How would you react if all of the sudden you lost your whole family? Your parents are physically gone, and you have lost your only sibling emotionally and mentally. Willow is a seventeen year old who has, in fact, gone through exactly that. Her brother, David, has opened his house for her to live with him and his family, but they do not have any conversations relating to anything but school. She goes through many emotional battles with her own conscience, and these battles lead her to not want to continue focusing on her daily life, and she avoids even creating or staying in relationships with others. She sees her brother struggle while at the same time she is taking on her own difficulties. These difficulties lead to her cutting and harming herself. Her world suddenly turns upside down, or right-side up, when she meets Guy. They slowly become closer and closer, and Willow’s life takes a different turn.
Hoban likes to implicitly state themes and her own views throughout the novel. Willow deals with her own personal depression and self harm, and with that, the message that self harm should not be treated as a trend or something that people do to gain attention. Willow takes what a guy in her group says personally; he states that people who have mental illnesses and harm themselves are just doing it as a trend and for attention. And she knows that that is not the case, and is angered by it. Because of the way Hoban depicts Willow’s hatred for what he said, it is clear that the author feels strongly against this opinion.  Also, she uses physical pain to take her away from and distract herself from the immense emotional pain she deals with. From this is revealed Hoban’s view that emotional pain is stronger than physical. Willow’s cutting separates her from those who do not, and her story and life could be seen as another culture. I have learned from Willow’s experiences that pain does not only associate with sadness, but other emotions can come along with mourning.
Willow by Julia Hoban was very enjoyable with its constant unexpected emotional situations. Both during and after reading, it made me stop to look around and realize that are many people that are really struggling with disorders and situations similar to Willow’s, even someone I would never think. Hoban truly displays Willow’s feelings, and although sometimes it was hard to continue reading, it was one I will never forget and have to reread. I recommend this to anyone, I really am not one to get into a book, but I would sit down and read this for hours. This book is an even better pick for you to read if you have a soft spot for tearjerkers, love stories, or personally struggle with any form of depression or anxiety.