"Maybe she would be better off dead." This is the heartbreaking consideration of the parents of Lori Schiller, a woman who, at the age of about 22, begins to exhibit symptoms of schizo-affective disorder. After years and years of treatment, hospitalization, drugs, a halfway house, discharges from facilities and therapy, her parents (and Lori herself) begin to wonder what kind of quality of life she can ever have. This book a collaborative narartive of her life and experience of a debilitating mental illness. It is written by Lori, her parents, brothers, friends, and doctors. The multi-faceted account allows the reader a comprehensive and overwhelming look into what life is like for someone who suffers from this disorder and also the experiences of those around her. It is very well written and insightful. This account was hard to read because of the intensity of her situation. That characteristic, though, only attests to the noxious reality of her experiences. The Quiet Room provides a raw, unique and eye-opening depiction of life dealing with a mental disorder, but it is not altogether pleasant to read.