Published by Spencer Hill Press on 10/1/14
Genres: Depression & Mental Illness, Performing Arts, Social Issues, Young Adult
Pages: 321
Source: Library
My content rating: YA (Nothing more than kissing, Depression, Cutting)
My rating:
Hot girls get the fairy tales. No one cares about the stepsisters’ story. Those girls don’t get a sweet little ending; they get a lifetime of longing.
Imogen Keegen has never had a happily ever after–in fact, she doesn’t think they are possible. Ever since her mother’s death seven years ago, Imogen has pulled herself in and out of therapy, struggled with an “emotionally disturbed” special ed. label, and loathed her perma-plus-sized status.
When Imogen’s new stepsister, the evil and gorgeous Ella Cinder, moves in down the hall, Imogen begins losing grip on the pieces she’s been trying to hold together. The only things that gave her solace–the theatre, cheese fries, and her best friend, Grant–aren’t enough to save her from her pain this time.
While Imogen is enjoying her moment in the spotlight after the high school musical, the journal pages containing her darkest thoughts get put on display. Now, Imogen must resign herself to be crushed under the ever-increasing weight of her pain, or finally accept the starring role in her own life story.
And maybe even find herself a happily ever after.
I recently read a review for Damsel Distressed by Mishma over at Chasing Faerytales and it convinced me that I needed to read this book SOON! Well, thank you, Mishma, for introducing me to this book!! I don’t know how it didn’t get more buzz when it came out. (Maybe I missed it? Did I miss it? Because it totally deserves buzz!) But I am incredibly glad that I found it!
The synopsis describes the book well, but it makes the book sound much lighter than it really is. This is not an easy read. At all. But I loved it! The book follows Imogen, who has suffered from depression since her mother died when she was a child. She finds some solace in being a techie for her school’s theatre productions and in her best friend (and crush), Grant, who has stood beside her through all of her darkest moments.
What I loved:
- A realistic depiction of depression. Even after reading Mishma’s review, I still for some reason thought that this would be a lighter read. Maybe just the whole fairy tale reference thing made it seem like the book wasn’t going to take itself too seriously. Well, that was completely untrue. This book was a completely realistic and sometimes dark look at depression. Imogen has some serious mental health issues because of her mother’s death and her own insecurities. She often spirals into utter depression and can’t pull herself out, no matter how much she wants to. She also struggles with cutting. Reading from her perspective was sometimes hard because Imogen is definitely a flawed main character. Not only is she incredibly hard on herself, she’s bitter about the people around her because she has been bullied and because she sometimes just takes her own insecurities out on other people (at least in her own mind and in her journal – she isn’t outright mean to people). Imogen feels broken and she doesn’t know that she can be fixed. She knows that her feelings are wrong and sometimes irrational, but she can’t change them. I found this to be incredibly realistic. The fact is that depression is an illness, and you can’t simply tell yourself to cheer up and snap out of it. It doesn’t work that way. And, while Imogen’s friends help her through her pain, the mere presence of people who love her doesn’t cure her depression. The book is hopeful, but realistic in leaving the reader with the knowledge that Imogen most likely will still fall victim to depression again, but that she has a support system and will be able to get through it!
- Emotions. I had no idea I would cry so much when I read this book. I cried. A lot.
- Grant. Grant is pretty much the perfect best friend for Imogen, and you can completely see why she’s in love with him. Not only has he supported her through thick and thin, he is sweet and funny, and Imogen is lighter and funnier when she’s with him because she feels like she can be herself when he’s around. When Grant is in the story with Imogen, the book lives up to that cute, sweet feeling that you get in the blurb, and it’s a great balance to the darker parts of the book. Grant is also nerdy, but in a totally adorable way (LOVE his sciency shirts!). And Imogen’s other friends are awesome too!
- Body image. One of Imogen’s main areas of insecurity is her body image. She weighs 200 pounds at five feet tall and she thinks about her size A LOT. I loved that Imogen did realize by the end of the book that she could look pretty and that size isn’t the only factor in beauty!
Neutral:
- Imogen. Some people might have a hard time reading Imogen’s perspective because it is really sad and dark sometimes. She gets down on herself constantly and she has some really negative thoughts about other people sometimes too. By the time we see her in a depressed episode, we kind of want to shake her and tell her to see the people who care about her around her. But that’s kind of the point. The fact is that these people who love her can’t fix her, she has to find ways to come to terms with life and help herself. So, it’s hard, but realistic.
I honestly don’t know why this book hasn’t gotten more attention with the current trend of YA books that address mental health issues, but I highly recommend it. If you’re ready for an honest and sometimes heartbreaking look at adolescence and depression, then you need to read this book! I give it an enthusiastic 5/5 stars.
About the Author
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I’m the author of the YA novel DAMSEL DISTRESSED (Spencer Hill Contemporary, 2014).
- I’m half of the folky indie-pop duo Wedding Day Rain.
- Our band wrote, produced, and released our first full length album, Imogen Unlocked as a companion to my novel! (It’s like a soundtrack for the book BY its author!)
