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The Weight of Zero
Seventeen-year-old Catherine Pulaski knows Zero is coming for her. Zero, the devastating depression born of Catherine’s bipolar disorder, almost triumphed once; that was her first suicide attempt.
Being bipolar is forever. It never goes away. The med du jour might work right now, but Zero will be back for her. It’s only a matter of time.
And so, in an old ballet-shoe box, Catherine stockpiles medications, preparing to take her own life before Zero can inflict its living death on her again. Before she goes, though, she starts a short bucket list.
The bucket list, the support of her family, new friends, and a new course of treatment all begin to lessen Catherine’s sense of isolation. The problem is, her plan is already in place, and has been for so long that she might not be able to see a future beyond it.
This is a story of loss and grief and hope, and how some of the many shapes of love—maternal, romantic, and platonic—affect a young woman’s struggle with mental illness and the stigma of treatment.
Being bipolar is forever. It never goes away. The med du jour might work right now, but Zero will be back for her. It’s only a matter of time.
And so, in an old ballet-shoe box, Catherine stockpiles medications, preparing to take her own life before Zero can inflict its living death on her again. Before she goes, though, she starts a short bucket list.
The bucket list, the support of her family, new friends, and a new course of treatment all begin to lessen Catherine’s sense of isolation. The problem is, her plan is already in place, and has been for so long that she might not be able to see a future beyond it.
This is a story of loss and grief and hope, and how some of the many shapes of love—maternal, romantic, and platonic—affect a young woman’s struggle with mental illness and the stigma of treatment.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published October 11, 2016
115 people are currently reading
7315 people want to read
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May 2, 2019
Mental Health Read-A-Thon: Bi-Polar Rep
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and as part of that I have decided to participate in a month long readathon. I don't read a lot of books dealing with mental health. I read books with mentally ill characters in them but they are usually not about mental illness. I don't have any mental health issues personally, aside from being neurotic but I do have family members who deal with mental illness. My sister deals with clinical depression, my mom dealt with severe anxiety her whole life and I had an uncle who was schizophrenic. I sometimes wonder how I managed to avoid it. Maybe I just take after my dad's side of the family or maybe I haven't avoided it maybe my mental illness is still ahead.
The Weight of Zero is about 17 year old Catherine who is bipolar and recovering from a suicide attempt. Zero is the name she has given to the devastating depression that caused her suicide attempt. She lives in constant fear of Zeros return and can't face the fact that she will always be bipolar. She sees no point to living so she begins to plan her death.
This book deals with heavy subject matters but its not a sad or dark book. Its also not one of those YA novel in which the love of a cute boy saves the day. The Weight of Zero is about how the simple act of opening up to people who love and like you can make the unbearable bearable. At the end of this book Catherine isn't cured, she isn't 100% happy but she has a support system that she can lean on. I think a lot of times we all just shut down and decide to hold things in because we don't want to bother anybody. I'm the worst at this, I will hold it in until I scream at the poor mailman for getting my mail wet in a thunderstorm(True story!). Sometimes talking a friend/family member or trained professional helps. Sometimes its nice to remind people that they're not alone.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and as part of that I have decided to participate in a month long readathon. I don't read a lot of books dealing with mental health. I read books with mentally ill characters in them but they are usually not about mental illness. I don't have any mental health issues personally, aside from being neurotic but I do have family members who deal with mental illness. My sister deals with clinical depression, my mom dealt with severe anxiety her whole life and I had an uncle who was schizophrenic. I sometimes wonder how I managed to avoid it. Maybe I just take after my dad's side of the family or maybe I haven't avoided it maybe my mental illness is still ahead.
The Weight of Zero is about 17 year old Catherine who is bipolar and recovering from a suicide attempt. Zero is the name she has given to the devastating depression that caused her suicide attempt. She lives in constant fear of Zeros return and can't face the fact that she will always be bipolar. She sees no point to living so she begins to plan her death.
This book deals with heavy subject matters but its not a sad or dark book. Its also not one of those YA novel in which the love of a cute boy saves the day. The Weight of Zero is about how the simple act of opening up to people who love and like you can make the unbearable bearable. At the end of this book Catherine isn't cured, she isn't 100% happy but she has a support system that she can lean on. I think a lot of times we all just shut down and decide to hold things in because we don't want to bother anybody. I'm the worst at this, I will hold it in until I scream at the poor mailman for getting my mail wet in a thunderstorm(True story!). Sometimes talking a friend/family member or trained professional helps. Sometimes its nice to remind people that they're not alone.
December 26, 2016
3.5 stars
The Weight of Zero by Karen Fortunati offers a sensitive take on the daily struggles of a teen living with the prospect of a chronic mental illness. Besides highlighting the impact Catherine's bipolar disorder has on her life, such as attending intensive group therapy, and the grim expectations she has for her future, the book tackles subjects such as the burden that rests on parents of mentally ill children, the image of mental health in society, bullying, and first love.
This debut on a girl suffering from bipolar disorder had been on my radar for months. I am aware that YA fiction has a habit of misportraying mental illnesses, sacrificing psychiatric accuracy for drama effects, romantic subplots, and happy endings. Nonetheless, I was really excited to get my hands on a YA contemporary featuring such a severe mental disorder, for I feel like bipolar does not get the literary attention it deserves with, according to the World Health Organisation, roughly 60 million people being affected worldwide. The reason I wish more YA books, not just contemporaries but also fantasy and dystopian novels, would focus and/or include mental illnesses is because many of these have their onset during adolescence, therefore making it a topic of utmost relevance.
From a psychiatric point of view, The Weight of Zero is well written, the amount of researched Fortunati did on bipolar disorder and its impacts being noticeable throughout the book. It becomes clear that Fortunati spent a lot of time getting acquainted with the symptoms of bipolar disorder, the different forms of therapy, and the possible medication. Besides the predominantly accurate depiction of the disorder itself (as far as I can assess as a Clinical Psychology major), the author realistically portrays Catherine's introspection. Her fears and hopelessness in the face of a chronic illness are believable to a fault. Bipolar being characterised by episodes of mania and depression, Catherine refers to the depression as Zero, and after her last manic episode, she notices a decline in her spirits and she knows Zero is coming for her. But this time, she'll be ready. She stockpiles meds, planning on taking her own life before Zero can turn it into hell on earth again.
In Catherine's growing friendship with a bulimic girl at the Intensive Outpatient Program she attends, she also experiences what it means to be friends with people who suffer from mental illnesses, experiencing an entirely different form of helplessness and cluelessness. The book sensitively shows how the burden of a mental disorder is subjective and depends a lot on the person who's dealing with it. Catherine, who is affected by a disorder which is considered a life-long companion, often regards herself as defenceless, as a victim of a genetic defect and an event that triggered the onset of her disorder. Her daily life entails a lot of hiding away, for she feels ashamed of the burden she carries on her shoulders, afraid of how people may react to her life between two affective extremes, depression and mania.
I really appreciated how the mental health aspect was addressed in The Weight of Zero, and I enjoyed Catherine as a main character (and, of course, I enjoyed grandma Pitoscia). Furthermore, Fortunati writes with a lot of dark humour, a touch of teen slang, makes use of emojis in text messages (legit, right?), and introduces a pinch of Italian family dynamics. The latter I had already immensely enjoyed about Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta. It is noticeable that Fortunati uses a lot of Italian last names for the people Catherine encounters in her daily life. Due to the love interest's Italian roots, Fortunati was able to explore the dealings with an Italian grandmother in this book, and grandma Pitoscia – or, as she is referred to, Nonny – is incredibly funny and sweet. She definitely carries that Italian spirit with her, addressing issues very directly and yet manages to be uplifting. In spite of many positive things I have to say about the book, The Weight of Zero failed to captivate me as an overall work of art. The plot was slow-going at times, especially with the inclusion of history due to Catherine's school project, and seemed to be headed nowhere sometimes. The romantic subplot didn't convince me at all. Apart from the lack of chemistry, the whole foundation of Catherine and Michael's romance was weird, as in came completely out of nowhere. The climax was really subtle, and I'm not sure how realistic Catherine's final revelation was, but because everything else with regard to her mental illness was well founded, I'm willing to turn a blind eye.
