The general hype over this book has all been quite positive, it's been described as passionate, shocking; a great read that you won't be able to put down. As I got further into the book I wondered if I was reading the right thing. All I could see as I skimmed from page to page was a whiney, repetitive, self-pitying woman droning on about her depressing life.

Most of which she spent in solitude, never really being able to fit in. At the age of nine she took her first overdose at summer camp, her teenage years where spent alone listening to music on her cassette player and by the time she reached Harvard University in her late teens, desperate to do anything to fit in, she turns to alcohol and drug abuse, sleeping with various people.

She regularly see's her therapist, Dr. Sterling, who gives her a variety of drugs to help get her back on track, but nothing seems to work. Her father, who disappears for years at a time, makes a few unwelcome appearances and her mother struggles to understand how Elizabeth see's things, what is really wrong with her.

I feel that I may have enjoyed this more if it didn't drag on as much, it's clearly not a light read and perhaps you would have to have experience in extreme depressive situations to relate, or maybe even care. Seeing as it has got such a different response, I really would recommend that people read it for themselves. Make your own opinion on it.