What do you think?
Rate this book
Lisa, Bright and Dark
Lisa Shilling is 16, smart, attractive—and she is losing her mind. Some days are light, and everything is normal; during her dark days, she hides deep within herself, and nothing can reach her. Her teachers ignore what is happening. Her parents deny it. Lisa's friends are the only ones who are listening—and they walk with her where adults fear to tread. This classic novel of a teenager's descent into madness, in the tradition of Go Ask Alice and I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, has remained a best seller for close to thirty years.
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1969
50 people are currently reading
6790 people want to read
About the author
John Neufeld
30 books27 followers"I always wanted to be a writer. I started writing early, and badly, sending off short stories to national magazines when I was ten or eleven. They were all returned.
"But I kept at it. All through high school and college. Everything I sent out came back. Thanks but no thanks.
"I moved to New York and worked in a publishing house. I kept writing. In fact, I was fired from my first job for spending more time on my own projects than on the publishing house's.
"I wrote on.
"In 1968, an editor from a small California publishing house and I had lunch. She gave me an outline for a story she thought I could write well. I knew immediately I had to try.
"But what I wanted to do was write a short book, full of emotion and detail and excitement, for readers of all ages. I didn't know that Edgar Allan would be regarded as a children's book.
"It was.
"And when it was, everything fell into place. The minute Edgar Allan was launched successfully, I sat down to write Lisa, Bright and Dark. It, too, was a success so there was no turning back. Although I do write books for adults, the ideas that stimulate me always seem to come to me in the form of a story for young readers. I get ideas from everywhere: from the newspapers, from radio, from lunches and talks I have with friends.
"Right now, if I never get another idea, I have more story lines to work on than my lifetime probably permits."
Both Edgar Allan and Lisa, Bright and Dark, were selected as among the Best Books of the Year by The New York Times. Lisa, Bright and Dark was filmed for television, and aired as a Hallmark Hall of Fame on NBC-TV. Mr. Neufeld's other books have as recently as spring 2000 been cited as among the best of last year's Young Adult titles by the New York Public Library and YASLA.
(From: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/au...)
"But I kept at it. All through high school and college. Everything I sent out came back. Thanks but no thanks.
"I moved to New York and worked in a publishing house. I kept writing. In fact, I was fired from my first job for spending more time on my own projects than on the publishing house's.
"I wrote on.
"In 1968, an editor from a small California publishing house and I had lunch. She gave me an outline for a story she thought I could write well. I knew immediately I had to try.
"But what I wanted to do was write a short book, full of emotion and detail and excitement, for readers of all ages. I didn't know that Edgar Allan would be regarded as a children's book.
"It was.
"And when it was, everything fell into place. The minute Edgar Allan was launched successfully, I sat down to write Lisa, Bright and Dark. It, too, was a success so there was no turning back. Although I do write books for adults, the ideas that stimulate me always seem to come to me in the form of a story for young readers. I get ideas from everywhere: from the newspapers, from radio, from lunches and talks I have with friends.
"Right now, if I never get another idea, I have more story lines to work on than my lifetime probably permits."
Both Edgar Allan and Lisa, Bright and Dark, were selected as among the Best Books of the Year by The New York Times. Lisa, Bright and Dark was filmed for television, and aired as a Hallmark Hall of Fame on NBC-TV. Mr. Neufeld's other books have as recently as spring 2000 been cited as among the best of last year's Young Adult titles by the New York Public Library and YASLA.
(From: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/au...)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
August 16, 2020
"daddy, I think I'm going crazy".
Mary Nell looked up astonished.
"Oh Mr. shilling said. "Why is that?"
"I can't tell you", Lisa said. "I just think it's true. And I'm frightened."
Lisa, Bright and Dark by John Neufeld
Possible triggers..Mental Illness, attempted suicide.
My Review:
This book is described by critics as "a work of art" and it is.
I first read this as a child and have reread through the years. It remains just as great a read now as then. This book was way ahead of it's time as there was not much YA about mental illness. Of coarse times have changed and we know much more then we did then but the book ages well and this story of one young woman's tragic illness and her band of loving and loyal friends who go all in to help her remains a magnificent and important read.
Mary Nell looked up astonished.
"Oh Mr. shilling said. "Why is that?"
"I can't tell you", Lisa said. "I just think it's true. And I'm frightened."
Lisa, Bright and Dark by John Neufeld
Possible triggers..Mental Illness, attempted suicide.