All in all, I'd say this is a solid contemporary novel, one of its strengths being the accuracy of how it dealt with a mental illness. For me to pester my friends to read this, however, the book was not convincing enough as a literary work of art and a means of entertainment. It goes without saying that, should you be suffering from bipolar or having suicidal thoughts, The Weight of Zero could be triggering, though its message is one of hope and strength.
Should you be struggling in any way, be it a sadness you cannot explain or a compulsion you cannot suppress or an anxiety you cannot control, please contact a mental health care service, as help is available and you are not alone. If you're harbouring thoughts about wanting to end your life, please call your general practicioner, seek out an emergency department, or contact someone at the websites provided below immediately.
For mental health care in the US, contact someone at the Health and Human Services department. For Canada, contact someone at the Canadian Mental Health Association. For the UK, contact someone at the National Health Services. For Australia, contact someone at the Mental Health Services. All of these websites are run and/or approved by the respective governments.
The Weight of Zero by Karen Fortunati offers a sensitive take on the daily struggles of a teen living with the prospect of a chronic mental illness. Besides highlighting the impact Catherine's bipolar disorder has on her life, such as attending intensive group therapy, and the grim expectations she has for her future, the book tackles subjects such as the burden that rests on parents of mentally ill children, the image of mental health in society, bullying, and first love.
This debut on a girl suffering from bipolar disorder had been on my radar for months. I am aware that YA fiction has a habit of misportraying mental illnesses, sacrificing psychiatric accuracy for drama effects, romantic subplots, and happy endings. Nonetheless, I was really excited to get my hands on a YA contemporary featuring such a severe mental disorder, for I feel like bipolar does not get the literary attention it deserves with, according to the World Health Organisation, roughly 60 million people being affected worldwide. The reason I wish more YA books, not just contemporaries but also fantasy and dystopian novels, would focus and/or include mental illnesses is because many of these have their onset during adolescence, therefore making it a topic of utmost relevance.
CATHERINE PULASKI–CELEXA 40 mg, CATHERINE PULASKI–PROZAC 20 mg, CATHERINE PULASKI–ABILIFY 10 mg, PAXIL, ZOLOFT and LEXAPRO -- my stockpile of old prescriptions. By day, they're stationed in a box under my bed, camouflaged under old ballet shoes, unopened packages of tights and crumpled recital flyers. But every night, I take them out. They soothe me.
From a psychiatric point of view, The Weight of Zero is well written, the amount of researched Fortunati did on bipolar disorder and its impacts being noticeable throughout the book. It becomes clear that Fortunati spent a lot of time getting acquainted with the symptoms of bipolar disorder, the different forms of therapy, and the possible medication. Besides the predominantly accurate depiction of the disorder itself (as far as I can assess as a Clinical Psychology major), the author realistically portrays Catherine's introspection. Her fears and hopelessness in the face of a chronic illness are believable to a fault. Bipolar being characterised by episodes of mania and depression, Catherine refers to the depression as Zero, and after her last manic episode, she notices a decline in her spirits and she knows Zero is coming for her. But this time, she'll be ready. She stockpiles meds, planning on taking her own life before Zero can turn it into hell on earth again.
I'm sick of the hiding, and I'm sick of constantly anticipating Zero. He went away for a while, but I know he's back, circling ever closer. And now one of Zero's four horsemen, disrupted sleep, is here. But I don't say any of this.
"Things are okay," I answer.
In Catherine's growing friendship with a bulimic girl at the Intensive Outpatient Program she attends, she also experiences what it means to be friends with people who suffer from mental illnesses, experiencing an entirely different form of helplessness and cluelessness. The book sensitively shows how the burden of a mental disorder is subjective and depends a lot on the person who's dealing with it. Catherine, who is affected by a disorder which is considered a life-long companion, often regards herself as defenceless, as a victim of a genetic defect and an event that triggered the onset of her disorder. Her daily life entails a lot of hiding away, for she feels ashamed of the burden she carries on her shoulders, afraid of how people may react to her life between two affective extremes, depression and mania.
I am so fucked. By a disease that isolates me with its stigma. That not only taints my reasoning but also limits any relationship that I could have.
I really appreciated how the mental health aspect was addressed in The Weight of Zero, and I enjoyed Catherine as a main character (and, of course, I enjoyed grandma Pitoscia). Furthermore, Fortunati writes with a lot of dark humour, a touch of teen slang, makes use of emojis in text messages (legit, right?), and introduces a pinch of Italian family dynamics. The latter I had already immensely enjoyed about Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta. It is noticeable that Fortunati uses a lot of Italian last names for the people Catherine encounters in her daily life. Due to the love interest's Italian roots, Fortunati was able to explore the dealings with an Italian grandmother in this book, and grandma Pitoscia – or, as she is referred to, Nonny – is incredibly funny and sweet. She definitely carries that Italian spirit with her, addressing issues very directly and yet manages to be uplifting. In spite of many positive things I have to say about the book, The Weight of Zero failed to captivate me as an overall work of art. The plot was slow-going at times, especially with the inclusion of history due to Catherine's school project, and seemed to be headed nowhere sometimes. The romantic subplot didn't convince me at all. Apart from the lack of chemistry, the whole foundation of Catherine and Michael's romance was weird, as in came completely out of nowhere. The climax was really subtle, and I'm not sure how realistic Catherine's final revelation was, but because everything else with regard to her mental illness was well founded, I'm willing to turn a blind eye.
All in all, I'd say this is a solid contemporary novel, one of its strengths being the accuracy of how it dealt with a mental illness. For me to pester my friends to read this, however, the book was not convincing enough as a literary work of art and a means of entertainment. It goes without saying that, should you be suffering from bipolar or having suicidal thoughts, The Weight of Zero could be triggering, though its message is one of hope and strength.
Should you be struggling in any way, be it a sadness you cannot explain or a compulsion you cannot suppress or an anxiety you cannot control, please contact a mental health care service, as help is available and you are not alone. If you're harbouring thoughts about wanting to end your life, please call your general practicioner, seek out an emergency department, or contact someone at the websites provided below immediately.
For mental health care in the US, contact someone at the Health and Human Services department. For Canada, contact someone at the Canadian Mental Health Association. For the UK, contact someone at the National Health Services. For Australia, contact someone at the Mental Health Services. All of these websites are run and/or approved by the respective governments.
August 6, 2015
Such an emotional read and a great book overall. Add this one to your radar!
February 17, 2016
THE WEIGHT OF ZERO is the story of Catherine Pulaski, a 17-year-old who has retreated from the world because of her bipolar disorder, and spends her days living in fear of the horrible depression that she knows will eventually return. She believes that when that happens, suicide may be the only answer, but when little rays of light begin to enter her life junior year, there seems to be a chance for her to change her mind. . .
In this moving and beautiful book, Fortunati shuns clichés and melodrama in favor of something more powerful: a compelling story about a girl who discovers new hope thanks to medication, therapy, and meaningful relationships. Catherine’s struggles and her clear, funny voice are the heart of the book, but it is also buoyed by amazing supporting characters. A sweet first love, a charismatic new friend, a devoted mother, a dedicated therapist, an inspiring history teacher, a pulls-no-punches grandma: these are the people who help Catherine to save herself from the darkness that threatens. They bring love and laughter into her life, and, in the process, remind us all what a difference we can make when we come to others with kindness, openness, and constancy.
And while this is first and foremost Catherine’s story, in the process of her journey, we are shown a number of wider truths. Fortunati does a lovely job illustrating that what often holds us back from true intimacy is not, in fact, the judgments or shortcomings of others, but our own fears and insecurities. And time and again, she demonstrates the power that comes with honesty, with opening up and sharing our true feelings, however difficult it may be.
