Scan barcode
A review by immabehazzie
72 Hour Hold by Bebe Moore Campbell
3.0
‘72 Hour Hold’ is a novel that explores the challenges of mental illness and its impact on the families of those who are sick. The story follows a mother as her daughter struggles with bipolar disorder. Throughout, the main character tries to navigate the mental care system and provide her child with the best care.
I bought this book a long time ago thinking it was a memoir and even though it isn’t the way that events unfold and the way that it’s told reminds me of how memoirs usually are. It was very detailed and the characters felt so real that I had to remind myself that it was a fictional story. However, just because it’s fiction doesn’t mean that the events of this story are fictional in some people's lives.
I found it an interesting take on mental illness. The books that I’ve previously consumed about mental illness take the perspective of the person who is sick whereas this story gives us a look at how a sickness doesn’t only hurt the person with it but the ones who care about them. It explores the faults in the system and how it can let people slip through the cracks.
The desperation of the mother in this book is painful to read. She not only has to come to terms with the fact that her daughter is different but she’s very independent and thinks that she has to fight for her daughters well being alone.
While I think ‘72 Hour Hold’ was a good book, I didn’t enjoy it very much. It has so many details about things that aren’t relevant and while it helps to humanize the main character, I just think it was too much. However, if you want a good book on the impact that mental illness can have on families, this is the book for you.
I bought this book a long time ago thinking it was a memoir and even though it isn’t the way that events unfold and the way that it’s told reminds me of how memoirs usually are. It was very detailed and the characters felt so real that I had to remind myself that it was a fictional story. However, just because it’s fiction doesn’t mean that the events of this story are fictional in some people's lives.
I found it an interesting take on mental illness. The books that I’ve previously consumed about mental illness take the perspective of the person who is sick whereas this story gives us a look at how a sickness doesn’t only hurt the person with it but the ones who care about them. It explores the faults in the system and how it can let people slip through the cracks.
The desperation of the mother in this book is painful to read. She not only has to come to terms with the fact that her daughter is different but she’s very independent and thinks that she has to fight for her daughters well being alone.
While I think ‘72 Hour Hold’ was a good book, I didn’t enjoy it very much. It has so many details about things that aren’t relevant and while it helps to humanize the main character, I just think it was too much. However, if you want a good book on the impact that mental illness can have on families, this is the book for you.