The Death of Jason Porter by Jaime Adoff

Trigger warnings for this book: Suicide, Parental physical and mental abuse, Loss of loved one, Drug use

I was nervous to start this one. Having experience with depression and the realities of suicidal situations, I wasn’t optimistic about reading this book that starts with our protagonist in the midst of attempting and ending with the assumption that he succeeded.

However. There is hope at the end of this novel.

I think that when talking about suicide… It’s difficult to know how to write it. Everyone experiences depression and grief differently, and therefore it’s hard to know what is needed and what is insensitive.

I can see this book being relatable to some people, and that can provide a light. When you are in pain, one thing you need is to be seen, understood. To know that someone else knows your pain (whether they experience it or simply empathize super well) and to know you’re not alone.

If you feel alone or scared, please reach out to someone. Tell people how you feel and what you think you may need. Eventually, you’ll find a light to help you. ❤

There was also an clever twist in the end that brought a new meaning to the title of the book. I did like that.

Notes on Writing:

I’m still not completely sold on Jaime Adoff’s prose poetry style. It works, but it doesn’t excite me as much as I’d hoped it would. Still, there are moments that were really nice and creative. Some things are written best through poetry, and brain fog and semi-consciousness are p a l p a b l e here.

A lot of this is done through breaking words or sentences apart, repetition, and font size. These feelings were portrayed well!

Hmm… It appears that’s all I really want to say. I’m not entirely sure how strictly I will be continuing my challenge of reading every book in my library from A-Z. I might start mixing things up. Anyway.

Thanks for reading! Remember, it’s easy to talk about things we don’t like. What if you told someone something that you like about them? Be genuine and you never know how far your light will carry. 😉