A lovely and important read!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
In this moving and beautiful book, Fortunati shuns clichés and melodrama in favor of something more powerful: a compelling story about a girl who discovers new hope thanks to medication, therapy, and meaningful relationships. Catherine’s struggles and her clear, funny voice are the heart of the book, but it is also buoyed by amazing supporting characters. A sweet first love, a charismatic new friend, a devoted mother, a dedicated therapist, an inspiring history teacher, a pulls-no-punches grandma: these are the people who help Catherine to save herself from the darkness that threatens. They bring love and laughter into her life, and, in the process, remind us all what a difference we can make when we come to others with kindness, openness, and constancy.
And while this is first and foremost Catherine’s story, in the process of her journey, we are shown a number of wider truths. Fortunati does a lovely job illustrating that what often holds us back from true intimacy is not, in fact, the judgments or shortcomings of others, but our own fears and insecurities. And time and again, she demonstrates the power that comes with honesty, with opening up and sharing our true feelings, however difficult it may be.
A lovely and important read!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 22, 2016
( Thank you to Penguin Random House for sending me a copy for review! Trigger warning for suicide and grief )
The Weight Of Zero has definitely become one of my favourite reads of 2016. It was a beautiful, heartbreaking, bittersweet and realistic story about the journey of our main character, Catherine, as she battles her bipolar disorder and depression. As this is more of a character driven novel, I won't be talking much about the plot but focusing more on Catherine instead.
Throughout the story, you're following Catherine's life very closely and it makes you feel like you're her close friend. You're following the happy, sad, confused, angry, memorable moments of her life and you just feel as though you have a close connection to her. As mentioned above, she struggles with her bipolar disorder, depression and grief. I'm unable to relate to the grief she feels from an incident and her bipolar disorder but I could strong relate to the depression aspect. In the novel, depression is characterised as " Zero " and there are some days where " Zero " leaves Catherine alone but there are also days where " Zero " hits Catherine hard. I've been battling with depression for almost 4 years now and it's an ongoing battle. Sometimes the depression isn't there but some days it stays with you and doesn't leave, just like what Catherine experienced. Reading this novel brought me to tears at time because of how real it was and I didn't feel alone.
There was also a really adorable romance in the novel and I really appreciated the fact that the romance didn't overpower the whole story and the romance wasn't always rainbows and butterflies. I also really really loved the friendship aspect in the novel and it was just really wonderful seeing Catherine have a friend that would always be there for her. The ending of the novel was really bittersweet. Closing the book was like saying goodbye to a character you've seen grow as a person and it just makes you want to hold on to Catherine and not let her go.
Overall, The Weight Of Zero is such a wonderful story and I hope that this review pushed you to pick up a copy for yourself and experience this beautiful story and the journey it takes you. Thank you, Karen, for writing this novel that changed my life.
The Weight Of Zero has definitely become one of my favourite reads of 2016. It was a beautiful, heartbreaking, bittersweet and realistic story about the journey of our main character, Catherine, as she battles her bipolar disorder and depression. As this is more of a character driven novel, I won't be talking much about the plot but focusing more on Catherine instead.
Throughout the story, you're following Catherine's life very closely and it makes you feel like you're her close friend. You're following the happy, sad, confused, angry, memorable moments of her life and you just feel as though you have a close connection to her. As mentioned above, she struggles with her bipolar disorder, depression and grief. I'm unable to relate to the grief she feels from an incident and her bipolar disorder but I could strong relate to the depression aspect. In the novel, depression is characterised as " Zero " and there are some days where " Zero " leaves Catherine alone but there are also days where " Zero " hits Catherine hard. I've been battling with depression for almost 4 years now and it's an ongoing battle. Sometimes the depression isn't there but some days it stays with you and doesn't leave, just like what Catherine experienced. Reading this novel brought me to tears at time because of how real it was and I didn't feel alone.
There was also a really adorable romance in the novel and I really appreciated the fact that the romance didn't overpower the whole story and the romance wasn't always rainbows and butterflies. I also really really loved the friendship aspect in the novel and it was just really wonderful seeing Catherine have a friend that would always be there for her. The ending of the novel was really bittersweet. Closing the book was like saying goodbye to a character you've seen grow as a person and it just makes you want to hold on to Catherine and not let her go.
Overall, The Weight Of Zero is such a wonderful story and I hope that this review pushed you to pick up a copy for yourself and experience this beautiful story and the journey it takes you. Thank you, Karen, for writing this novel that changed my life.
October 22, 2016
Truly amazing. I rarely agree with the Indies Introduce titles but this one deserves to be the headliner.
March 14, 2016
This is a book that promises to be about the realities of living day to day with a mental illness. No rejection of meds or therapy by the protagonist. No "saved by the love of the perfect person" plot.
It delivers. And it makes those grinding realities into a touching, absorbing story with a hopeful message about living with a chronic condition.
The novel's greatest asset is Catherine's believably teenage voice: She's depressed to the point of planning her suicide, yet she hasn't lost her dark sense of humor or her irreverent view of the world. Those qualities reveal a certain strength and resilience, even if she doesn't recognize it. I worried about her, but I liked spending time with her. As a result, I found it believable when other characters, like Michael and Kristal, wanted to spend time with her, too.
What this book is NOT (to my relief): full of long descriptions of one-on-one therapy sessions. Catherine attends group therapy, and the focus is on her interactions with the other kids, especially a budding friendship.
Fortunati keeps the pace lively; I almost never felt like some authoritative adult character was lecturing Catherine (and the reader) on how to think about mental illness. Important information is presented, but it isn't spoon-fed to us. Catherine has an active BS meter, but she doesn't reject therapy that really has the power to help her—therapy that may come in many forms.
Another element I loved was how previous stories figured in the novel. Catherine falls into despair after she reads a certain beloved coming-of-age book because the protagonist seems to have a "reason" for his depression, and she doesn't. Later, Catherine researches the story of someone else with whom she empathizes, and that work helps draw her away from Zero and into a healing engagement with the world.
I hope this important book will have the same effect on readers — to waken empathy and remind them that no one's life is without hope. While we know a real-life challenge like Catherine's illness can't have a simple dramatic resolution, we turn pages quickly anyway, eager to see her realize that life still has so much to offer her.
It delivers. And it makes those grinding realities into a touching, absorbing story with a hopeful message about living with a chronic condition.
The novel's greatest asset is Catherine's believably teenage voice: She's depressed to the point of planning her suicide, yet she hasn't lost her dark sense of humor or her irreverent view of the world. Those qualities reveal a certain strength and resilience, even if she doesn't recognize it. I worried about her, but I liked spending time with her. As a result, I found it believable when other characters, like Michael and Kristal, wanted to spend time with her, too.
What this book is NOT (to my relief): full of long descriptions of one-on-one therapy sessions. Catherine attends group therapy, and the focus is on her interactions with the other kids, especially a budding friendship.
Fortunati keeps the pace lively; I almost never felt like some authoritative adult character was lecturing Catherine (and the reader) on how to think about mental illness. Important information is presented, but it isn't spoon-fed to us. Catherine has an active BS meter, but she doesn't reject therapy that really has the power to help her—therapy that may come in many forms.
Another element I loved was how previous stories figured in the novel. Catherine falls into despair after she reads a certain beloved coming-of-age book because the protagonist seems to have a "reason" for his depression, and she doesn't. Later, Catherine researches the story of someone else with whom she empathizes, and that work helps draw her away from Zero and into a healing engagement with the world.
I hope this important book will have the same effect on readers — to waken empathy and remind them that no one's life is without hope. While we know a real-life challenge like Catherine's illness can't have a simple dramatic resolution, we turn pages quickly anyway, eager to see her realize that life still has so much to offer her.
August 31, 2016
The Weight of Zero is heartbreaking and heroic with a cast of characters that run the gamut – you’ve got bullies and the bullied, the damaged and the ruined, the Queen Bees, and the wanna-bes, and everyone in between. And Catherine, who has tried to commit suicide once and is fearing that Zero will come back for her again, and this time, when he does she will do the job right.
But because of an Intensive Outpatient Program, some new friends, a boy, some new meds, and a new therapist, Zero isn’t meddling in her life as much anymore and things are starting to look up. She’s starting to feel … NORMAL?
