This is one of the books for the Great Stories Club grant I will be discussing with teens at the local alternative school. Vizzini wrote the story of 15 year old Craig after spending time in a mental hospital following a suicidal episode. Craig is a bright teen who has worked hard to get into an elite high school but discovers he is not quite good enough--at least in his way of thinking. He spirals into a depression which makes school work impossible and even affects his eating. After he calls a suicide hotline he checks himself into a local hospital. The second half of the book chronicles his five day stay in the hospital, the different patients he encounters, and the process he goes through while trying to conquer what he calls "tentacles" which seem to be controlling his life. In spite of the subject matter this is an enjoyable book with interesting characters and situations that are very real. Sadly, Vizzini, who was a promising young author, took his own life at age 32. This book was made into a film in 2010.
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