My Review:
This book is described by critics as "a work of art" and it is.
I first read this as a child and have reread through the years. It remains just as great a read now as then. This book was way ahead of it's time as there was not much YA about mental illness. Of coarse times have changed and we know much more then we did then but the book ages well and this story of one young woman's tragic illness and her band of loving and loyal friends who go all in to help her remains a magnificent and important read.
August 3, 2007
I first picked up this book when I was a teenager for no other reason than...yes, she shares my name. When I read the back and discovered it's plot, about a girl that is psychologically troubled, to put it mildly, I was hooked. I've always been interested in stories where the character has a serious illness or problems. I've read countless books about girls with cancer, girls who have drug problems, girls who've been raped, and like 3 where the girl had cancer. Depressing, I know.
December 25, 2017
Sixteen year old Lisa is calling for help but no adult is willing to help her so her friends come to her rescue. They become her therapists and the story takes off. This book was written in 1969, so as a reader you have to consider the circumstances and the characters do the best they can to be the therapists that Lisa needs. They rely upon books and encyclopedias but things start to get out of control and these therapists are over their heads. They know they can’t give up because they are her only hope but Lisa’s mental illness is getting worse and she needs professional help. The book is told through the eyes of one of Lisa’s best friend, Betsy and we feel the emotions and the story unfold as the friends draw together towards a common goal. It’s about the commitment of friends, who don’t give up and don’t judge each other but it’s also about listening. I mean really listening……when someone is trying to reach out. When someone is trying to connect to you, are you listening? Do you hear what they are saying? Are you willing to hear what they are saying, even if you don’t like what they are saying?
July 2, 2012
Meh. Lots of novels from the 1960's and 1970's hold up, albeit in a nostalgic and kitschy way. This one most definitely did not though. Everything about it was ridiculous, from Lisa's manifestation of mental illness, to her friends, to the adults to the writing. Speaking of which, the writing was all tell and absolutely no show.
If this had ever been made into a cheesy movie, that is a movie I would absolutely love to see. But the novel version is simply bad and painful beyond words. Skip this one.
If this had ever been made into a cheesy movie, that is a movie I would absolutely love to see. But the novel version is simply bad and painful beyond words. Skip this one.
June 16, 2010
Lisa Shilling is an attractive, smart, and friendly girl from a comfortably middle class family in a small town in New York. She's dating the most popular boy in her highschool, has lots of friends, and seems to have everything. But midway through her junior year of highschool, Lisa begins to notice that something is wrong.
She's hearing voices, feeling isolated, has unpredictable mood swings and lashes out at her friends. She develops a cruel sense of humor, disappears from places unexpectedly, and even occasionally takes on an English accent and persona. And though her peers and close friends realize that something is wrong with Lisa, the adults in her life either pretend that nothing unusual is happening or refuse to take action. So three of Lisa's friends take it upon themselves to buoy her up as best they can until they can convince an adult that Lisa isn't acting out or faking it--she really does need professional help.
Lisa, Bright and Dark posits itself not only about a teen's battle with mental illness, but also a sort of parable about the callousness and lack of responsibility that adults often take when dealing with young people. This is emphasized not only through Lisa's neglectful parents, but also the counselor and teachers at her high school, who see that something is terribly wrong with one of their students, but are afraid of incurring the anger of her parents--of "interfering" with the way they raise their children. While certainly adults are often guilty of turning a blind eye to the problems and issues that their kids are going through--refusing to believe that their teens could be having sex, experimenting with drugs, etc.--I wonder if this book reflects attitudes that are still socially acceptable. It's my feeling that if teachers, clergy members, and friends all noticed that a teen they knew was having mental health problems, a myriad of counselors and resources would be provided for her, even if the parents didn't fully cooperate. It seems to me that it is now much more socially acceptable--and even socially mandated--to get involved when a teen shows signs of mental distress.
The fact that the book is narrated by one of Lisa's less good friends, Betsy, works very well. Not only does Betsy's bubbly voice balance out the harshness of Lisa's story (peppered as it is with tangents about Paul Newman's dreamy eyes, movie factoids, and high school social commentary), but it also provides a realistic window onto Lisa's situation. It allows the reader to observe someone who is slowly descending into mental illness from an external point of view. This is probably a more empathetic position for most teens, but also makes the reader think about their own responsibilities to their friends and peers and the ways in which she might seek out help for a friend in a similar situation.