Could this thing called LIFE be getting better?
I absolutely loved this book about a girl with a diagnosis of bipolar, and finished in record time, wanting to find out what happened. Would Zero come back for Catherine? What would happen to her and the boy who she has decided might be ‘the one’? Would her mom ever give her some space? Would she stop getting bullied by the complete jerk in her history class (I LOATHED him!!), and would she get rid of ‘the troops’? (You’ll have to read the book to find out what I mean! : )
This novel has all the pieces I adore in a YA contemporary – it has heart and honesty, compelling characters that are real and flawed yet funny and full of spirit and soul. It has adults who are compassionate and true-to-life (Oh my gosh, wait till you meet Nonny – she is hilarious!)
THE WEIGHT OF ZERO is a book that teens and adults will relate to, understand, and love. It’s one of those books that after you read it, you’ll need to sit for a while, because it’s just so well done you need to let it simmer in your soul.
But because of an Intensive Outpatient Program, some new friends, a boy, some new meds, and a new therapist, Zero isn’t meddling in her life as much anymore and things are starting to look up. She’s starting to feel … NORMAL?
Could this thing called LIFE be getting better?
I absolutely loved this book about a girl with a diagnosis of bipolar, and finished in record time, wanting to find out what happened. Would Zero come back for Catherine? What would happen to her and the boy who she has decided might be ‘the one’? Would her mom ever give her some space? Would she stop getting bullied by the complete jerk in her history class (I LOATHED him!!), and would she get rid of ‘the troops’? (You’ll have to read the book to find out what I mean! : )
This novel has all the pieces I adore in a YA contemporary – it has heart and honesty, compelling characters that are real and flawed yet funny and full of spirit and soul. It has adults who are compassionate and true-to-life (Oh my gosh, wait till you meet Nonny – she is hilarious!)
THE WEIGHT OF ZERO is a book that teens and adults will relate to, understand, and love. It’s one of those books that after you read it, you’ll need to sit for a while, because it’s just so well done you need to let it simmer in your soul.
June 19, 2016
Wow! I think this book should be considered for a Newbury Award. When I read the first chapter, I thought Wow! Karen really nailed that first chapter. But the book continues to draw you in with a heartfelt story. I laughed, I cried, and I wanted to spend time with the wonderful characters occupying the pages. I ended the book saying the same thing I did after the first chapter - WOW! This is a must read. The Weight of Zero is destine to win many awards.
June 22, 2016
I’m going to try to find words adequate to describe Karen Fortunati’s THE WEIGHT OF ZERO.
Kind
Accepting
Hopeful
Deeply sad, but the kind of sad that makes me value even one moment of happy
Catherine Pulaski has bipolar disorder. Her so-called friends deserted her when they found out about it and became her worst tormentors at school. Her only friends are the bottles of pills she lines up like soldiers on her bedside table every night—bottles that should be empty but aren’t because Catherine has a plan. Although her mother closely monitors her medication after Catherine’s last suicide attempt almost succeeded, Catherine has managed to hide away a few extra pills. Stockpiling them. Her escape plan.
But she doesn’t plan on finding others who know the same pain she does. Others who are as fragile as she is and with every small step of trust, Catherine’s plan changes.
This is not a book about a boy saving a girl. Or a friend saving a girl. Or even of a mother saving her daughter. Although every single one of them makes an impact. This is a story about a girl walking her own path.
Catherine Pulaski owns her own path in all its complications and all its hurt and despite it being such a difficult path to walk and it will never be any easier because there is no changing her diagnosis. Still, she walks it and she keeps walking it.
I’m adding Courage to the list of words above. This book is about courage.
Five enormous stars that, in Catherine’s words, amount to a ten for me.
Kind
Accepting
Hopeful
Deeply sad, but the kind of sad that makes me value even one moment of happy
Catherine Pulaski has bipolar disorder. Her so-called friends deserted her when they found out about it and became her worst tormentors at school. Her only friends are the bottles of pills she lines up like soldiers on her bedside table every night—bottles that should be empty but aren’t because Catherine has a plan. Although her mother closely monitors her medication after Catherine’s last suicide attempt almost succeeded, Catherine has managed to hide away a few extra pills. Stockpiling them. Her escape plan.
But she doesn’t plan on finding others who know the same pain she does. Others who are as fragile as she is and with every small step of trust, Catherine’s plan changes.
This is not a book about a boy saving a girl. Or a friend saving a girl. Or even of a mother saving her daughter. Although every single one of them makes an impact. This is a story about a girl walking her own path.
Catherine Pulaski owns her own path in all its complications and all its hurt and despite it being such a difficult path to walk and it will never be any easier because there is no changing her diagnosis. Still, she walks it and she keeps walking it.
I’m adding Courage to the list of words above. This book is about courage.
Five enormous stars that, in Catherine’s words, amount to a ten for me.
January 19, 2019
Updated review:
Incredibly amazing. The Weight of Zero is heart-breaking. I’m glad that I picked up this book. I really appreciated how the mental health aspect was addressed in this book and I loved the main character, Catherine. I loved the writing style.
The Weight of Zero is about a girl named Catherine Pulaski, a 17-year-old who has withdrawn from the world because of her bipolar disorder. She spends her days living in dread of horrible depression that will eventually return. She feels that suicide might be the answer to end everything that she feels. When she enters the junior year, everything seems to be changed and she might change her mind.
I really loved my journey throughout this book. It’s like I have a close connection with the main character. However, I’m unable to relate the situation she faces, like from an incident and her bipolar disorder. But I can relate to her depression.
There was also romance in this book. But I feel like there’s a lack of chemistry between Catherine and Michael. I liked that it didn’t overpower the whole story. The friendship that the author portrayed in this book was just really wonderful. Because Catherine has a friend who always be there for her.
I feel pretty sad that the story ended. I liked Catherine so much. I even loved her.
Overall, The Weight of Zero is such a wonderful story. I hope you will add or pick up this book for your next read.
Incredibly amazing. The Weight of Zero is heart-breaking. I’m glad that I picked up this book. I really appreciated how the mental health aspect was addressed in this book and I loved the main character, Catherine. I loved the writing style.
The Weight of Zero is about a girl named Catherine Pulaski, a 17-year-old who has withdrawn from the world because of her bipolar disorder. She spends her days living in dread of horrible depression that will eventually return. She feels that suicide might be the answer to end everything that she feels. When she enters the junior year, everything seems to be changed and she might change her mind.
I really loved my journey throughout this book. It’s like I have a close connection with the main character. However, I’m unable to relate the situation she faces, like from an incident and her bipolar disorder. But I can relate to her depression.
There was also romance in this book. But I feel like there’s a lack of chemistry between Catherine and Michael. I liked that it didn’t overpower the whole story. The friendship that the author portrayed in this book was just really wonderful. Because Catherine has a friend who always be there for her.
I feel pretty sad that the story ended. I liked Catherine so much. I even loved her.
Overall, The Weight of Zero is such a wonderful story. I hope you will add or pick up this book for your next read.
July 4, 2016
This is a beautiful, heart-wrenching story of love and loss.
The protagonist, Catherine (Cath) Pulaski, is a 17-year-old girl who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder shortly after the devastating death of her beloved grandmother. Her first suicide attempt has left her mother traumatized. Zero is Cath's name for the crippling depression that overwhelmed her. She has a plan, though. She is collecting enough pills to defeat Zero if it comes for her again.
Fortunati's portrayal of the impact of chronic mental illness is fierce and honest. Her treatment of the subject is deft. This is an especially important coming-of-age story. I loved this book so much.
The protagonist, Catherine (Cath) Pulaski, is a 17-year-old girl who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder shortly after the devastating death of her beloved grandmother. Her first suicide attempt has left her mother traumatized. Zero is Cath's name for the crippling depression that overwhelmed her. She has a plan, though. She is collecting enough pills to defeat Zero if it comes for her again.
Fortunati's portrayal of the impact of chronic mental illness is fierce and honest. Her treatment of the subject is deft. This is an especially important coming-of-age story. I loved this book so much.
