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oblue

Abandoned by Booklikes

Government drone by day and book lover and geek girl by night!

Currently reading

This Time Next Year
Sophie Cousens
An Extraordinary Union
Alyssa Cole
A Princess in Theory: Reluctant Royals
Alyssa Cole
Burn for Me
Ilona Andrews
Nocturnes
John Connolly
After I'm Gone
Laura Lippman
The Black Angel
John Connolly
The Ballad of Black Tom
Victor LaValle
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SPOILER ALERT!

The Remedy

The Remedy - Adam Haslett

I don't like this short story's portrayal of mental illness and how apparently people afflicted with mental illness secretly want to just kill themselves and or shot to be put out of their misery. I wouldn't usually do a spoiler review, but this is a legitimately harmful narrative to put out there. I suffered from severe depression and had to see not only a therapist but a psychiatrist in order to be treated. I had a little voice that got louder and told me that I was nothing and no one would miss me if I were gone. I am happy to be here and wasn't secretly hoping for an organization to come along and murder me. And I don't think that the best things in my life have already occurred so screw living now. 

Image result for i hate this gif

 

So, "The Remedy" follows a young man named Derrick who has heard great things about a new clinic that has opened up. His cousin tells him that it sounds like this place will help him with his chronic pain condition. It costs $20,000. Derrick who has nothing left to lose decides to pay this and meets the other worldly Dr. Lang. In Dr. Lang's eyes Derrick feels seen for the first time. And readers quickly realize that what is going on with Derrick is not physical pain, but something else. And we have Derrick then flashbacking on his past and an older girlfriend and I guess when he gets the surprise of seeing people dead and knowing he's about to get murdered, it's cool cause his best life was before him and now nothing is left but pain. Derrick also gets to see joyous expressions on people's faces so yeah, murder/suicide is the answer. I hated this story with a passion. 

 

So let's go through this. This story had huge plot holes. How the hell does Derrick have $20,000 just sitting around? 

 

Also is no one in Derrick's life (his mom calls a freaking lot) going to notice he's gone? Was Derrick's cousin secretly setting him up to be killed cause who is running around raving about this place if all the clients end up dead? 

Also why are people being murdered and then thrown into a cargo hold? You just shipping dead bodies around for something else Dr. Lang?

 

This was stupid. So very stupid.