She's hearing voices, feeling isolated, has unpredictable mood swings and lashes out at her friends. She develops a cruel sense of humor, disappears from places unexpectedly, and even occasionally takes on an English accent and persona. And though her peers and close friends realize that something is wrong with Lisa, the adults in her life either pretend that nothing unusual is happening or refuse to take action. So three of Lisa's friends take it upon themselves to buoy her up as best they can until they can convince an adult that Lisa isn't acting out or faking it--she really does need professional help.
Lisa, Bright and Dark posits itself not only about a teen's battle with mental illness, but also a sort of parable about the callousness and lack of responsibility that adults often take when dealing with young people. This is emphasized not only through Lisa's neglectful parents, but also the counselor and teachers at her high school, who see that something is terribly wrong with one of their students, but are afraid of incurring the anger of her parents--of "interfering" with the way they raise their children. While certainly adults are often guilty of turning a blind eye to the problems and issues that their kids are going through--refusing to believe that their teens could be having sex, experimenting with drugs, etc.--I wonder if this book reflects attitudes that are still socially acceptable. It's my feeling that if teachers, clergy members, and friends all noticed that a teen they knew was having mental health problems, a myriad of counselors and resources would be provided for her, even if the parents didn't fully cooperate. It seems to me that it is now much more socially acceptable--and even socially mandated--to get involved when a teen shows signs of mental distress.
The fact that the book is narrated by one of Lisa's less good friends, Betsy, works very well. Not only does Betsy's bubbly voice balance out the harshness of Lisa's story (peppered as it is with tangents about Paul Newman's dreamy eyes, movie factoids, and high school social commentary), but it also provides a realistic window onto Lisa's situation. It allows the reader to observe someone who is slowly descending into mental illness from an external point of view. This is probably a more empathetic position for most teens, but also makes the reader think about their own responsibilities to their friends and peers and the ways in which she might seek out help for a friend in a similar situation.
January 21, 2024
Not impressed. Several things bugged me about this, primarily the complete lack of realism. In 1969, if a student had a complete breakdown on schoolgrounds, a lot more would have happened than this book would have you believe. It also portrays mental health professionals in a way I find unbelievable and expects me to accept that a hospital would just give out the intimate details of a private patient's condition and diagnosis to anyone who called or dropped by, even if that person had zero connection to the patient. I was also really set back by Neufeld's cavalier use of the word "rape." He then immediately explained it by saying it also means "to seize," so it's okay to say. REALLY? If that were true, you wouldn't have to explain it in the very next sentence. The fact that you did shows you were aware it was an offensive word to use, and you should have chosen a different one. Like say, oh, I don't know, SEIZE. Basically, I'm just not at all impressed with Neufeld or his book, which never really says what Lisa is suffering from, and just sort of vaguely talks about her problem. Better books have been written about characters suffering from mental instability, and this one is really just too dated and watered down.
January 25, 2018
I read this book when I was in middle school...(ahem...1979.) I was fascinated with it, and continued to re-read it about 5 more times before I graduated high school. There was so much about Lisa that I identified with, and her story resonated with me in profound ways. I work in a library, and we don't carry this book. I've looked for it in every library I've been in across the country, and there are very few that do carry it, so I'm glad to see it available on Kindle. The writing is wonderful, and Neufeld understands teenage mental illness. When my daughter was a teenager (she is now 23) I tried to find it for her to read, but was unable to get my hands on a copy. Now, it's a little under her radar, but I hope she'll read it anyway. I want to re-read it, too.
June 17, 2016
This was much better than I was expecting. Surprising that it's written by a man because it really reads like teenage girls. Even though this was written in the late 60's it holds up well, I think. The frustration that Lisa and her friends feel at the lack of concern for Lisa's mental state is the driving force of this book. It was hard not to get caught up in the ticking time bomb that was Lisa's mental state. The story wraps up a little too neatly but that's not surprising since this is YA, before there even was YA.
December 21, 2022
I first read this novel in middle school as a young teen and found it riveting. Now as a parent with my own teens, I was interested in rereading some of my childhood favorites. The story still holds up, but some of the dialogue left me wondering if my parents’ generation really talked like that. I don’t recall it standing out to me as a teen, but that was also a long time ago. I’m not sure today’s teens will find the dialogue youthful, and many of the cultural references will be very dated. In fact, I had to Google Joanne Woodward’s famous smile, because I didn’t get that reference at all. However, the overall themes of mental illness, adults not being able to clearly see what it so obvious to peers, and the desire and willingness to do whatever it takes to help a friend will resonate strongly with today’s generation.