March 17, 2017
Karen Fortunati’s The Weight of Zero is perfection.
I know that is a bold promise, but it is true. Perfection. Every line, every word. The story and tension unfold in a way that is at once beautiful and tragic and heart wrenching and hopeful—and Fortunati’s brilliant writing style and compassion keep the reader in capable hands throughout this debut. I am wholly aware as I write this review that my words will not do this book justice. But I will try because I believe this is a book that every teen should read. Anyone who has struggled with mental illness, or loved someone with mental illness should read this book.
The reader meets Fortunati’s main character, Catherine, as she struggles with a recent bipolar diagnosis. For Catherine, this is a death sentence. How can she live her life if Zero—manic depression—is always breathing on her neck, waiting for his darkness to envelop her? Cath’s story unfolds effortlessly on the page. Fortunati is a master at voice and character development and she invites us in to witness Cath’s inner demons, as well as all of Cath’s strategies for appearing “normal” on the outside. Catherine is witty and bold and whip smart. Fortunati made me love Cath with my whole heart.
Catherine has started taking a new medication to manage her bipolar disorder and is enrolled in an Intensive Outpatient Program after attempting suicide prior to the book’s opening. In this center, we witness Cath interacting other teens who struggle with a variety of mental health issues. These teens are beautiful and inspiring and so well-formed that each of them feels like a real person. That’s the thing about Fortunati’s writing: it’s brutally real and beautifully real. Her characters are the farthest thing from one-dimensional. You will fall in love with Cath. Her honesty and her vulnerability. And you will fall in love with the people who surround her: a mother who never gives up, new friends, a boy, a 90-year-old Italian woman who is just vibrant and eccentric enough to help Cath keep everything in perspective. There is so much to love about this book that I could go on for ages. I will, in fact. I will tell everyone I know about this book because this book is not one to be missed.
This story is so profoundly moving that it deserves all the readers. Fortunati did her research and writes from a compassionate place. Fortunati shows us the devastating effects of Zero in her book and doesn’t make things easy for her character. In other words, she handles this particular representation of bipolar and its effects on one teen girl with respect and authenticity. As someone who works closely with teens struggling with bipolar and depression and anxiety, I respected this honest and thought-provoking portrayal immensely. The review I write here will soon be lost in a sea of reviews saying the same thing about this debut: Read the Weight of Zero. It is an important book, a refreshing book. It is also funny and raw. There is so much to learn in this book, and it never comes across as depressing—no easy feat considering the subject matter. Fortunati manages to weave so much hope into her character’s life that the book is thoroughly uplifting.
It is zero surprise that Fortunati’s debut was chosen as an Indies Introduce title by the American Booksellers Association in 2016, or that her manuscript won the 2013 YA Discovery Contest and a was a finalist in the 2015 Tassey Walden Awards and allowed Fortunati to receive a SCBWI grant to help support the writing of this story. The Weight of Zero is perfection. I promise.
I know that is a bold promise, but it is true. Perfection. Every line, every word. The story and tension unfold in a way that is at once beautiful and tragic and heart wrenching and hopeful—and Fortunati’s brilliant writing style and compassion keep the reader in capable hands throughout this debut. I am wholly aware as I write this review that my words will not do this book justice. But I will try because I believe this is a book that every teen should read. Anyone who has struggled with mental illness, or loved someone with mental illness should read this book.
The reader meets Fortunati’s main character, Catherine, as she struggles with a recent bipolar diagnosis. For Catherine, this is a death sentence. How can she live her life if Zero—manic depression—is always breathing on her neck, waiting for his darkness to envelop her? Cath’s story unfolds effortlessly on the page. Fortunati is a master at voice and character development and she invites us in to witness Cath’s inner demons, as well as all of Cath’s strategies for appearing “normal” on the outside. Catherine is witty and bold and whip smart. Fortunati made me love Cath with my whole heart.
Catherine has started taking a new medication to manage her bipolar disorder and is enrolled in an Intensive Outpatient Program after attempting suicide prior to the book’s opening. In this center, we witness Cath interacting other teens who struggle with a variety of mental health issues. These teens are beautiful and inspiring and so well-formed that each of them feels like a real person. That’s the thing about Fortunati’s writing: it’s brutally real and beautifully real. Her characters are the farthest thing from one-dimensional. You will fall in love with Cath. Her honesty and her vulnerability. And you will fall in love with the people who surround her: a mother who never gives up, new friends, a boy, a 90-year-old Italian woman who is just vibrant and eccentric enough to help Cath keep everything in perspective. There is so much to love about this book that I could go on for ages. I will, in fact. I will tell everyone I know about this book because this book is not one to be missed.
This story is so profoundly moving that it deserves all the readers. Fortunati did her research and writes from a compassionate place. Fortunati shows us the devastating effects of Zero in her book and doesn’t make things easy for her character. In other words, she handles this particular representation of bipolar and its effects on one teen girl with respect and authenticity. As someone who works closely with teens struggling with bipolar and depression and anxiety, I respected this honest and thought-provoking portrayal immensely. The review I write here will soon be lost in a sea of reviews saying the same thing about this debut: Read the Weight of Zero. It is an important book, a refreshing book. It is also funny and raw. There is so much to learn in this book, and it never comes across as depressing—no easy feat considering the subject matter. Fortunati manages to weave so much hope into her character’s life that the book is thoroughly uplifting.
It is zero surprise that Fortunati’s debut was chosen as an Indies Introduce title by the American Booksellers Association in 2016, or that her manuscript won the 2013 YA Discovery Contest and a was a finalist in the 2015 Tassey Walden Awards and allowed Fortunati to receive a SCBWI grant to help support the writing of this story. The Weight of Zero is perfection. I promise.
June 30, 2016
Resigned, hopeful, tormented, conflicted, guilty, loved: these are just some of the emotions portrayed in the Weight of Zero and author Karen Fortunati does an outstanding job of attaching the reader to every emotion that barrels down on Catherine Pulaski. Reaching into the world of the everyday teenager is an almost impossible task; however, Fortunati somehow manages to not only do this, but also take us on the rollercoaster journey of a bipolar teen.
The voice is so authentic, I felt the breath of the bully that sat in the school desk behind Catherine, as he whispered his daily mocking. And the despair when Catherine’s two best friends betrayed her. I loved the layering in the novel: the history project, the mother’s pain, the dynamics of the therapy group, Catherine’s grief over losing her grandmother, the bossy, funny nature of her boyfriend’s grandmother, the agony of finding the right medication, and the unfolding of Catherine's relationship with her boyfriend. Clearly, this is a story of survival, hope, and the light that can come through darkness. As Catherine herself stated, “I am still innocent.” Indeed she is, and readers will want to simultaneously hug her and let themselves exhale.
The voice is so authentic, I felt the breath of the bully that sat in the school desk behind Catherine, as he whispered his daily mocking. And the despair when Catherine’s two best friends betrayed her. I loved the layering in the novel: the history project, the mother’s pain, the dynamics of the therapy group, Catherine’s grief over losing her grandmother, the bossy, funny nature of her boyfriend’s grandmother, the agony of finding the right medication, and the unfolding of Catherine's relationship with her boyfriend. Clearly, this is a story of survival, hope, and the light that can come through darkness. As Catherine herself stated, “I am still innocent.” Indeed she is, and readers will want to simultaneously hug her and let themselves exhale.
June 9, 2016
Catherine – Cat – Pulaski is a high school junior navigating the ups and downs of adolescent friendships and relationships. She’s also preparing herself for the dreaded appearance of Zero by stockpiling medicine for its inevitable return. Cat is bipolar and Zero is the crippling depression that makes it impossible to live a normal life. A life that isn’t defined by her mother’s constant monitoring, therapy sessions, and a mood rating scale from 0-10. Zero found her once right after her grandmother died. Cat is determined not to let it get her again without a plan.
This amazing YA debut gives an honest and true voice to the silent and often un talked about world of mental illness. It is a story with humor, heart and hope. A story that will stay with you for a long time. It should be required reading for all high school students.
