What do you think?
Rate this book
Rapids
Yan Harris is VERY EXCITED.
Well, of course she is. It’s summer, she’s got over her depression and she’s in London for a week with her BFF Chelsea. After seventeen years in a sleepy village where everybody just knows them as The Chinese One and The Brainy One… life is calling.
It’s a pretty cool prospect… if Chel can stop worrying about online discourse in the Nordhelm TV fandom long enough to enjoy it. Chelsea’s worried about Yan, too, to Yan’s annoyance.
Barely sleeping, barely eating, getting increasingly gobby, having an – ahem – close encounter in a toilet, giving a Tory MP a good kick in the shins, and running around kind of literally screaming…. well, it’s all just good summer fun, isn’t it?
Isn’t it?
In the desperate battle of Yan vs. bipolar disorder, does the poor disease really stand a chance?
Written by an author who lives with bipolar herself, this is an hilarious and heart-warming friendship story with a fandom twist, perfect for fans of Holly Bourne and Alice Oseman.
---
This book nails it—not just the vertiginous flights of bipolar, but also the pure joy of youth. Far from another droning mental health dirge, Bowles gives us a vibrant, witty, wonderfully weird narrator in Yan, in whose company we cannot help but see the beauty, and the power, of the sometimes disorderly mind. - Marya Hornbacher
Well, of course she is. It’s summer, she’s got over her depression and she’s in London for a week with her BFF Chelsea. After seventeen years in a sleepy village where everybody just knows them as The Chinese One and The Brainy One… life is calling.
It’s a pretty cool prospect… if Chel can stop worrying about online discourse in the Nordhelm TV fandom long enough to enjoy it. Chelsea’s worried about Yan, too, to Yan’s annoyance.
Barely sleeping, barely eating, getting increasingly gobby, having an – ahem – close encounter in a toilet, giving a Tory MP a good kick in the shins, and running around kind of literally screaming…. well, it’s all just good summer fun, isn’t it?
Isn’t it?
In the desperate battle of Yan vs. bipolar disorder, does the poor disease really stand a chance?
Written by an author who lives with bipolar herself, this is an hilarious and heart-warming friendship story with a fandom twist, perfect for fans of Holly Bourne and Alice Oseman.
---
This book nails it—not just the vertiginous flights of bipolar, but also the pure joy of youth. Far from another droning mental health dirge, Bowles gives us a vibrant, witty, wonderfully weird narrator in Yan, in whose company we cannot help but see the beauty, and the power, of the sometimes disorderly mind. - Marya Hornbacher
290 pages, Paperback
Published May 10, 2021
3 people are currently reading
34 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 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 28, 2021
A funny, clever and emotionally honest novel about summer time, London, bipolar disorder, hat-making and online fandom, Rapids is surprising and compelling. Yan and her best friend Chelsea travel to London so that they can visit prospective universities, and get a taste of the big city. But Yan doesn't know that she has bipolar disorder, or that she's just entering hypomania, the "up" side of bipolar. Having struggled with depression during the previous school year, she's thrilled to feel so positive, and is happy to throw herself into life in London, making new friends, exploring the city, and encouraging Chelsea to push her boundaries. It seems like normal summer fun, until Yan becomes more and more likely to push one boundary too many, kicking Tory ministers, having ill-advised make-out sessions, and meeting her estranged father. This is also a wonderful exploration of online fandom and fandom dynamics: Yan and Chelsea are both heavily involved in online fandom, and this book shows how online and offline worlds are closely connected, that there is a real person behind every online profile, and asks for that almost impossible thing -- nuance in online discussions. But this book is most of all a celebration of the friendship between Chelsea and Yan, and how close friends can weather difficult problems. I really fell for feisty Yan, and I love the exploration of living with mental illness, as something that never goes away, but does not create a life without opportunities or love. Highly recommended!
May 16, 2021
Goodreads keeps urging me to review my own book, so I guess I will.
Surprisingly enough, I like this book. I wrote it to provide an alternative to the standard treatments of bipolar disorder in fiction, which have it as a tragic affliction that often results in suicide. The thing is, it IS a tragic affliction that sometimes results in suicide, but it's also only one aspect of a person's identity. Yan is also funny, creative, caring, sexy, strong-willed, heavily into the cult TV show Nordhelm (favourite character: Isga the vampire mer-queen), active in online fandom (as isga-bites-u) and totally obsessed with hats. In between the distractions of going batshit (a technical term) she's trying her best to support her best friend Chelsea, who is fighting off self-doubt, teachers' disdain and a raft of working-class cliches to pursue her dream of becoming an academic.
