teens having to also deal with bullies and abusers. The story is well paced, the characters are real, flawed and easy to connect with, and the world building rich and vibrant. This is definitely a must-read story for everyone, teens and up. This book can be a little uncomfortable, but that’s part of the beauty. It’s dealing with real life uncomfortable topics. Something we still don’t speak about freely in 2019. I had to take time to process after I finished this story, I had to figure out how I felt, what I wanted to put in words, and to hope that I could accurately describe the world that Christopher Harlan created with this story. This will definitely be a top pick book for me this year and I’m not even sure the story will ever leave my subconscious. Thank you, Mr. Harlan, for putting pen to paper and writing such a compelling story. I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest and voluntary review.
We’re allowed to live in the lives of Nate and Clover, twins growing up in a house filled with depression and other mental illnesses. We see and feel the struggle for composure and control. We see the good and the bad, all through the eyes of teens having to also deal with bullies and abusers. The story is well paced, the characters are real, flawed and easy to connect with, and the world building rich and vibrant. This is definitely a must-read story for everyone, teens and up. This book can be a little uncomfortable, but that’s part of the beauty. It’s dealing with real life uncomfortable topics. Something we still don’t speak about freely in 2019. I had to take time to process after I finished this story, I had to figure out how I felt, what I wanted to put in words, and to hope that I could accurately describe the world that Christopher Harlan created with this story. This will definitely be a top pick book for me this year and I’m not even sure the story will ever leave my subconscious. Thank you, Mr. Harlan, for putting pen to paper and writing such a compelling story. I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest and voluntary review.
May 1, 2019
"The bullet let loose on July 22nd, 1939, destroyed a house full of children who went to sleep normal, but awoke forever deformed." This book is more than just a novel. This book is a true testament to the strength and resiliance to women within a family. I am absolutely moved by this book because Christopher Harlan took a tragedy and turned it into a masterpiece. We often don't realize how past generations can influence future generations. We can either let it define our actions or we can take the lessons it teaches us and change things. In the end it is up to us. Looking back in history it is often the women that take charge. They are the matriarches of a family, the "mother bear" that protects her loved ones with all her might. Certainly there are actions we can't quite grasp like protecting an abusive father or husband, but nontheless it takes a strong woman to overcome and change the path of history. Christopher Harlan has grasp exactly that with this book. The one thing I took away from this novel is that you can't let the past overpower you. Past experiences can make us stronger. We just have to grab the opportunities given to us to change things. Strong women are truly the makers of history.
I have been following Christopher Harlan since his first book and can honestly say that his writing is exceptional. This book is absolutely phenomenal and a tribute to all women past and future. As an author his diversity is untouchable, which truly shows in this semi-autibiographical novel. I can only highly recommend this book and this is a must have in everybody's library.
I have been following Christopher Harlan since his first book and can honestly say that his writing is exceptional. This book is absolutely phenomenal and a tribute to all women past and future. As an author his diversity is untouchable, which truly shows in this semi-autibiographical novel. I can only highly recommend this book and this is a must have in everybody's library.
May 7, 2019
The Sick Parents Club by Christopher Harlan
Reviewed by Angi
OMFG…. that’s the statement going thru my head the entire time I was reading this book. I haven’t shut up about it since I started it.
There were sections I re-read a couple of times while reading it. There are books that are good. There are books that are GREAT! This is beyond GREAT! It resonates to the core of your being.
I wanted to laugh and cry at times. The emotion is real and raw. I had to process this book for a bit before writing my review.
There is an article written by the main character that perfectly describes the “The Ricochet of a Bullet Through Generations.” This was the most terrifyingly truthful description of what a bullet can do to a family. This hit me so incredibly hard I got up from my comfy bed where I was ready to go read it to someone. I’ve told everyone that will listen to me about it.
The fact that this book is so personal to the author makes it all the more personal to me as a reader. If you are on the fence about trying Christopher's books, let me tell you this. He is an author that you “FEEL” in the story. He writes with raw emotions and deep thought. His down to earth personality is full of reality and humility and at times hilarity. You can not go wrong here and you have a couple of genres to choose from!
Reviewed by Angi
OMFG…. that’s the statement going thru my head the entire time I was reading this book. I haven’t shut up about it since I started it.
There were sections I re-read a couple of times while reading it. There are books that are good. There are books that are GREAT! This is beyond GREAT! It resonates to the core of your being.
I wanted to laugh and cry at times. The emotion is real and raw. I had to process this book for a bit before writing my review.