This amazing YA debut gives an honest and true voice to the silent and often un talked about world of mental illness. It is a story with humor, heart and hope. A story that will stay with you for a long time. It should be required reading for all high school students.
May 22, 2016
Oh, this book. The story follows Cath who calls her bipolar depression--and its suffocating darkness--"Zero." And she knows it will return like it always does. She's stockpiled meds to take her life when it rears its ugly head once more. Fortunati does such an expert job of portraying Zero's hold on Cath that it literally took my breath away. I found myself clutching my heart as I read. Through a compelling voice and sharp description, I could feel Cath's struggle on every page. What I love most is the message of hope and the real start-and-stop complex nature of recovery from mental illness that is portrayed in this book. It rings so true. This is an important and beautiful book, and I'm so glad it's in the world!
June 11, 2016
I work with people who are coping with mental illness and I see that their stories are ones of courage, hope and humor so it was with great joy that I read Weight of Zero by Karen Fortunati. She did a wonderful job of capturing the reality of a young woman with bi-polar disease. I particularly liked her ability to create a relatable mother /daughter relationship and also believable teen friendships. This is a wonderful book for young adults and the rest of us as well.
April 5, 2016
Find my review (also) on my blog.
* Thank you, Karen, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review *
There are books you know you will like, and there are books that manage to exceed all your hopes and expectations. The Weight of Zero was high on my list of anticipated reads of 2016 and it didn't fail to deliver, beat all my expectations by a tenfold and easily stands a giant chance at being my book of the year 2016, even though it's only April.
The Weight of Zero belongs to my favorite kind of books, those contemporaries that deal with hard topics such as depression and bipolar, as in the case of this one. Knowing that, I was painfully aware, and afraid, of all the tropes that could possibly litter this one, but, thankfully, I found none of them. The Weight of Zero shows a very truthful and realistic, raw and honest portrayal of those two mental illnesses, of life, friendships, and love with them, and it does it brilliantly.
Our protagonist in The Weight of Zero is Catherine who, as mentioned before, is suffering of bipolar and depression which drives her to the decision that, at some point in the foreseeable future, she wants to commit suicide. That sounds really sad, might be discouraging to some, but her tale isn't sad. It's very honest, intriguing and funny at times, offering insights into both the social and psychological aspect of living with a mental illness, or multiple ones.
I absolutely loved Catherine. Her voice felt like that of a young adult with quirks and thoughts that felt like ones something someone of her age would actually have. I loved how passionate she was about their history project, loved her relationship with her new friends and the way she started to change over time. Her character arc was amazing and I loved every second of it. She wasn't one of those perfect Mary Sue type girls who only realized their true worth and everything because of a boy, no, she does it all on her own and it's beautiful to watch. Something else that stood out to me was how she learned to differentiate between her self and her illness, understanding that they are two different things, not a single one.
Speaking of her friends, I loved Kristal. She was an amazing character, a wonderful friend, and just generally someone I would love to be friends with in real life. I loved every scene in which we saw the two of them interact, even the sadder ones, because it really felt like reading about two young girls and not forty year old philosophers.
And Michael was just perfect in every way. He wasn't your typical swoon worthy "Mr. Six pack I could have every girl I want and I'm a bad boy" type love interest, but rather an ordinary boy with a wonderfully crazy family. He was amazing, toward Catherine and his friend. He also seemed like someone I would have loved to be friends with during my school times.
Another thing I loved about The Weight of Zero was the fact that it showed that the right medication and psychiatrist can really have very positive effects on you and your journey with mental illnesses. Usually, we only see medication shown in a either neutral or negative way, but here we see the positive one, which is definitely something I wish we could see more often. The same goes for Catherine's psychiatrist who is great at his job and shows that they are really there to help you and not make you feel worse or force you into talking and doing things you don't want to my manipulating you.
When it comes to Karen Fortunati's writing style, I can only say that I think it's amazing and her voice for Catherine was intriguing, realistic and great. Her trains of thoughts made sense, the way she described certain scenes and moments was captivating, and it really made you feel whatever it was that was happening to Catherine. I cannot wait to see what Karen will write next because I will definitely read it.
All in all, I think The Weight of Zero is one of those wonderful examples of a hard topic book done very much very right. It shows a really realistic view at mental illnesses and living with them, it gives you hope and shows that you can still have a normal and happy life despite them, that even during dark moments, there are still good ones. So I can only dearly recommend this book on so many levels, no matter if you're looking for a book with wonderful friendships, a cute romance or a hard topic book in general, this one is a very good choice fitting all three of them.
* Thank you, Karen, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review *
There are books you know you will like, and there are books that manage to exceed all your hopes and expectations. The Weight of Zero was high on my list of anticipated reads of 2016 and it didn't fail to deliver, beat all my expectations by a tenfold and easily stands a giant chance at being my book of the year 2016, even though it's only April.
The Weight of Zero belongs to my favorite kind of books, those contemporaries that deal with hard topics such as depression and bipolar, as in the case of this one. Knowing that, I was painfully aware, and afraid, of all the tropes that could possibly litter this one, but, thankfully, I found none of them. The Weight of Zero shows a very truthful and realistic, raw and honest portrayal of those two mental illnesses, of life, friendships, and love with them, and it does it brilliantly.
Our protagonist in The Weight of Zero is Catherine who, as mentioned before, is suffering of bipolar and depression which drives her to the decision that, at some point in the foreseeable future, she wants to commit suicide. That sounds really sad, might be discouraging to some, but her tale isn't sad. It's very honest, intriguing and funny at times, offering insights into both the social and psychological aspect of living with a mental illness, or multiple ones.
I absolutely loved Catherine. Her voice felt like that of a young adult with quirks and thoughts that felt like ones something someone of her age would actually have. I loved how passionate she was about their history project, loved her relationship with her new friends and the way she started to change over time. Her character arc was amazing and I loved every second of it. She wasn't one of those perfect Mary Sue type girls who only realized their true worth and everything because of a boy, no, she does it all on her own and it's beautiful to watch. Something else that stood out to me was how she learned to differentiate between her self and her illness, understanding that they are two different things, not a single one.
Speaking of her friends, I loved Kristal. She was an amazing character, a wonderful friend, and just generally someone I would love to be friends with in real life. I loved every scene in which we saw the two of them interact, even the sadder ones, because it really felt like reading about two young girls and not forty year old philosophers.
And Michael was just perfect in every way. He wasn't your typical swoon worthy "Mr. Six pack I could have every girl I want and I'm a bad boy" type love interest, but rather an ordinary boy with a wonderfully crazy family. He was amazing, toward Catherine and his friend. He also seemed like someone I would have loved to be friends with during my school times.
Another thing I loved about The Weight of Zero was the fact that it showed that the right medication and psychiatrist can really have very positive effects on you and your journey with mental illnesses. Usually, we only see medication shown in a either neutral or negative way, but here we see the positive one, which is definitely something I wish we could see more often. The same goes for Catherine's psychiatrist who is great at his job and shows that they are really there to help you and not make you feel worse or force you into talking and doing things you don't want to my manipulating you.
When it comes to Karen Fortunati's writing style, I can only say that I think it's amazing and her voice for Catherine was intriguing, realistic and great. Her trains of thoughts made sense, the way she described certain scenes and moments was captivating, and it really made you feel whatever it was that was happening to Catherine. I cannot wait to see what Karen will write next because I will definitely read it.
All in all, I think The Weight of Zero is one of those wonderful examples of a hard topic book done very much very right. It shows a really realistic view at mental illnesses and living with them, it gives you hope and shows that you can still have a normal and happy life despite them, that even during dark moments, there are still good ones. So I can only dearly recommend this book on so many levels, no matter if you're looking for a book with wonderful friendships, a cute romance or a hard topic book in general, this one is a very good choice fitting all three of them.
