INTERNATIONAL EDITIONS BELOW!
For sixteen-year-old Mel Hannigan, bipolar disorder makes life unpredictable. Her latest struggle is balancing her growing feelings in a new relationship with her instinct to conceal her diagnosis by keeping everyone at arm’s length. But when a former friend confronts Mel with the truth about the way their relationship ended, deeply buried secrets threaten to come out and upend her shaky equilibrium.
As the walls of Mel’s compartmentalized world crumble, she fears the worst—that no one will accept her if they discover what she’s been hiding. But would her friends really abandon her if they learned the truth? More importantly, can Mel bring herself to risk everything to find out?
In A Tragic Kind of Wonderful, Eric Lindstrom, author of the critically acclaimed Not If I See You First, examines the fear that keeps us from exposing our true selves, and the courage it takes to be loved for who we really are.
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INTERNATIONAL EDITIONS (Three translations so far!) : UK, Dutch, Hebrew, Portuguese…
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Praise for A Tragic Kind Of Wonderful:
“Wow! Emotional, insightful, educational, tragic, wonderful, heavy, passionate…. This is one of those books that has the power to change your personal narrative, your perception of others, and your understanding of the human race in general. It is the perfect articulation of the saying ‘Be nice – so many people are fighting a battle you know nothing about.'”
― Children’s Book Council of Australia (Highly Recommended)
“….funny and heartbreaking portrait of a hugely likable teen struggling to find her authentic self in a muddle of medication and mental illness. This beautiful, nuanced novel will speak to those who suffer from bipolar disorder, as well as to anyone who doubts they are worthy of love just the way they are.”
― Shelf Awareness (starred review)
“The portrayal of Mel’s bipolar disorder is nuanced and reads true to life. Her fear of rejection will be familiar to teenagers, whether they’re acquainted with mental illness or not, making it an important gateway to self-acceptance and understanding of others. An intimate and affecting portrait of mental illness helmed by an achingly real protagonist.”
―Kirkus Reviews
“Lindstrom deftly addresses life with bipolar disorder, as well as the internalized shame often felt by individuals with mental illness. Details about Mel’s deceased brother and estranged best friend are revealed slowly, providing tension and mystery. Emotions run high as Lindstrom’s story confronts mental illness, grief, and shame, but the optimistic resolution provides balance.”
―Publishers Weekly
“Lindstrom’s compelling novel is rich in clinical detail, which is nicely integrated into the plot, ensuring the novel is never didactic but always dramatic….readers will find Mel’s story always absorbing and gain insight into her troubling disorder.”
―Booklist
“Behind a cynical exterior, Mel is a thoughtful, resilient teen with a dry sense of humor….(her) struggle to take her condition seriously without letting mental illness define her life is heart-rending.”
―Horn Book Magazine Reviews
“…clinical details surface naturally through an engaging and fast-moving plot that foregrounds Mel as a person who maintains a strong ethic of kindness even and especially when her Hanniganimal is down…”
―The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (BCCB)
“Heart-rending, empathy-inducing and uplifting, reading this novel is an immersive, all-consuming experience that really does resonate long after the final page.”
―Lovereading4Kids (January 2017 Book of the Month)
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