Official Review: Jackson by Lynn McLaughlin

[Eunice Geres]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Jackson" by Lynn McLaughlin.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Jackson by Lynn McLaughlin is a fictional book that delves into mental illness and how a mother deals with it. This novel sheds light on the experiences of a boy named Jackson, who is diagnosed with Anxiety Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder. And most importantly, it narrates how a mother, who has also faced cancer, deals with her son's struggles.

There were two different perspectives in this novel; the first is the mother's perspective, and the other is the son's. Lynn McLaughlin did a great job in depicting a struggling mother. She portrayed her as a brave, caring, patient, and understanding mother. At first, the mother struggled not knowing how to deal with an anxious child. Then, she had a battle with breast cancer, all the while protecting her son. She also went through various stages of acceptance as she tries to understand her son. In the end, she learned to let her son make decisions and take responsibility instead of running away. The second perspective is that of the son named Jackson. Yvonne Marrs wrote many of the views of Jackson. The author who provided the insights of Jackson is also suffering from depression and anxiety. Her experience and sufferings gave her the advantage of writing an accurate portrayal of someone with an anxiety disorder.

What I liked most about this book because it is an informative and helpful novel that would help mothers and sufferers alike. This book lets us get an insight into what goes through the mind of a person with anxiety and how their loved ones deal with it. The parents of Jackson were great examples of how to act as a parent. They are very patient and understanding to the point they unintentionally babied their adult son. However, as time goes by, they learned from their mistakes and eventually pushed Jackson to make his own decisions. This novel also advocated the importance of seeking help and being open-minded about mental illnesses. I loved how it also used a support group to prove to Jackson that he's not alone in his struggles. And I believe that someone out there in the world would be inspired by this novel. And they would be encouraged to seek out help and at least have a little ray of hope shining through the darkness.

The only thing I didn't like about this novel is that I didn't get to see deeper what goes through Jackson's mind every time he had a breakdown and how he turned his life around. I wished that the author wrote Jackson's chapters in much greater detail. I would've loved to see his perspective on what he felt and what he thought when everyone around him in Toronto becomes too much for him.

I enjoyed this book so much. It was very informative and touching to see a person suffering from mental illness cope with life. I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. This book is such a great and inspiring read. It was edited magnificently, and even though minor profanities are present, it didn't affect my enjoyment while reading the book.

I would recommend this specifically to people who are having a tough time dealing with someone with mental illness. I feel like this would help people learn to take a step back and give someone a chance to grow and take responsibility. And I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about mental illnesses. I feel like every book that talks about mental illnesses should be treasured because, during our time in this pandemic, we need every knowledge we could muster to help others or to cope on our own.

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Jackson
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[Mtibza eM]

Great review! I think I will love reading this book.