Book Review
Title: What If?
Author: Anna Russell
Genre: YA/Verse/Mental Illness
Rating: *****
Review: All I knew about What If was that it is a ya novel written in verse about a boy named Josh struggling with OCD. I loved Sarah Crossan’s One which was written in verse, so I was very excited to read this book. It is clear to see from the outset that Josh has OCD and possibly his mother as well, but he hasn’t been diagnosed and has no idea how to process or cope with these strange thoughts and habits.
The only coping mechanism Josh has is playing the drums but is thrown into a panic when first his father and then his music teacher prevent him from playing. We also learn that the family has already had to move once before because of Josh’s issues and there isn’t much improvement in his new school, but he is good at maths.
When history seems to be repeating itself, Julia, Josh’s sister tells their parents all the secrets Josh has confessed to her over the years and the school counsellor recommended that Josh see a specialist. His parents make him an appointment and it is there he is diagnosed with OCD and given medication for his anxiety. Although for a while nothing seems to change, he suddenly has a marginal amount of control over his obsessive thoughts.
Josh manages to make a great friend in Mage who is a strange girl herself, but she makes Josh feel like he doesn’t have to perfect all the time and that’s OK. As time goes on Josh decides to start a band with Mage and compete in the school talent show but we also see his mother definitely has OCD, but she isn’t willing to admit it or get treatment for it like Josh.
Josh decides to bring Julia into the band to complete it, however, his grades at school aren’t great and he begins worrying again but he has developed some coping and release mechanisms. In the end, this book isn’t a journey of OCD, and Josh’s journey, it is about him seeing the world through his own eyes and understanding what he sees and getting others to understand him too. I really liked the fact that Josh wasn’t cured at the end of What If, but rather he was on the road to recovery with some very supportive people beside him.
Buy it here:
Paperback/Hardcover: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Also see: Some Girls Bind by Rory James
I received this review copy from NetGalley
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