August 7, 2016
This is an amazing book that grabs your interest from page one. Seventeen year old protagonist, Catherine, is dealing with her diagnosis of bipolar disorder, after a devastating depression prompted by the loss of her grandmother. This book deals with a very real and prevalent issue in today's society - mental illness: people's lack of understanding of it, and their propensity to shun those suffering from it. Being a teen is hard enough, but being labeled mentally ill makes things almost impossible for Catherine. This book is narrated by Catherine and tells the story of how she plans to deal with her illness and prepare to for the next crushing depression - the weight of zero. What I loved about the book is the humor in it, and how much I learned about bipolar disorder, treatments for it, and that it's not as uncommon as you may think. I found myself laughing at Catherine's sense of sarcastic humor as she tries to just survive high school and limit her social life to protect herself from being hurt. It's hard to believe that a book on such a serious topic could be funny, but it IS and you will find yourself laughing out loud while learning about mental illness, and also cheering for Catherine to find her way and not only survive, but thrive! Get it. You won't be disappointed!
September 11, 2016
Karen Fortunati's brilliant debut novel-- The Weight of Zero.
Depicting the world of teenagers is not an easy task. They wear rose tainted glasses. And the world of a Bipolar—one day, at the top of the world— next day, at the bottom the valley—is even more zigzag.
To enter in the mind of someone who suffers from a mental health problem is not an easy space either. It takes the writer lot of courage and conviction to undertake this challenge and do it in a way that sounds authentic. There is a reason few authors walk this path—writing about a protagonist with mental health issues—it’s more difficult than most of the authors want to commit to in their writing.
Karen Fortunati has done an outstanding job of creating Catherine Pulaski's mental world. Catherine feels flesh and blood on the pages of the novel. And when she gives the reader a slice of her life, the reader hoot, and cry, and try to push away the wall of depression with her. That makes the novel a wonderful read.
All the best Karen for a long and wonderful career, and please write more of these books that fill the reader with hope of a better world.
Cheers.
Depicting the world of teenagers is not an easy task. They wear rose tainted glasses. And the world of a Bipolar—one day, at the top of the world— next day, at the bottom the valley—is even more zigzag.
To enter in the mind of someone who suffers from a mental health problem is not an easy space either. It takes the writer lot of courage and conviction to undertake this challenge and do it in a way that sounds authentic. There is a reason few authors walk this path—writing about a protagonist with mental health issues—it’s more difficult than most of the authors want to commit to in their writing.
Karen Fortunati has done an outstanding job of creating Catherine Pulaski's mental world. Catherine feels flesh and blood on the pages of the novel. And when she gives the reader a slice of her life, the reader hoot, and cry, and try to push away the wall of depression with her. That makes the novel a wonderful read.
All the best Karen for a long and wonderful career, and please write more of these books that fill the reader with hope of a better world.
Cheers.
August 6, 2016
Karen Fortunati's The Weight of Zero is a fresh, long-overdue and unique voyage into the trials and tribulation of a young adult struggling with mental illness. Not only must her main protagonist, Cat, struggle with the overwhelming challenges of being a high school student in an environment where bullying, cattiness and downright cruelty prevails, but she must also exhaustively protect the secret of a life-long sentence called bipolar disease (punctuated with paralyzing spells of depression, aka the character "Zero") which carries its own demoralizing stigmata. The central message of this novel rings loud and true: it is sometimes the secret that is more devastating the illness. This is a masterpiece, never overly maudlin or melodramatic, refusing to obey to stereotypes and clichés. This book is not just a must-read for young adults but for anyone who has been one or about to become one.
April 17, 2016
This is a beautiful book. I think it's very difficult to write about depression in a way that's both realistic and fresh, but Karen Fortunati has done it with THE WEIGHT OF ZERO. Cath is such a compelling narrator, and her voice is pitch-perfect. She's trying to live her life, but she knows Zero--her depression-- is coming for her, and she has to find a way to deal with that, even if it means ending her life. When Zero doesn't show up when she expects, she has to find a new way to live, and decide if she wants to keep waiting. I loved the cast of characters here; they seemed completely real. This is a book that will give hope and help to a lot of readers, I'm sure of it.
March 16, 2017
I think it's important to bring mental health issues to the forefront for everyone - and most importantly, for teenagers, a lot of whom think nobody else out there has ever experienced anything they're going through at the time. This was a great example of that, it was just very YA-y. I know that's not a thing. Just in my head.
June 13, 2016
I just finished The Weight of Zero and can't stop thinking about it. Fortunati's characters are so authentic that I expect to see them in the hallways of my son's high school! The interweaving of Cat's regular teenage world with women's history and the very real struggles with and treatment of mental illness give the story layers and depth that simulate our daily lives - life is complicated, and there is always hope. It is refreshing to find a novel of such substance and strength in this genre.
June 20, 2016
This thoughtful novel will impact anyone going through struggles with adolescence, friendship, parenting or mental illness.I couldn't put the book down. I was rooting for Cat, the main character, as she tried to balance her complicated teenaged years with her secret illness. On this journey, Fortunati takes us back to high school where Cat, as well as the reader, learns lessons from history and lessons about honesty.
July 27, 2016
As the parent of two children with mental disorders, this book hit very close to home. The author was able to portray so many of the issues that plague our teens today and the difficult journey they navigate every day. A must read for all teens and anyone who cares about them!
May 7, 2023
I had high hopes for this book, but quickly discovered that the author has little understanding of mental illness. I truly hope that the sparse works cited page in the back of the book was not the full extent of the author's research, though it seems that this may be the case based on her depiction of bipolar disorder.
Catherine's experience of bipolar disorder fell flat at times and her perception of her disorder felt stigmatizing. Fortunati may have done this on purpose in order to emphasize the stigma that mentally ill folks can internalize based on the messages in our society, but sadly, she does a very ineffective job at refuting these stigmas by the end of the book. Catherine finally discovers that she shouldn't feel guilty for having a mental illness with a genetic cause, but many of her other negative assumptions about her mental illness are never addressed.
Catherine learns two main lessons throughout the book: 1) she isn't "special" for suffering, because everyone feels pain, and 2) true friends won't care whether she has bipolar disorder or not. These messages feel further stigmatizing. Though everyone does experience pain and there can be comfort in acknowledging that one is not alone in their suffering, it doesn't feel right to suggest that grieving one's mental health is selfish or that Catherine should ignore her problems because other people also have problems. I also don't think "I don't care that you have bipolar disorder" and "I don't think negatively of you because of your bipolar disorder" should be conflated- true friends should care about your mental illnesses, and about supporting you through them and loving you with them (not in spite of them). Both of the lessons Catherine learns seems to suggest she just needs to pretend her disorder does not exist as much as possible and only enjoy the moments between manic and depressive episodes.
Fortunati seems to try to take a stand against ableist language, making a point of criticizing Lorraine for using the phrase "certifiably crazy." Yet she herself uses ableist language throughout the book, describing organizing things alphabetically as "a little OCD," referring to book characters in mental hospitals as "psycho," talking about how "bipolarites" aren't capable of being social, and using "Miss PTSD" as an insult against Catherine.
Other frustrations:
-using a soldier of color as a metaphor for bipolar disorder was in bad taste. Catherine's history project easily could have been on someone with bipolar disorder instead, which would be much more helpful and relatable in a story about bipolar disorder, and less disrespectful of the very real but very different pain of racial discrimination during WWII.
-homophobic slurs are used both against Catherine and Jane, yet the focus is always on how cruel it is to call these straight women gay, rather than how cruel it is to make being gay derogatory.
- Descriptions of people's excessive weight seemed to align with how much we were supposed to hate a character.
-I felt extremely uncomfortable with Michael being described as a "healer" who was supposed to save Catherine by dating her. Women don't need men to save them, and dating certainly won't cure a mental illness! Further, Catherine almost solely got along with boys in the story, as every girl seemed to be catty and hateful.
Catherine's experience of bipolar disorder fell flat at times and her perception of her disorder felt stigmatizing. Fortunati may have done this on purpose in order to emphasize the stigma that mentally ill folks can internalize based on the messages in our society, but sadly, she does a very ineffective job at refuting these stigmas by the end of the book. Catherine finally discovers that she shouldn't feel guilty for having a mental illness with a genetic cause, but many of her other negative assumptions about her mental illness are never addressed.
