Off The Shelf : Nothing Everything Nothing

Today I'm going to tell you about a book I've read called Nothing Everything Nothing by Casia Schreyer. It's a work of young adult fiction that explores a few topics that are important lately. Including bullying and suicide awareness. You can find it for purchase on Smashwords. If you prefer a hard copy though, they are available through Amazon.com.

Nothing Everything Nothing
Casia Schreyer
220 Pages

This book, in many way hit home for me. The characters are very relatable and believable. In some ways scarily so, because a few of the characters sound like people in my daily life. Which makes everything that much more heart wrenching as the story goes on.

The story revolves around a girl named Molly, who's trying her hardest to fit in with a group of popular girls. But unbeknownst to her, she's only part of the group to make the rest of the group feel better about herself. But this saddening angle isn't the only one that's explored in the book, where many levels of depth make things more complicated and emotional.

A few different ideas about love are explored. Unconditional love is shown in varying degrees. Yet darker points about teenage love is explored, how it can be used as a prize. You give me what I want and I'll love you. Be what I want you to be and I'll love you. You can be popular if you're like us. You can be like us if you just lose a little weight. It makes the reader reflect on what's enough. How much should anyone change to try and fit in, how much should anyone have to give up to be popular?

The author also deals with the reality of cyberbullying in a way that clearly illustrates how harmful this can be. While teenagers, and even adults may think what they say and do online can have no repercussions they're not necessarily correct. It's wrong to think words online can't hurt people emotionally. When hurtful words are coupled with negative experiences, there's no telling the havoc they can cause.

Suicide is also a touchy subject. Many people like to brush it under the carpet, often believing that no one they know would ever succumb to the temptation. This book not only looks at the situations and occurrences that lead up to someone feeling  that suicide is the only answer they have, but it also illustrates clearly how the actions change the lives of more than just one person. A factor that I appreciate.

If you've read some posts in the past that look at suicide on this blog you may understand why I found that to be something to appreciate. Too often there's a lack of clarity in situations surrounding suicide. People often think things like that don't happen to people they know. But by expressing things in the book as they are, it becomes clear that things are not always so cut and dry.

A good read, with some trigger topics. But as long as you're aware of them you can enjoy the piece. Sales of the book also help support a help hotline. A noble gesture. If you read this book, please let me know what you think of it also, it's always nice to compare interpretations.