Sian Pattenden

Depression becomes the character.

Depression becomes something in that.

And that is, as I say, startling writing.

And I really don't think that there is a book like this that had come along at this point.

And for her to be that honest, but also for the writing to be so good, really just groundbreaking at the time.

And it's startling to read it now.

romanticizing the depression and feelings of self-hatred and how she relates in that world but also why shouldn't she because she's having to deal with something and what is so incredible is about if this book was written now which is the question that you ask yourself when you're reading it quite a lot is that the lack of pathologization of it she has no language that we would have for it now there's no categorization of what these depressions are yeah

And as well as the medication has completely changed now as well.

But also in those times, and so we're talking early 90s to mid 90s, Generation X kids were told to pull their socks up.

Depression wasn't taken seriously.

The parents just ignore it almost.

And I think that is so of its time that we were told if there was anything wrong, oh, it's fine, I don't worry about it.

Oh, someone, you know, assaulted you.

Don't really worry about it.

You're feeling a bit depressed.

You've taken an overdose of antihistamines.

Oh, never mind.

It's a phase.

And it's this just brushing it off, but also because she's a woman.

And I think that that's a really important point is she is not taken seriously in this book.