LitPick Review
When A Phoenix Rose Nevermore is a story about Dahlia, who struggles with suicidal thoughts and depression. Across four books within this book, the reader observes Dahlia through her life. Following Dahlia from birth to college, we learn of her struggles and triumphs in book one, where we also meet her family. Then, we get further insight into who she is by reading her literary works across two books. Book two allows the reader to read Dahlia’s literary works through short letters, stories, poems and songs. The third book is a longer comedy written by Dahlia. The final book brings the reader to Dahlia’s current life by way of another family. The underlying theme throughout the book is “you are wonderful because you exist”.
Opinion:
When A Phoenix Rose Nevermore is a book that will appeal to a niche audience. The first and last books are more relatable, albeit written with a more highbrow, wordy tone. The style of writing is monotonous, and at times, parts may need to be reread as there is insufficient punctuation, which gives the feel of an extremely long run-on. By the time the sentence is over, it is a paragraph long, and the reader needs a refresher on what was read. Sometimes confusing, the story seems to jump around, leaving the reader unsure how they arrived at the point of time in the story and which characters we are with. The middle two books, while very outlandish and confusing, do have some humor. The author interjects himself into the stories, which also adds to the confusion. The final book, though still confusing, is the best written book. Overall, the underlying theme of perseverance in the face of, at times, a constant feeling of inadequacy or doom, is a wonderful message. Those struggling with depression and suicidal ideation may find comfort and strength in this book. The message is strong: you are wonderful because you exist, but it would have a greater impact if it was delivered in a more straight forward way. I would not read this book again. I do, however, applaud the author for his courage and creativity. And as I do not suffer from depression or suicidal thoughts, maybe I am not the audience this book was intended for. No matter if you read the book or not, the message is sound: suicide should never be an option, no matter who you are. Whether you believe it or not in those very dark moments, YOU DO MATTER and you not being here will have a profound impact on others.