There is an article written by the main character that perfectly describes the “The Ricochet of a Bullet Through Generations.” This was the most terrifyingly truthful description of what a bullet can do to a family. This hit me so incredibly hard I got up from my comfy bed where I was ready to go read it to someone. I’ve told everyone that will listen to me about it.
The fact that this book is so personal to the author makes it all the more personal to me as a reader. If you are on the fence about trying Christopher's books, let me tell you this. He is an author that you “FEEL” in the story. He writes with raw emotions and deep thought. His down to earth personality is full of reality and humility and at times hilarity. You can not go wrong here and you have a couple of genres to choose from!
May 3, 2019
This book, I hope people are ready for it. The story is amazing. Just that, amazing. Ups and downs of the lives and history of Nathan and Clover. Add in family and friends along the way, going back in history and staying current.
Honestly, I got about half way through the book and needed to take a break. As a person who has been touched by Cancer in family members, suicides, mental health problems and a host of other items that could be part of the Club, I needed to step back and think about everything before continuing on. I just needed to step away and process what was all going on with the story. I knew I was going to finish it, the story was just too good not to finish and stepping back gave me some clarity to be sure I could continue with an open mind.
I am so glad I was able to finish the book and the story involved. Sometimes life throughs you fast balls and curve balls but you continue on. I think the story of Nathan, Clover, Fina, and all the others was a story that needed to be written and shared. It was beautiful.
Seriously, you need to read it, who ever is reading reviews. It is well worth it.
Honestly, I got about half way through the book and needed to take a break. As a person who has been touched by Cancer in family members, suicides, mental health problems and a host of other items that could be part of the Club, I needed to step back and think about everything before continuing on. I just needed to step away and process what was all going on with the story. I knew I was going to finish it, the story was just too good not to finish and stepping back gave me some clarity to be sure I could continue with an open mind.
I am so glad I was able to finish the book and the story involved. Sometimes life throughs you fast balls and curve balls but you continue on. I think the story of Nathan, Clover, Fina, and all the others was a story that needed to be written and shared. It was beautiful.
Seriously, you need to read it, who ever is reading reviews. It is well worth it.
May 5, 2019
Wow! This book!
Let me preface with this; I didn't NOT love it but i didn't love it as much I expected I would. When I started reading it I felt like I wasn't issued the bouncing ball to follow along with, as I got into it I was able to flow with the story much easier. Coming from a background of a family of bi-polar, schizophrenia, depression, mental and sexual abuse, with a husband/wife murder in the past; I expected to be able to understand and follow this story without issue. It took a bit of book before that happened for me.
So, with all that being said, I liked the book. The way the author shows you how the main family is impacted by events of the past, how they recognize the damage and see how it could take them down the same roads. I enjoyed reading about how the brother/sister each developed and dealt with it to come out the other side the way they did. It left me wanting to know more about the true aspect of the story (which happens with most true event books I read)
SPOILER: if the two characters didn't end up together I would have been so angry with the whole story :) I was very glad to hear it ended as a happily through it all ending.
Let me preface with this; I didn't NOT love it but i didn't love it as much I expected I would. When I started reading it I felt like I wasn't issued the bouncing ball to follow along with, as I got into it I was able to flow with the story much easier. Coming from a background of a family of bi-polar, schizophrenia, depression, mental and sexual abuse, with a husband/wife murder in the past; I expected to be able to understand and follow this story without issue. It took a bit of book before that happened for me.
So, with all that being said, I liked the book. The way the author shows you how the main family is impacted by events of the past, how they recognize the damage and see how it could take them down the same roads. I enjoyed reading about how the brother/sister each developed and dealt with it to come out the other side the way they did. It left me wanting to know more about the true aspect of the story (which happens with most true event books I read)
SPOILER: if the two characters didn't end up together I would have been so angry with the whole story :) I was very glad to hear it ended as a happily through it all ending.
May 5, 2019
Wow , first impression was this was a great story. However, it was so much more than that. As the narrator of the story, Nathan Dunbar goes back in time to relive his childhood as he remembers it and ends up having a profound revelation by the end. Nate understood all too well that "our past informs our future." What may have began as a nightmare of an event in his family history has caused Nate to "reclaim the narrative" and forge a new family reality for future generations. Survival isn't always a choice and the women in Nathan's family, including his BFF, were definitely survivors, as well as victims of truly bad men. No matter the good, bad or ugly in between that innate sense of strength was passed down to him and his twin sister. He intended to make sure that his baby girl would learn the stories, but also start a new chapter b/c the mold broke with him and "The Sick Parents Club" was no longer accepting new members. Definitely give this book a chance. I do not think you will be able to finish without perhaps even thinking of some strong women you might know on your own family tree.
May 7, 2019
Have you ever read a book that made you sit back and think about how it correlates so well with your own life? Maybe some of the issues and concerns are slightly less or more than your experience but you can still feel everything the characters do!?! Well for me, THIS book did that.
I can so vividly feel so many of the things that Nathan talks about and at many points I had to put the book down and let it sit for a while to think things through. This brought a lot of things to the forefront of my mind that I never really realized had an affect on me from the past.
Do yourself a favour and READ THIS BOOK! Share it with your friends and family! Bring it to the teens you know and have them read it! There is something in this book that will hit home with everyone and it is so well worth the read!
I LOVED IT!
I can so vividly feel so many of the things that Nathan talks about and at many points I had to put the book down and let it sit for a while to think things through. This brought a lot of things to the forefront of my mind that I never really realized had an affect on me from the past.
Do yourself a favour and READ THIS BOOK! Share it with your friends and family! Bring it to the teens you know and have them read it! There is something in this book that will hit home with everyone and it is so well worth the read!
I LOVED IT!
May 10, 2019
This book was one of those books that will stick with me long after I have read it. it is the story of Nate and Clover, twin brother and sister, and how the grew up. It speaks of the history of their family and how that history shaped their family and how they grew up as kids and how the did or did not want to live their lives as adults. They grew up in a small neighborhood with kids from families who each had their own version of “sick parents” whether it was neglect, abuse, not being in their life any more, etc. It spoke about how Nate could see what happened to his great grandmother and how that shaped his grandmother’s life, and in turn his mother’s life, and then his own. I enjoyed reading about the other characters as well, Serafina, Carmine, and Damien. This was very different than Christopher Harlan’s other books but I would definitely recommend this book.
April 26, 2019
“No fate but what we choose’
This book will make you take a look at yourself in a totally different way. It will make you think about how you became you and if there were influences that are way beyond your DNA make up. The phrase “Victim of a Victim” really stuck with me through this book; it made me look at the characters in a different light. Maybe you were born to be one thing but circumstances in your life lead you down the opposite path and you may not have even noticed until it was too late.
Can you break the cycle of your own family tree or are you destined to repeat the mistakes of the past. This is one of my top reads of this year!! You will not regret one clicking this one!!
This book will make you take a look at yourself in a totally different way. It will make you think about how you became you and if there were influences that are way beyond your DNA make up. The phrase “Victim of a Victim” really stuck with me through this book; it made me look at the characters in a different light. Maybe you were born to be one thing but circumstances in your life lead you down the opposite path and you may not have even noticed until it was too late.
Can you break the cycle of your own family tree or are you destined to repeat the mistakes of the past. This is one of my top reads of this year!! You will not regret one clicking this one!!
May 3, 2019
Wow. As much as I love Christopher Harlan's romantic works, I just find my mind and heart consistently blown by his more true-to-life/semi-autobiographical novels and this one is only an exception in that he has surpassed even himself and Away From Here (my favourite Christopher Harlan story) with Sick Parents Club.
Damn, this was a tough book to get through, even for someone like me who has not lived the life of the characters/people in the book. I can only imagine, though I am sure, not fully. That is not to say that I regret reading this story. Nothing could be further from the truth. I feel richer, better for having had even this relatively small experience of it. I can't promise that everyone's experience will mirror mine but I can promise that you won't regret reading this book.
Damn, this was a tough book to get through, even for someone like me who has not lived the life of the characters/people in the book. I can only imagine, though I am sure, not fully. That is not to say that I regret reading this story. Nothing could be further from the truth. I feel richer, better for having had even this relatively small experience of it. I can't promise that everyone's experience will mirror mine but I can promise that you won't regret reading this book.
May 6, 2019
Truly thought provoking story. This is where Christoper Harlan excels. His storytelling is beyond compare. I was completely drawn in, not only because you know the story is rooted in truth but also because he takes you on this journey that for most would be difficult to confront. He opens your eyes to not only his families pain, past and truths, but also makes you see your own truths through different eyes. I'm sure I have more to say, but truthfully, everyone needs to read this story. It is part true crime, part history, part therapy and fully enlightening! Thank you Christopher for letting us in and teaching us that while you may have generations of pain and victimization born into your DNA, it doesn't have to continue to be revisited on future generations.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews