Review: The Symptoms of My Insanity

Author: Mindy Raf

Released Date: April 18, 2013
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Pages:  384
Source: NetGalley
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Summary: A laugh-out-loud, bittersweet debut full of wit, wisdom, heart, and a hilarious, unforgettable heroine.

When you’re a hypochondriac, there are a million different things that could be wrong with you, but for Izzy, focusing on what could be wrong might be keeping her from dealing with what’sreally wrong.

I almost raised my hand, but what would I say?
“Mr. Bayer, may I please be excused? I’m not totally positive, but I think I might have cancer.” No way. Then everyone at school would know, and they would treat me differently, and I would be known as “Izzy, that poor girl who diagnosed herself with breast cancer during biology.”

But Izzy’s sense of humor can only get her so far when suddenly her best friend appears to have undergone a personality transplant, her mother’s health takes a turn for the worse, and her beautiful maybe-boyfriend is going all hot and cold. Izzy thinks she’s preparing for the worst-case scenario, but when the worst-case scenario actually hits, it’s a different story altogether—and there’s no tidy list of symptoms to help her through the insanity.

Why I Loved It:  Ok from page one, I was laughing out loud.  In fact, I was laughing so hard that I had to read the first couple of pages to my mom, who was also began laughing out loud.  Possibly, many people wouldn't enjoy the book half as much as I do *I have seen a lot of 3-Star reviews*.  Still, I found the book to be one of the funniest books I have read so far this year.

Izzy is a sorta-hypochondriac, not that she recognizes it.  She is constantly worrying about what is wrong with her.  She is probably trying to avoid the fact that her mother has a rare form of cancer.  Plus she is running out of time to create a kick-butt art portfolio.  Her best friend really wants a huge chunk of her free time for the school musical.  And as always, there is a boy, though all may not be what it seems.

Maybe I am just a fan of snarky humor.  Perhaps that's why I enjoyed the book as much as I did.  I understand what it means to be clueless.  I got Izzy.  I really understood her crazy which is probably why I loved the book.  Now granted, I'm not a hypochondriac.  I probably don't worry enough about what's wrong with me.  Still, when I've had people I loved get really sick, I wanted to do anything to make them better.  And I definitely wasn't always able to see things right in front of my face during high school.  Izzy may be quite the naive character, but it works.

I will say that I kind of knew where some things were going, and it was like watching an upcoming train wreck.  I wanted to scream at Izzy, but still I loved her.  A lot of girls will understand what it's like to be Izzy when it comes to her new-found love life.  And so many of us can relate to the high school issues she faces.  The book is a bit overwhelming because Izzy is facing so much.  I can understand who it may be too much for some people, but I just rolled with it.  The Symptoms of My Insanity is full of laugh-out-loud moments, clever wit, and relatable characters that are easy to love.  

Who Should Read It:  I sincerely recommend this book to any book lover who really enjoys contemporary and snarky humor and can handle the book drama.  It's a pretty fabulous read!