If the bipolar thinks it's going to get the upper hand here, it has another think coming. Though it might take a while to come.
In conclusion: book is good and funny. You should read good funny book.
Surprisingly enough, I like this book. I wrote it to provide an alternative to the standard treatments of bipolar disorder in fiction, which have it as a tragic affliction that often results in suicide. The thing is, it IS a tragic affliction that sometimes results in suicide, but it's also only one aspect of a person's identity. Yan is also funny, creative, caring, sexy, strong-willed, heavily into the cult TV show Nordhelm (favourite character: Isga the vampire mer-queen), active in online fandom (as isga-bites-u) and totally obsessed with hats. In between the distractions of going batshit (a technical term) she's trying her best to support her best friend Chelsea, who is fighting off self-doubt, teachers' disdain and a raft of working-class cliches to pursue her dream of becoming an academic.
If the bipolar thinks it's going to get the upper hand here, it has another think coming. Though it might take a while to come.
In conclusion: book is good and funny. You should read good funny book.
March 30, 2021
I loved this book, and want to buy it for every teen (and many adults!) I know. The main character, Yan, is incredibly vivid and profoundly likeable, and the book is deft in its portrayal of her teenage joy/angst/rage/confusion, and her growing mental illness. I was sad when it ended -- I'll miss spending time with Yan.
March 26, 2021
Yan and her best friend, Chelsea, plan to escape from their dull sleepy life in Brockford and go to university together in London; Yan to study fashion design, Chelsea to study English Literature. When they are offered the opportunity to stay for a few days with Chelsea's aunt and explore their options, they grab at the chance - although Yan also has a hidden agenda as she wants to track down her father who she hasn't seen for years and Chelsea is worrying about comments on her online fandom blog. However, Yan has undiagnosed bipolar disorder and, after suffering from depression earlier in the year, now finds her mood swings into mania with serious consequences.
A brutally honest YA book about the impact of bipolar disorder that manages to be both humorous whilst dealing with a serious mental health condition. As Yan becomes more and more overactive, the reader is exposed to the relentless thoughts that fill her head and is given an insight into both the impact this has on her mental wellbeing as well as the effect this disorder can have on behaviour; you feel Yan's frustration as she tries to control her reactions but is unable to do so. With friendship and trust issues, an LGBT+ focus and a theme of fandom running through the book, this is sure to be popular with older teens.
This is definitely an older teen/YA book as it has references to drugs, incidences of sex as well as swearing. It also needs trigger warnings of depression and suicide.
A brutally honest YA book about the impact of bipolar disorder that manages to be both humorous whilst dealing with a serious mental health condition. As Yan becomes more and more overactive, the reader is exposed to the relentless thoughts that fill her head and is given an insight into both the impact this has on her mental wellbeing as well as the effect this disorder can have on behaviour; you feel Yan's frustration as she tries to control her reactions but is unable to do so. With friendship and trust issues, an LGBT+ focus and a theme of fandom running through the book, this is sure to be popular with older teens.
This is definitely an older teen/YA book as it has references to drugs, incidences of sex as well as swearing. It also needs trigger warnings of depression and suicide.
May 11, 2021
It’s Mental Health Awareness Week this week so now seems like the perfect time to read the newly-released Rapids by Anna Bowles. Written by an own voices author, this YA contemporary explores the hypomania of Bipolar II. This aspect of the illness is not featured very often so it’s both refreshing and educational to read.
Seventeen-year-old protagonist Yan is half-Chinese and finally spending a week in London with her best friend Chelsea touring potential universities. Flashbacks taking place two months prior detail Yan’s depression and suicidal ideation. Now everything is perfect and Yan is desperate to experience all that London offers. However, her behaviour begins to worry Chelsea as she spirals out of control.
This was an exhausting book to read as it portrayed Yan’s hypomania so vividly. Yan isn’t always likeable but it’s clear she needs medical intervention and it’s heartbreaking to witness her go without it for so long. As the book notes though, would we recognise these symptoms for what they are with only the usual limited knowledge of Bipolar II?
Alongside Yan’s deteriorating mental health, the narrative also explores family as Yan searches for her dad who she suspects also has a mental illness. Her yearning for some sort of connection and understanding is visceral at times. The author highlights how NHS cuts have affected mental health services especially in the countryside and the catastrophic damage this can have on vulnerable people. Rapids is an emotional and raw exploration of hypomania that deserves a place in every school library.
Seventeen-year-old protagonist Yan is half-Chinese and finally spending a week in London with her best friend Chelsea touring potential universities. Flashbacks taking place two months prior detail Yan’s depression and suicidal ideation. Now everything is perfect and Yan is desperate to experience all that London offers. However, her behaviour begins to worry Chelsea as she spirals out of control.
