Something’s Wrong is the diary of a paranoid schizophrenic. Written in the form of transcriptions from audio tapes, it reveals the thoughts and feelings of a man struggling to understand the world. Through his observations we slowly learn that he suspects that he has murdered a young girl.
The book is fast paced, but the fragmented thoughts were often confusing. I don’t know much about schizophrenia, but the book appears to be well researched and provide an accurate portrayal of someone suffering from this condition.
To be honest I don’t understand many people. Not ordinary people. All that I have truly known is a theory of people.
The fogginess of the narrator’s thoughts meant that we got an insight into the condition, but I didn’t connect with him on an emotional level.
As the book progressed it seemed to shift from focusing on the schizophrenic, to analysing the roles of those who care for them – calling for better supervision of privately run care homes. I found this to be overstated – telling me, rather than showing me the problems within the system.
This is an original book, which held my attention, but I didn’t enjoy seeing the world through the eyes of someone with schizophrenia.
I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the care of those with mental health problems.