Narrated by Betsy, the book is about Lisa, a mutual friend, who is crying out for help, fearing she’s losing her mind, and how no one is willing to help her. Times were likely a lot different back then, with teachers unwilling to step in and advocate on behalf of their students, but I think most of the rest of is still relevant today. Lisa goes out of her way to get someone, anyone to listen. Though Betsy is more of a peripheral friend, Lisa seems to trust her and Betsy and her other friends, Mary Nell and Elizabeth, do everything they can to get Lisa the help she needs.
Plot
The plot centers around Lisa as seen through Betsy’s eyes. The girls struggle to get Lisa the care she needs despite dismissals and outright denials from the adults in the situation. There’s not much subplotting going on, but considering the subject matter, I’m not sure that’s necessary. The plot itself moves fairly well with short chapters and emotional punches.
Characters
Lisa, though not the narrator, comes off as the most well-developed character in the story, followed by Betsy, the narrator, then Mary Nell and Elizabeth. But Elizabeth, I suspect, was deliberately an enigma, at least until the end. While I mentioned above that as an adult now, I didn’t find their dialogue to be particularly youthful, their thought processes definitely were. This made their actions and motivations exceedingly believable. And while the teens were well-rounded, the adults came off looking like idiots, at least in the eyes of the narrator.
What I Enjoyed About LISA, BRIGHT AND DARK
1. Commitment. The way Lisa’s friends are devoted to getting her the help she needs was heartwarming.
2. Lisa. She was a complex character who knew something was wrong with her and terrified.
3. Betsy. She came off as annoying at times, but she always had her heart in the right place.
4. M.N. Mary Nell was an interesting character that was both trying and dedicated, which made her fascinating.
5. Honesty. The book was an honest tale of mental illness and how it can rob someone of everything.
Bottom Line
A gripping YA tale of friendship and mental illness.
Narrated by Betsy, the book is about Lisa, a mutual friend, who is crying out for help, fearing she’s losing her mind, and how no one is willing to help her. Times were likely a lot different back then, with teachers unwilling to step in and advocate on behalf of their students, but I think most of the rest of is still relevant today. Lisa goes out of her way to get someone, anyone to listen. Though Betsy is more of a peripheral friend, Lisa seems to trust her and Betsy and her other friends, Mary Nell and Elizabeth, do everything they can to get Lisa the help she needs.
Plot
The plot centers around Lisa as seen through Betsy’s eyes. The girls struggle to get Lisa the care she needs despite dismissals and outright denials from the adults in the situation. There’s not much subplotting going on, but considering the subject matter, I’m not sure that’s necessary. The plot itself moves fairly well with short chapters and emotional punches.
Characters
Lisa, though not the narrator, comes off as the most well-developed character in the story, followed by Betsy, the narrator, then Mary Nell and Elizabeth. But Elizabeth, I suspect, was deliberately an enigma, at least until the end. While I mentioned above that as an adult now, I didn’t find their dialogue to be particularly youthful, their thought processes definitely were. This made their actions and motivations exceedingly believable. And while the teens were well-rounded, the adults came off looking like idiots, at least in the eyes of the narrator.
What I Enjoyed About LISA, BRIGHT AND DARK
1. Commitment. The way Lisa’s friends are devoted to getting her the help she needs was heartwarming.
2. Lisa. She was a complex character who knew something was wrong with her and terrified.
3. Betsy. She came off as annoying at times, but she always had her heart in the right place.
4. M.N. Mary Nell was an interesting character that was both trying and dedicated, which made her fascinating.
5. Honesty. The book was an honest tale of mental illness and how it can rob someone of everything.
Bottom Line
A gripping YA tale of friendship and mental illness.
December 10, 2013
I read this book in 8th grade, taught it to 10th graders who loved it, and now have just finished re-reading it some 23 years after having taught it. There are things about the book which I did not get the first times I read it, that really deeply sit with me now. I'm amazed at how 3 teens could take on the huge problem of mental illness in an effort to help their clearly sick friend. Maybe this isn't realistic to some, but it seems to be what teens have always done. I was really irked at the school counselor being so ineffective and "scared" of Lisa's parents. I was even more angry at the parents who were in denial, thought their daughter was into a fad of mental illness, and refused to listen to anyone even after Lisa's apparently suicide. And YET I know such parents exist and even haunt the schools with their "appearance is the most important" and "how dare you" attitudes and do indeed shoo away any well-wishers. You would hope that things would be better today but I'm not sure how they are.