This was an exhausting book to read as it portrayed Yan’s hypomania so vividly. Yan isn’t always likeable but it’s clear she needs medical intervention and it’s heartbreaking to witness her go without it for so long. As the book notes though, would we recognise these symptoms for what they are with only the usual limited knowledge of Bipolar II?
Alongside Yan’s deteriorating mental health, the narrative also explores family as Yan searches for her dad who she suspects also has a mental illness. Her yearning for some sort of connection and understanding is visceral at times. The author highlights how NHS cuts have affected mental health services especially in the countryside and the catastrophic damage this can have on vulnerable people. Rapids is an emotional and raw exploration of hypomania that deserves a place in every school library.
June 1, 2021
It’s an incredibly well-written book that delves into important topics of adolescent mental health. I would strongly recommend it for parents and young adults.
The main protagonist, Yan, is facing a range of dilemmas of modern teenagers: escape from a sleepy town to the buzzing capital, friendship and sexuality, journey to discover world and yourself. The protagonist is not aware of the severity of her condition first and the portrayal of the illness progression is both, super realistic and touching at the same time.
The characters are well-written and nuanced, coming across strongly as convincing live people. The protagonist, despite her troubles and irrational behavior, makes you fall in love with her and keeps you invested through the book.
The language is vibrant, rich and the voice is young and fresh. Highly recommended as an excellent read.
The main protagonist, Yan, is facing a range of dilemmas of modern teenagers: escape from a sleepy town to the buzzing capital, friendship and sexuality, journey to discover world and yourself. The protagonist is not aware of the severity of her condition first and the portrayal of the illness progression is both, super realistic and touching at the same time.
The characters are well-written and nuanced, coming across strongly as convincing live people. The protagonist, despite her troubles and irrational behavior, makes you fall in love with her and keeps you invested through the book.
The language is vibrant, rich and the voice is young and fresh. Highly recommended as an excellent read.
March 7, 2022
This one has incredible mental health rep 😩 It’s about a seventeen year old girl and her best friend as they explore London. The story follows Yan and her coming to terms with her bipolar disorder. Her best friend was such a relatable character in the sense she was understanding, loyal (loved books too😉) but also flawed. All of the characters in this story were flawed and it was amazing and so wonderful to read. In this sense it made the story realistic and so easy to get lost in but also easy to understand too because it could also happen in real life. The author has all my love and admiration for how strong and brave she must be as in the acknowledgments she mentioned that this was mainly taken from experience. ⠀
⠀
My wonderful, amazing mother has bipolar disorder and i’ve always wanted to read more books on it as i don’t think there is enough awareness around it! Would highly recommend this if you want to learn more too. 🧚🏼
⠀
My wonderful, amazing mother has bipolar disorder and i’ve always wanted to read more books on it as i don’t think there is enough awareness around it! Would highly recommend this if you want to learn more too. 🧚🏼
November 3, 2024
It was enjoyable, although really more aimed at teenagers than people in their 20s, so I'm not quite the target demographic. It's pretty authentic, you can tell the author drew upon her experiences to make it accurate. Minor annoyance about the way psychosis and full mania was talked about a few times, but I'm willing to overlook it in terms of "the characters are teenagers dealing with mental illness".
May 16, 2021
A fast-paced, realistic portrayal of Bipolar II, Rapids is a great read for anyone who enjoyed This Song Will Save Your Life and It’s Kind of a Funny Story.
Full review: https://bexcapades.com/2021/05/16/rap...
Full review: https://bexcapades.com/2021/05/16/rap...
February 11, 2022
Rapids is the first book I've found unputdownable in months: a compelling, compassionate, and often funny portrayal of bipolar disorder and teen friendship. Serious subject matter, but never in danger of becoming a boring Issue Novel thanks to its wit and lively characters.
July 11, 2021
Well written, with stories running at multi levels, a look at mental health issues for young adults (in particular bi-polar disorder), an insight into the world of fanfiction, an exploration of belonging and identity for young adults, and plain good fun in places.
May 17, 2022
I read this going into it with an open mind and maybe a little of a road map into the mind of a YA with bipolar. I myself am bipolar however am bipolar 2. I felt this book actually helped me have some realizations about myself while also being a solid fiction read! Some of the story line happened quickly and I get that it could be metaphoric to the character but some parts left me feeling not satisfied that is why I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars! Overall a great read though! Would love to read a sequel on how Yan grows now that she has accepted her diagnosis, maybe her going through finding what works for her as far as treatment & how she works through it!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews