Hello! Today I have a book of which I’ve never come across the likes before: a dystopian love story that focuses on mental health. I loved it and hope you will too.
Goodreads Blurb
Nightmare Scenario* by Hazel Clark introduces us to eighteen-year-old Grace Thrace who has a secret.
Four months ago she started to hear voices that force her to carry out frightening scenarios. With her father abroad and her relationship with her high-powered mother strained, Gracie has no one to turn to for Solace.
When a new voice called Kai materialises, Gracie finds herself attracted to his kindness. Kai offers the support Gracie craves, but how can she possibly let herself fall for someone who is not real?
Review
I think the above blurb provides a good overview of Nightmare Scenario‘s story without introducing spoilers. So I’m going to use this space to discuss the two major themes in the book instead.
The first and most important theme is mental health. Nightmare Scenario does a wonderful job opening up the conversation on schizophrenia and psychosis. They are dealt with beautifully and respectfully. As the author has psychosis herself, she is able to truly write about the effect mental illness has on everyday life and how people are afraid to open up about it.
The second major theme Nightmare Scenario deals with is the development of technology. Will future technology make our lives better or worse? I guess this is not a new topic for the dystopian genre or any other for that matter. That doesn’t make the topic any less disturbing though – made even more so by an author who is able to write about it in a way that will chill you.
What else does Nightmare Scenario offer? A lot, really. We have the makings of a wonderful love story between Gracie and a person whose name I will not mention now to avoid spoilers. We also have someone to root for in Gracie. She is a nice person, a really good friend, and someone you really want to win. And finally, we have the start of a wonderful new book series (in all honesty, just by reading the first few chapters of this book I knew it would be a series. It is not drawn out but the ending is a little rushed).
What do you think? Are you ready to learn more about Nightmare Scenario?
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
*affiliate link
Joyful Antidotes 