This story is set in the 1960's when mental illness was a to be kept secret and hidden. The various cultural and pop references should probably have footnotes now or be topics for research among the younger readers. I admire Betsy, Mary Nell, and Elizabeth for listening and hearing Lisa's cries for help and though the adults are right that they are getting in over their heads, it shows they care and will do what it takes for a friend in need. I know that TODAY the teachers would not be ostriches or so careful, but I can believe the teachers of the late '60's probably did ignore or just let it be as much as possible. I think the novel reflects the time of its writing and setting accurately and has to be taken within that context.
Is it a good YA book for today's teens? I think if it is taught or read together with someone who can explain some things it is good. The themes of the book are very relevant to today. This book is in some senses timeless just as the Bell Jar and I Never Promised You a Rose Garden and Girl Interrupted are for the time periods they portray. I think the book is also an excellent way to open up discussion of mental illness and how to talk to those who are mentally ill. WE get from this novel that Lisa appreciates Betsy's honesty and the efforts of her friends and WANTS help. So as a dialogue starter this book has a lot to offer. I was surprised to see it is still in print as when I taught it, it had just gone out of print and I got the last 8 copies available. I'm reading my copy from 8th...it has held up pretty well. I do recommend this book overall.
This story is set in the 1960's when mental illness was a to be kept secret and hidden. The various cultural and pop references should probably have footnotes now or be topics for research among the younger readers. I admire Betsy, Mary Nell, and Elizabeth for listening and hearing Lisa's cries for help and though the adults are right that they are getting in over their heads, it shows they care and will do what it takes for a friend in need. I know that TODAY the teachers would not be ostriches or so careful, but I can believe the teachers of the late '60's probably did ignore or just let it be as much as possible. I think the novel reflects the time of its writing and setting accurately and has to be taken within that context.
Is it a good YA book for today's teens? I think if it is taught or read together with someone who can explain some things it is good. The themes of the book are very relevant to today. This book is in some senses timeless just as the Bell Jar and I Never Promised You a Rose Garden and Girl Interrupted are for the time periods they portray. I think the book is also an excellent way to open up discussion of mental illness and how to talk to those who are mentally ill. WE get from this novel that Lisa appreciates Betsy's honesty and the efforts of her friends and WANTS help. So as a dialogue starter this book has a lot to offer. I was surprised to see it is still in print as when I taught it, it had just gone out of print and I got the last 8 copies available. I'm reading my copy from 8th...it has held up pretty well. I do recommend this book overall.
February 2, 2013
When I first picked up this book in Jr. High, it instantly became one of my favorites. So when I saw it at a used book store, I had to get it because I remembered loving it.
I enjoyed it again, but after reading it this time around I realized how outdated the story really is. I guess just didn't notice this when I first read it, but now it was something that constantly bothered me.
The characters were not really like teens today, and I am so accustomed to reading YA books that portray teens like they presently are, that reading this sort of threw me off a bit.
Other than that though, I really love the story. I think it would've been a bit more interesting if it was from Lisa's point of view, but I'm not sure how that could've worked. Instead, we see everything that happens to Lisa from an aquaintance who gets a bit more involved as the story unfolds.
Although I want to say I recommend this book to everyone, I'm not too sure if many YA readers will like it because it was written for teens in the late sixties. So, it makes it a bit harder to really connect with the characters and enjoy the story. In my opinion, it is still a great book.
I enjoyed it again, but after reading it this time around I realized how outdated the story really is. I guess just didn't notice this when I first read it, but now it was something that constantly bothered me.
The characters were not really like teens today, and I am so accustomed to reading YA books that portray teens like they presently are, that reading this sort of threw me off a bit.
Other than that though, I really love the story. I think it would've been a bit more interesting if it was from Lisa's point of view, but I'm not sure how that could've worked. Instead, we see everything that happens to Lisa from an aquaintance who gets a bit more involved as the story unfolds.
Although I want to say I recommend this book to everyone, I'm not too sure if many YA readers will like it because it was written for teens in the late sixties. So, it makes it a bit harder to really connect with the characters and enjoy the story. In my opinion, it is still a great book.