- My work is represented by Super Agent extraordinaire, Jessica Sinsheimer of the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency. My novel is being honed by my incredible editor, Danielle Ellison and the SHContemp team.
- I vlog every Friday on my YouTube channel KelsNotChelsNOTLIVE and I’m an official friend of Wonderly.
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I’m a member of We Are One Four, a group of amazing 2014 debut authors, and also the larger collective One Four Kid Lit.
Author Links:
I feel like I may have seen this around but not really (if that makes sense at all). That cover is perfection though. I kind of like dark stories so this sounds really good. Totally just added to good reads – Great review!
Yeah, it seemed slightly familiar to me too, but then again not. It deserves more attention!
I’ve not heard about this book, which is a pity because the cover looks so pretty 😉 May have just added it to my Goodreads ‘to-read’ list mainly for that reason.
This is a great review! It’s really tempting to go off and read it now…
It is pretty! Just one more reason to read it!
So happy you loved this as much as you were hoping that you would, it’s awesome when it works out that way. 😉
Yes – I love it when I have high expectations and they’re actually met!
I almost requested this book before it came out but decided against it. Too bad I did because it sounds like a fantastic novel. I’m definitely going to check it out as soon as a can. I loved your review for it!
I have a vague remembrance of seeing it when it came out – maybe. But it deserves way more attention than it got!
I saw this book but didn’t go for it. The whole cutting and depression thing is a hard subject to deal with but this book sounds like it handled it pretty well. Great review, I’m glad you broke it down and made sure to mention it’s not all daisies like the blurb an cover would suggest.
Yes, these topics are really hard, but definitely handled well in this book.
This sounds like a pretty significant/relevant read. I’m glad you enjoyed it (as much as these types of books can be enjoyed, that is). 😉
Yes, I did enjoy it – even if that is a strange way to think about it!
Wow. Just… why haven’t I read this yet! I bought it as soon as I read Mishma’s review, and now I should read it since I have read your review. I need this in my life. I mean, anything with a realistic depiction of depression NEEDS to be read. Also, I am in the mood for a tearjerker (which may sound weird, but i need a good cry). I am going to try to fit this one in ASAP, thanks for the review- and I agree, it DOES need to be on more radars!
Yeah, sometimes you read a review and you think, “I need to add that book to my TBR” and sometimes you read a review and think, “I need to read that book NOW!” That was pretty much my reaction to Mishma’s review. I definitely recommend getting right on this one.
I hadn’t heard of this book until now, so maybe I missed it too? Sounds good! I am now adding it to Goodreads! 🙂
It just didn’t get a lot of attention, it doesn’t seem. Maybe because Spencer Hill is a smaller publisher? I don’t know, but I think it deserves just as much buzz as those others!
How have I not even heard of this book?!! I NEED IT. It sounds (and omg look at that beautiful cover) incredible, and I am so up for books that describe depression realistically. :O BASICALLY THANK YOU FOR THIS REVIEW.
That was pretty much exactly my reaction – How? People should definitely be talking about this one!
I love the cover on this one!
It is a beautiful cover – and I’m so glad that the story lived up to it!
What a great review! This book sounds really good!
It was really great!!
I actually have a copy of this book, but haven’t had the time to read it yet! Your review made me want to read this immediately 🙂 It sounds beautiful and unique!
Yes!! You need to go read it ……
[…] Damsel Distressed by Kelsey Macke – Two of the main characters’ best friends are gay. […]
I am so glad you enjoyed this book. This one is on my Kindle, just begging to be read. Now I am even more excited! I didn’t realize how dark it was regarding depression. This sounds like a great read.
Glad I encouraged you to pick it up!
[…] Damsel Distressed by Kelsey Macke (review) […]
[…] Damsel Distressed by Kelsey Macke ~Nicole @Feed Your Fiction Addiction […]
[…] Damsel Distressed by Kelsey Macke ~Nicole @Feed Your Fiction Addiction […]
[…] Damsel Distressed by Kelsey Macke ~Nicole @Feed Your Fiction Addiction […]
This one is definitely one on my TBR that I would love to read as soon as possible! I am someone who is very interested in mental illnesses, but this one sounds like it is a very accurate portrayal as well, which is what draws me to it all the more.
Yes, this book is definitely a realistic portrayal of mental illness. I HIGHLY recommend it!
[…] Damsel Distressed by Kelsey Macke ~Nicole @Feed Your Fiction Addiction […]
Moral of the story – listen to Mishma’s words and go by them:)
I am so glad that you read and loved this book Nicole! This book means a lot to me and broke my heart, and I wish that it’s more popular as Damsel Distressed is painfully underrated.
Thank you so much for this beautiful review luv!:)
Those will have to be my new words to live by!! 🙂
[…] Damsel Distressed by Kelsey Macke ~Nicole @Feed Your Fiction Addiction […]
[…] Damsel Distressed by Kelsey Macke ~Nicole @Feed Your Fiction Addiction […]
I’ve never come across a contemporary fairy tale retelling before and it’s interesting… I would never have thought that with such a unique concept for a book they would also include such dark realistic elements like mental illness. This none has definitely surprised me and I look forward to reading it.