A fresh new wave of books discussing mental illness has washed in this year, and if you are one who wants to dive into this new wave but is easily frightened off by a book that incorporates many themes relating to suicide and depression, I think we’ve just found you the perfect mix.

Like many other books we discover a boy, a boy named Declan; he’s seventeen years old, newly heartbroken and standing on a train station chatting up death. Many parts of me wanted to put this book down once confronted by this very heart-jolting realisation that within the first few pages suicide may be on the cards, but perseverance paid off for both Declan and me.

The thing that sets this book apart is the way John Larkin manages to not make depression and mental illness the protagonist, the one who gets things done and leads the story. However, at the same time he still gets us thinking by letting us glimpse the suicidal thoughts that are an aspect OF Declan but don’t MAKE him. After a close brush with suicide, Declan makes the decision that he’s worth it, that his adorable sister, his long distance relationship and, might I say ‘cool’, parents are worth staying around for. Although still haunted by memories, mostly, left unseen, Declan finds a way to reconcile with these traumatic and heartbreaking experiences and continue on this grand life adventure of his.

Through Declan’s, at times, very real and heartbreaking story we meet his family, his loving girlfriend and ‘interesting’ friends. All of this mixed together gives us the perfect trail mix of love, reality, excitement and adventure without letting one overpower the other three.

If the first few pages dishearten you, stick around because with the lows come the highs with this story and the ending is one that’s definitely worth the journey. This is the perfect book for those who are interested in this genre but are not inclined to spend big money on boxes after boxes of tissues.

Jemma Sbeghen is a freelance reviewer.