January 26, 2019
A quick and entirely outdated read with several glaring issues. The narrative is not only 99% told to you (rather than shown you) but the narrator, Betsy, is incredibly distracting. From literally beginning to end she either thinks about Lisa or boys (really, Neufeld?), and her bubbly personality makes her an odd choice to engage with such otherwise intense subject matter. Plus, the engagement with mental health itself is clunky, one-dimensional, and feeds into numerous stereotypes. Lisa is essentially more spectacle than human and a science experiment for her friends, as they observe her smiling and laughing on "good" days and literally wearing black clothes and eyeliner on "bad" days. She embodies the "beautiful tragedy" trope so on the nose it hurts.
This novel is nothing more than a touchpoint YA text of the 1960s. So if you're reading around for historical context or snapshots of the late-60s, it won't take you long, but otherwise don't waste your time.
This novel is nothing more than a touchpoint YA text of the 1960s. So if you're reading around for historical context or snapshots of the late-60s, it won't take you long, but otherwise don't waste your time.
June 2, 2013
Read this as a kid--in junior high or high school. Was reminded of it the other day after spotting a similar book (I Never Promised You a Rose Garden) at a book exchange. It's pretty dark. But for some reason when I think of this book, I think of swimming at the wave pool in town. I read this book over a few days one summer when I was spending a lot of time at the pool. I distinctly remember coming home from the pool and reading this book with the smell of chlorine still in my nose ad the sting of it in my eyes and the sensation of treading water still "ghosting" in my legs. That and all the references to Paul Newman and Lisa banging her head into her bed headboard. Go figure.
January 10, 2009
Lisa, Bright and Dark
The book I reviewed is Lisa, Bright and Dark by John Neufeld. The book is a fiction/drama story and The theme is friendship.
It’s about a sixteen-year-old girl losing her mind but nobody wants to believe her. She tried to tell her parents but they didn’t want to hear it. Lisa started to have two personalities. People in her school called it good and bad days or bright and dark days. On her bright days she would act normal. On Dark days she would wear dark clothing and not talk to anyone. Lisa’s best friend Mary Nell and her friend Betsey start to believe that she really is losing her mind, After Mary Nell caught her behind a teachers desk poking herself in the arm with a needle. Mary Nell wants to help her but doesn’t know how. Her plan was for her to talk to Lisa’s parents and Betsey talk to the guidance counselor, Mr.Berstein. Mary Nell went to go talk to her parents but when she tried Lisa’s parent’s response wasn’t good they got offended. Betsey went to go talk to Mr.Berstein, he didn’t want to have anything to do with telling Lisa’s parents that Lisa was going crazy because thy might think he was trying to them how to raise Lisa. Since no one wants to help her she decides that she’s help her herself.
I felt so bad for Lisa no body wanted to believe her. This book was interesting and memorable because watching a friend going through an illness like that I can picture it can be heart breaking. This worst fact about this story is that it’s a real life event, that kind of situation happens everyday. My favorite scene in this book was when nobody would help Lisa but then Mary Nell decided that enough was enough and did what she had to do. The book was descriptive with the characters but not so much with the scenes. The most vivid characters were Lisa and Mary Nell. The part that confused me the most was when Lisa’s parents didn’t believe that she was losing her mind. Lisa’s best friend Mary Nell and the school staff have all tried to talk to her about it but her parents still didn’t want to believe it. They thought she was just going through a phase.
This is a good book to recommend to teenagers my age because some people that have these types of problems are afraid to ask for help and this book is basically telling you its ok to ask. A book that is sort of like this is cut. I would recommend that to teenagers to because it is also about a girl going through a hard time but a little bit of a different situation.
The book I reviewed is Lisa, Bright and Dark by John Neufeld. The book is a fiction/drama story and The theme is friendship.
It’s about a sixteen-year-old girl losing her mind but nobody wants to believe her. She tried to tell her parents but they didn’t want to hear it. Lisa started to have two personalities. People in her school called it good and bad days or bright and dark days. On her bright days she would act normal. On Dark days she would wear dark clothing and not talk to anyone. Lisa’s best friend Mary Nell and her friend Betsey start to believe that she really is losing her mind, After Mary Nell caught her behind a teachers desk poking herself in the arm with a needle. Mary Nell wants to help her but doesn’t know how. Her plan was for her to talk to Lisa’s parents and Betsey talk to the guidance counselor, Mr.Berstein. Mary Nell went to go talk to her parents but when she tried Lisa’s parent’s response wasn’t good they got offended. Betsey went to go talk to Mr.Berstein, he didn’t want to have anything to do with telling Lisa’s parents that Lisa was going crazy because thy might think he was trying to them how to raise Lisa. Since no one wants to help her she decides that she’s help her herself.
