Made You Up by Francesca Zappia

My Review:

Miles doesn’t do well with emotions but he’s the high-school valedictorian, the smartest guy around and the most determined.

He has a difficult family life.

Alexandra is schizophrenic.

Handling her allucinations and paranoia is an everyday struggle but she has a plan to make her life work.

For years she believed the 7 years old boy that helped her free lobsters in a supermarket was one of her most elaborated allucinations until Miles, with his freckles and baby blues, enters her life.

Miles and Alex as kids are absolutely ADORABLE and I enjoyed their interactions in high school, how their relationships develops and how their characters didn’t feel isolated but part of a bigger world full of people with different stories, quirks, issues and serious situations.

A beautiful story that might feel real…for those that know nothing about schizophrenia.

I’m truly torn about this book.

I read a very good review on GR that sheds light on a lot of things the author didn’t consider / wasn’t accurate about.
You can read it here.

The reviewer is obviously and rightfully angry because Zappia’s portrayal of Alex’s disturbs gives readers a very unrealistic portrayal of the illness and everything that’s related to it.

Did I notice the inconsistencies /inaccuracies? Absolutely.

Did I enjoy the book anyway? Unexpectedly yes.

Would I recommend it to people interested in the subject mentioned above? Nope.

This is very much YA fiction.

The plot is compelling, emotional and often fun, Alex shines like a true heroine fighting to live her life as other teenagers do, fighting for a normality she knows will never be truly hers.

Making friends, falling in love and protecting the people she loves, planning her future… all of that while trying to separate what’s real from what it’s not.

I loved the secondary characters in this book.

▪️Tucker “Mr Potato Salad” and his friendship to Alex warmed my heart.

▪️Miles’ s high-school recreational atletic support club. 

▪️Alex’s little sister and the way Alex feels guilty she cannot be the perfect big sister she deserves.

The writing is engaging all the way through and, while I usually struggle a bit being in a teen’s mind, I absolutely loved being in Alex’s.

BUT

I believe this kind of plot should be approached more carefully because most people don’t usually read and fact-check later thus taking with them lots of incorrect information.

Books should not spread ignorance and I’ve 1 starred a lot of books because of that.

I believe I was able to enjoy “the ride” into Alex’s fictional world only because I chose to read the book KNOWING what I was getting into.

If caught unaware, I’m pretty sure I would’ve dropped it a few pages in and that’s why I’m torn about rating this book.

1 star for the reason I mentioned or a 3 star rating because I actually enjoyed the MC and their journey despite the author’s ignorance on the Mental Disorder she’s portraying through Alex?

I’m going to go with the latter but I SERIOUSLY suggest you read the GR review I linked above.

⭐ 3 Stars ⭐

~ My Ratings ~

Writing: 2.5 /5 I listened to the audiobook
Plot: 2 /5
Hero: 3.5 /5
Heroine: 4 /5
Secondary Characters: 4 /5
MC’s chemistry: 3 /5
Steam: 2 /5 No explicit sex scenes, It’s a young adult

Triggers: Dealing with schizophrenia potrayed very inaccurately by the author, troubled teenagers, a secondary character is molested by an authority figure, violence.

Recommended to: Everyone that doesn’t mind the triggers above.

Made You Up by Francesca Zappia

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