By the way, the trigger warnings in the book are BURIED. They’re in the foreword — which should actually be called a preface, by the way — under paragraphs and paragraphs of the author kind of ranting about why this book means a lot to her. The TWs are not listed out; they’re simply lumped into another paragraph. Many people could not find the TWs are were very upset with this book. They fact that the TWs don’t stand out at all should have been my first red flag.) Our floor’s most notorious jailer (nurse), Eric, has a keen sense of timing. He raises a brow at Sony’s tone, his foot tapping away at the ground. His bullshit detector is a honed weapon, and when he gets mad, I wouldn’t wish his wrath upon actual prisoners. Against the unforgiving landscape of a hospital, I fell in love with a mischievous, sun-eyed boy who became my only joy in that desolate place. That’s what made it all the more soul-crushing when he committed suicide in front of me. Before I get into the dangerous portrayals, I’ll explain what I mean for the latter. The reasons it felt as though the illnesses were just plot devices was because they weren’t important until they were, if that makes sense. For example, there are moments where the characters are so obviously doing things that should be nearly impossible given the severity of their illnesses, but unless the scene was specifically ABOUT their illnesses, they were just… fine.

From prose to plot it showed the author’s inexperience. Self-published books written by young people can be very good( I’ve read many), but this one had all the hallmarks of what makes people skeptical of reading self published stories: poor editing, flimsy plot, and weak writing. I think the author has the bones here, and clearly has narrative ability, but this was a weak novel. Let’s start with them. I hated the way their relationship began. I didn’t like the way C kept pestering Neo when Neo clearly wanted to be alone. I didn’t like the way Neo was just super rude to him (and to everyone for that matter. I honestly didn’t like Neo). Neo is a writer, a bitter poet. Unlike Sony, he is silent, and unlike C, he is remorseless. His spine is fragile, but his words make up for it. He’s bony and short, so small we call him Baby, although, for a baby, he sure has a temper. I’m fairly certain he’s never worn a smile in his life. I’ve known him the longest, and though he’s scowly and mean, it’s all a mask, his protection. He’s also the smartest person I know—observant, creative, resilient—the one who plans and records our great feats of thievery. He claims that Sony and I are extroverts who’ve kidnapped him and coerced him into being our friend, but I know he secretly enjoys the company. Hospitals are lonely until you find your people. third. did i mention, the mc has such a huuuge savior complex and it rlly made me hate her even more. Igniting a Radiant Hope is another inspiring story about Neo, who was bound to his wheelchair but still found hope in the form of Coeur, a gentle giant who showed him that there is still beauty in life despite the realities of our diseases.

Other Books by Lancali

Funny how memory works, isn't it? You remember what is strange more than what is normal. The normal days blend together, but the in between moments stand out." The wheel-chaired writer who documented their journey remarked that this little gang had left an indelible mark on his soul – an impression that would always remind him of the power of love, hope, and perseverance. Igniting a Radiant Hope But even if all that had been rectified, the fact that this book promotes self-destruction, insinuates that nurses/doctors are blind to/complacent about their patients’ issues, and romanticizes dangerous topics and notions is what makes this such an uncomfortable, disappointing read for me. Sony, you’re an idiot,” Neo says, grabbing a pen and notebook wedged in his chair and slamming the book open, and scribbles, 4:05 p.m.: Sony is an idiot. As they planned their great escape from the hospital ward, Sam couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude towards Sony; she was his only joy in such a desolate world. With her by his side, he felt like he could conquer anything – even his failing heart.

Sony sniffles dry air and wipes at tears that haven’t fallen. “We just wanted to go to the roof like old times, rebel a little,” she says, shrugging her shoulders, laughing at herself. “I don’t know what I’ll do if he doesn’t make it. He’s such a good soul. He lost his parents in a fire, you know, and his puppy! I—” Despite all this darkness surrounding them, Lancali manages to endear readers to their characters with his mischievous smile and gentle giant persona. Lancali takes readers on a journey that showcases the power of love to overcome obstacles along with inspiring tales that remind us never to lose sight of our great deeds even while living in an unforgiving landscape like a hospital. Won’t we get caught?” I whisper, looking around the gas station mart. Three people roam the aisles; the cashier flips through a magazine.

Table of Contents

Me and Sam are much more alike than I want to admit, but that's a topic for another time. I loved Sam as a narrator. I loved his interactions with everyone, although I think I would have liked to see a bit more of him actually dealing with his emotions instead of just seeing the others. I feel like we got so much more depth when it comes to the other characters, and Sam was slightly forgotten as he was the narrator. These characters didn’t really have personalities beyond the brief things I mentioned in their stereotypes list. C was just aloof and gentle, Neo was just mean and poetic, Sony was just chaotic and loud, and Hikari was just Shakespeare quotes and tears. None of the characters developed beyond this.