I felt so bad for Lisa no body wanted to believe her. This book was interesting and memorable because watching a friend going through an illness like that I can picture it can be heart breaking. This worst fact about this story is that it’s a real life event, that kind of situation happens everyday. My favorite scene in this book was when nobody would help Lisa but then Mary Nell decided that enough was enough and did what she had to do. The book was descriptive with the characters but not so much with the scenes. The most vivid characters were Lisa and Mary Nell. The part that confused me the most was when Lisa’s parents didn’t believe that she was losing her mind. Lisa’s best friend Mary Nell and the school staff have all tried to talk to her about it but her parents still didn’t want to believe it. They thought she was just going through a phase.
This is a good book to recommend to teenagers my age because some people that have these types of problems are afraid to ask for help and this book is basically telling you its ok to ask. A book that is sort of like this is cut. I would recommend that to teenagers to because it is also about a girl going through a hard time but a little bit of a different situation.
February 2, 2016
A very haunting, riveting, thought provoking novel about how illnesses can truly destroy somebody and be the crumbling foundation to all those surrounding them. Lisa Shilling, was only sixteen years old, when she began to lose her kind. When everything became a ticking clock, and once it reached zero, there'd be no stopping the consequences born to unfold. Sudden, uncontrollable bursts of violence, New personas of her, all with heavy, thick English accents and each one crueler than the last. It all began slowly, with subtly hints being causally dropped, before it all began crashing down.
M.N. or better known as Mary Nell Ficket, Bestsy Goodman, and Elizabeth Frazer, would each take a vow to keep Lisa moving forward, even when the madness kept within her was pushing her beyond her breaking point. Gravitating towards Elizabeth, Lisa tried to shove all those who offered help aside. But after getting caught inhaling a needle through her wrist beneath Mr. Milne's desk in school, a visit to the school counselor seemed to of solved it all. Upon her parent's knowledge, neither of them believed Lisa's madness to be anything other than stress for exams and the end of the year, satisfied by sending her to Florida to recover for six weeks instead of getting her any kind o help.
Once she returned, the girls begin making plans of secret therapy sessions for Lisa. M.N. getting so involved in every piece of literature, true feelings began losing focus in her mind. With the summer only weeks away, and each girl needing to leave, M.N to Ohio and Elizabeth to Maine, only so much more can be uncovered.
After a brutal attack on Elizabeth, leaving the young girl bruised and battered, Lisa forces all of them to make a pledge to involve police if it happens again. When nobody could help her, she walks through a glass door, sending her first suicide attempt through her parent's mind after Betsy's father witnessed it. After this, Lisa turns to an overdose of Barbiturates, which leaves her in a hospital for several weeks as she recovered. As Elizabeth pulled some strings to get Lisa help, an old friend of her comes from upstate to lend some help to The madness Lisa faces.
Dr. Donovan, a psychologists, tries to save Lisa, by finally getting her parents to see the pain only Tracy, Lisa's younger sister could seem to grasp. Moving her up to the "NutHouse" upstate, Lisa is finally receiving attention, and the girls are ready to spend the next seven months without her, and without each other.
M.N. or better known as Mary Nell Ficket, Bestsy Goodman, and Elizabeth Frazer, would each take a vow to keep Lisa moving forward, even when the madness kept within her was pushing her beyond her breaking point. Gravitating towards Elizabeth, Lisa tried to shove all those who offered help aside. But after getting caught inhaling a needle through her wrist beneath Mr. Milne's desk in school, a visit to the school counselor seemed to of solved it all. Upon her parent's knowledge, neither of them believed Lisa's madness to be anything other than stress for exams and the end of the year, satisfied by sending her to Florida to recover for six weeks instead of getting her any kind o help.
Once she returned, the girls begin making plans of secret therapy sessions for Lisa. M.N. getting so involved in every piece of literature, true feelings began losing focus in her mind. With the summer only weeks away, and each girl needing to leave, M.N to Ohio and Elizabeth to Maine, only so much more can be uncovered.
After a brutal attack on Elizabeth, leaving the young girl bruised and battered, Lisa forces all of them to make a pledge to involve police if it happens again. When nobody could help her, she walks through a glass door, sending her first suicide attempt through her parent's mind after Betsy's father witnessed it. After this, Lisa turns to an overdose of Barbiturates, which leaves her in a hospital for several weeks as she recovered. As Elizabeth pulled some strings to get Lisa help, an old friend of her comes from upstate to lend some help to The madness Lisa faces.