Catherine learns two main lessons throughout the book: 1) she isn't "special" for suffering, because everyone feels pain, and 2) true friends won't care whether she has bipolar disorder or not. These messages feel further stigmatizing. Though everyone does experience pain and there can be comfort in acknowledging that one is not alone in their suffering, it doesn't feel right to suggest that grieving one's mental health is selfish or that Catherine should ignore her problems because other people also have problems. I also don't think "I don't care that you have bipolar disorder" and "I don't think negatively of you because of your bipolar disorder" should be conflated- true friends should care about your mental illnesses, and about supporting you through them and loving you with them (not in spite of them). Both of the lessons Catherine learns seems to suggest she just needs to pretend her disorder does not exist as much as possible and only enjoy the moments between manic and depressive episodes.
Fortunati seems to try to take a stand against ableist language, making a point of criticizing Lorraine for using the phrase "certifiably crazy." Yet she herself uses ableist language throughout the book, describing organizing things alphabetically as "a little OCD," referring to book characters in mental hospitals as "psycho," talking about how "bipolarites" aren't capable of being social, and using "Miss PTSD" as an insult against Catherine.
Other frustrations:
-using a soldier of color as a metaphor for bipolar disorder was in bad taste. Catherine's history project easily could have been on someone with bipolar disorder instead, which would be much more helpful and relatable in a story about bipolar disorder, and less disrespectful of the very real but very different pain of racial discrimination during WWII.
-homophobic slurs are used both against Catherine and Jane, yet the focus is always on how cruel it is to call these straight women gay, rather than how cruel it is to make being gay derogatory.
- Descriptions of people's excessive weight seemed to align with how much we were supposed to hate a character.
-I felt extremely uncomfortable with Michael being described as a "healer" who was supposed to save Catherine by dating her. Women don't need men to save them, and dating certainly won't cure a mental illness! Further, Catherine almost solely got along with boys in the story, as every girl seemed to be catty and hateful.
Want to read
September 4, 2016There have been a huge number of recent YA books tackling mental health, but there are also a huge number of people out there facing mental health issues, from anxiety and depression to bipolar disorder. While opinions may vary on the "right" way to tackle such a topic, I really liked the way that The Weight of Zero tackled them.
Catherine's been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and this diagnosis cost her a lot. Her best friends shun her and the class bully seems to think she's fair game. So she keeps to herself, keeps her head down and tries to get through each day. Another way she copes is through a box in which she stockpiles meds. Catherine's not sure she can handle another depressive episode, so she wants to be prepared to end it all.
Yes, that sounds really dark, but the book is so much more than that. Catherine has a mom, a single mom who is fighting tooth and nail to help her daughter. I LOVED that the book a) portrayed a deeply caring mom, and b) showed the effect that Catherine's illness has had on her mom, and c) revealed that Catherine knows how much her mom has suffered along with her and is wracked with guilt about it. Catherine is in treatment, which was another thing I loved about the book -- it didn't glamorize mental illness as a fun personality quirk, but showed the hard work and commitment to self-care that treatment entails. She takes meds, has a wonderful, caring therapist and goes to an outpatient support group for teens.
Then there's Michael. He's a guy who befriends Catherine. At first, she's 100% wary of him, based on her bad experiences with her former friends, but slowly he wins her over. I loved the slow pace of the relationship and the bumps the couple faced. She's not his MPDG (thank goodness) and he's not her swoony hero.
This book is about Catherine's struggle to cope with the world, with her own issues and fears, with her sense that she will never be able to be happy or "normal," whatever that means. There's a subplot about a school project that inspires Catherine to research another woman with struggles, a black woman soldier during World War II. For me, this subplot (though fascinating) took the book a little bit off course, into issues of racism and sexism that felt peripheral to the story.
I highly recommend The Weight of Zero. It is a bit reminiscent of Perks of Being a Wallflower - and Catherine even references that book as a favorite, which was fun. If PoBaW is a favorite of yours, definitely try this one out!
Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin
Thanks to the publisher for providing a free advance copy of this book for me to review.
Catherine's been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and this diagnosis cost her a lot. Her best friends shun her and the class bully seems to think she's fair game. So she keeps to herself, keeps her head down and tries to get through each day. Another way she copes is through a box in which she stockpiles meds. Catherine's not sure she can handle another depressive episode, so she wants to be prepared to end it all.
Yes, that sounds really dark, but the book is so much more than that. Catherine has a mom, a single mom who is fighting tooth and nail to help her daughter. I LOVED that the book a) portrayed a deeply caring mom, and b) showed the effect that Catherine's illness has had on her mom, and c) revealed that Catherine knows how much her mom has suffered along with her and is wracked with guilt about it. Catherine is in treatment, which was another thing I loved about the book -- it didn't glamorize mental illness as a fun personality quirk, but showed the hard work and commitment to self-care that treatment entails. She takes meds, has a wonderful, caring therapist and goes to an outpatient support group for teens.
Then there's Michael. He's a guy who befriends Catherine. At first, she's 100% wary of him, based on her bad experiences with her former friends, but slowly he wins her over. I loved the slow pace of the relationship and the bumps the couple faced. She's not his MPDG (thank goodness) and he's not her swoony hero.
This book is about Catherine's struggle to cope with the world, with her own issues and fears, with her sense that she will never be able to be happy or "normal," whatever that means. There's a subplot about a school project that inspires Catherine to research another woman with struggles, a black woman soldier during World War II. For me, this subplot (though fascinating) took the book a little bit off course, into issues of racism and sexism that felt peripheral to the story.
I highly recommend The Weight of Zero. It is a bit reminiscent of Perks of Being a Wallflower - and Catherine even references that book as a favorite, which was fun. If PoBaW is a favorite of yours, definitely try this one out!
Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin
Thanks to the publisher for providing a free advance copy of this book for me to review.
April 29, 2022
I am changing my rating to a 5 star because this book really shows the journey of healing of bipolar disorder. I am bipolar and this book sounds like the journey I went on. To believing you will never heal to rejoining the life you are meant to lead. No life isn't easy with the illness. I wish I could say it is roses for the rest of your life but Zero (depression) does show its ugly head from time to time. Its how you deal with it is what matter. Cat fear of depression is truthful. It is not easy but it is with support like Cat has that you can overcome whatever is thrown your way. I highly recommend this book if you suffer from any mental disorder to PTSD, OCD, eating disorder, to bipolar. Also to parents who have to watch their children suffer from these disorders. Wonderful book!!! I am so glad I picked it up!!
June 30, 2017
کاترین پولسکی 17 ساله افسردگی و اختلال دو قطبی داره و یک خودکشی ناموفق هم داشته و داروهاش رو درست مصرف نمیکنه. در حالی که کاترین داستانش رو تعریف میکنه خواننده متوجه میشه کاترین دوره سختی رو پشت سر گذاشته. مادربزرگش فوت کرد. بهترین دوستش ترکش کرد و به جای افسردگی، بهش برچسب بیمار روانی زدن و توی گروه درمانی که شرکت میکنه، مورد آزار و اذیت قرار میگیره.
همانطور که داستان ادامه پیدا میکنه کاترین و خواننده متوجه میشن که کاترین آینده داره و میتونه کنترل اتفاقات رو در دست بگیره.
کتاب خوبی بود و توصیفات زیبایی از افسردگی داشت. نشون میداد که افسردگی چطور میتونه دنیای اطراف فرد رو تغییر بده و چطور جهت حرکت زندگی یک فرد رو تغییر بده. کتاب نثر ساده ای داشت و سرعت پیشرویش مناسب بود.
همانطور که داستان ادامه پیدا میکنه کاترین و خواننده متوجه میشن که کاترین آینده داره و میتونه کنترل اتفاقات رو در دست بگیره.
کتاب خوبی بود و توصیفات زیبایی از افسردگی داشت. نشون میداد که افسردگی چطور میتونه دنیای اطراف فرد رو تغییر بده و چطور جهت حرکت زندگی یک فرد رو تغییر بده. کتاب نثر ساده ای داشت و سرعت پیشرویش مناسب بود.
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