"A Bomb Went Off" in Martha's Brain
This book made me feel so many different feelings; it very quickly became one of my favorite books with an honest view on living with mental illness. I couldn't put it down. "Sorrow and Bliss" follows the life of Martha, who grew up in London as part of a chaotic, dysfunctional family. A poet father who has never been published, a drunk artistic mother that locks herself up in a shed in the garden and snarks mean comments regularly, and a sister who considers Martha the love of her life. Winsome and Rowland are the rich aunt and uncle on her mother's side who host Christmas every year, which is pretty mandatory to attend.

During these festivities, Martha and her sister Ingrid connect with their cousins and eventually Patrick, a boarding-school friend of their cousin Oliver who joins them every year since childhood. At age seventeen, "a bomb went off" in Martha's brain. She has been coping with severe mental illness ever since. With no help from her mother but fortunately a lot of support from her father, Martha faces years and years of faulty diagnoses. Throughout the years, while using several different medications, Martha becomes a very funny, self-sabotaging adult who is mean towards the people who love her the most, especially her husband Patrick.

Misdiagnosed
I physically felt Martha's pain in her search for herself. After being misdiagnosed so often, Martha finally figures out what is "wrong" with her. "Sorrow and Bliss" is tragically funny, covering so many topics surrounding mental illness, the challenges and consequences of being misdiagnosed, and struggles within motherhood. It was heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. Meg Mason never names Martha's mental illness; it is only ever referred to as "________," which is nerve-wracking. This act is genius as it really offers insight into how frustrating it is not knowing what is wrong with you.

This novel goes into the books as one of my favorites, as Meg Mason is definitely high up on my favorite authors.