In today's world, mental illness is an incredibly popular topic. This is because our society is working to dismantle the stigma surrounding it. Literature plays a massive role in this work and many authors have taken advantage of their platform and written books about mental health. Although all of these books offer something unique and special, one author’s novel will always have a special place in my heart; ‘Challenger Deep’ by Neal Shusterman

‘Challenger Deep’  follows a 15 year old boy named Caden Bosch and his struggle with schizophrenia. Caden begins hearing voices and has increasing paranoia. It begins as small changes in things he says and his behavior but rapidly intensifies. His paranoia becomes so bad he believes even his own parents are plotting against him and that if doesn’t follow the directions on street signs something terrible will happen to him or his loved ones. Eventually, his parents are left with no choice but to check him into an inpatient psychiatric facility. Caden must learn the difference between reality and imagination and how to cope with this new part of his life.

Shusterman wrote this novel so beautifully and so full of emotions, I found myself crying tears of both joy and sadness throughout this entire book (though I’m still trying to decide if that’s actually because of the book or if it’s just because I’m an emotional mess naturally). You can’t help but root for Caden and the people he comes to know and love throughout his journey. It’s such an honest portrayal of not only what it’s like to live with a mental illness but what it’s like to be a teenager living with a mental illness. It becomes even more heartbreaking when you learn that this novel was written from first hand experience as it was based on Shusterman’s son Brendan. Brendan was also diagnosed with schizophrenia and the struggles faced by both Caden and his family are struggles Shusterman and his family really experienced. After reading this book, Shusterman has quickly become one of my most favorite authors and I am more than thrilled to read more of his works.

    I will admit that at first this novel can be kind of confusing as it follows two plots, one in the real world and one in Caden’s hallucinations. The real world plot follows Caden in his everyday life, going to school, his experience in the psychiatric facility, etc. The plot made of his hallucinations follows Caden on a boat with a captain, the captain’s parrot, and the other crew members. They are on a voyage to explore the deepest part of the sea, Challenger Deep. Without spoiling anything, all I can say to clear up that confusion is that symbolism is used very heavily in this book. Read farther into the story and take nothing at face value. You’ll begin to see crossovers between the two plots as you read.

Overall, ‘Challenger Deep’ by Neal Shusterman is a heart-wrenching portrayal of a teenage boys struggle with schizophrenia. Shusterman leaves readers in touch with their own thoughts and wanting to reach a helping hand out to those struggling with mental illness.I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone but especially those who can, in anyway, relate to Caden’s struggle and those who just simply want to know more about mental illness.