The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.Īutumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart their mothers are still best friends.

Unlike James Lecesne’s Absolute Brightness (2008), this sometimes melodramatic story is redeemed by creative back stories and touching relationships. Though offering nothing new or insightful, Jeff’s voice shows true development during his hospitalization. Sadie’s morbid adaptation of “And then there were none” will appeal to those with dark humor and prevents the narrative tone from lecturing. Astute readers will identify Jeff’s secret long before his first-person, present-tense narration reveals it, but the skillfully written secondary characters, especially fellow patient Sadie, hold this work above typical gay-teen-suicide dramas. More Kaysan ( Girl, Interrupted, 1993) than Kesey, Ford’s introspective tale follows a fairly typical coming-out process, though with additional angst. As other teens come and go from the ward, Jeff finds himself connecting with them in unexpected ways while confronting his own unresolved turmoil. “Jeff’s wit and self-discovery are refreshing, poignant, and, at times, laugh-out-loud funny.Awakening in a psychiatric ward with gauze on his stitched-up wrists, 15-year-old Jeff tries to convince both his doctors and his parents that the cuts were just a bored teenage mistake. “Makes a powerful emotional impact.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Like the very best teen novels, Suicide Notes is both classic and edgy, timeless and provocative.” -Brent Hartinger, author of Geography Club “With a sprinkling of dark humor and a full measure of humanness, Suicide Notes is quirky, surprising, and a riveting read.” -Ellen Hopkins, author of The You I’ve Never Known and Love Lies Beneath Jeff is perfectly fine, perfectly normal not like the other kids in the hospital with him.īut over the course of the next forty-five days, Jeff begins to understand why he ended up here-and realizes he has more in common with the other kids than he thought.

Despite the bandages on his wrists, he’s positive this is all some huge mistake. An unforgettable coming of age novel for fans of 13 Reasons Why, It’s Kind of a Funny Story, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower.įifteen-year-old Jeff wakes up on New Year’s Day to find himself in the hospital-specifically, in the psychiatric ward.

Suicide Notes by Michael Thomas Ford