Dr. Donovan, a psychologists, tries to save Lisa, by finally getting her parents to see the pain only Tracy, Lisa's younger sister could seem to grasp. Moving her up to the "NutHouse" upstate, Lisa is finally receiving attention, and the girls are ready to spend the next seven months without her, and without each other.
April 13, 2010
I would have ended this book in a totally off the wall different way but for what its worth this was a good book. It was written back in 1969 and the copy I own was actually printed back then. YUP YUP! It was full of ferret typos and and even a couple of words that repeated themselves (I secretly love that). When we moved into our current house the previous owner left a pile of stuff here and out of that we got this book, a ton more, and nearly the entire Harry Potter series (SCORE!!)
As for the book. Since I'm a sexist piggy... I really don't know if a dude was the best person to write about a 16 year old girl on the brink of insanity. I mean... what the cornballs? Was this dude studying like Patty Duke or something. I keep wanting to say the BRADY BUNCh but I don't think that was out in 69 but for real-does... MARSHA MARSHA MARSHA and Betsy's DAVEY JONES is PAUL NEWMAN. Who the heckles is Paul Newman (haha! Who wants to slap me?)
It did make me very interested in a move that was mentioned --- Raintree County. The story mentions that movie (with Elizabeth Taylor in it) and they totally sold me on it. I actually went to my local libary (where I get most of my books from. Go cheap!!) to check it out but found out that they weren't releasing their vcr tapes until they put up shelves (yes... this is what they told me lolz!). So, I'll have to get it later.
The book was pretty short but it was very entertaining. I would totally rec it to anyone who is just curious and really any girly over the age of 13. I don't know if a guy would dig it. i guess someone like my dad might but I don't think my son would.
All in all.. it was a very nice book for that day and age. It really showed me how far books have come. This book was mainly dialogue when now adays everything has to be sooo descriptive. To tell the truth I have no clue what ANYONe smelled like ;)
As for the book. Since I'm a sexist piggy... I really don't know if a dude was the best person to write about a 16 year old girl on the brink of insanity. I mean... what the cornballs? Was this dude studying like Patty Duke or something. I keep wanting to say the BRADY BUNCh but I don't think that was out in 69 but for real-does... MARSHA MARSHA MARSHA and Betsy's DAVEY JONES is PAUL NEWMAN. Who the heckles is Paul Newman (haha! Who wants to slap me?)
It did make me very interested in a move that was mentioned --- Raintree County. The story mentions that movie (with Elizabeth Taylor in it) and they totally sold me on it. I actually went to my local libary (where I get most of my books from. Go cheap!!) to check it out but found out that they weren't releasing their vcr tapes until they put up shelves (yes... this is what they told me lolz!). So, I'll have to get it later.
The book was pretty short but it was very entertaining. I would totally rec it to anyone who is just curious and really any girly over the age of 13. I don't know if a guy would dig it. i guess someone like my dad might but I don't think my son would.
All in all.. it was a very nice book for that day and age. It really showed me how far books have come. This book was mainly dialogue when now adays everything has to be sooo descriptive. To tell the truth I have no clue what ANYONe smelled like ;)
July 3, 2012
I really wanted to like this book. The premise, a young woman descending into madness and unable to find help among the adults meant to protect her, was very intriguing to me. However, the book ended up being very lacking in action and character.
Lisa is a bright and popular girl in high school when she begins to recognize that she is ill and needs help. Her parents refuse to believe the severity of her situation, even after an incident at school where she is discovered puncturing her skin with a needle and muttering to herself. As a reader, I’m not sure I would have believed she was so desperate for help either. Lisa has bright days, where she is her normal outgoing and happy self, and dark days, which you are lead to believe are terrifying and demonstrate Lisa’s descent into madness. Instead her dark days read more like normal teenage exploration into self, where she comes out little more than “goth” or “emo”, but far from dangerous, depressed, or insane. Her friends try to help, but by the narrator’s own admission, they do little more than hang out with her and discuss normal teenage topics (e.g. Paul Newman and sex). There are only three events (including the one mentioned above) that suggest Lisa has greater problems, one of which finally gets her the help she needs. And these three events are thrown at you as a reader, rather than slowly revealed to you to accept (or reject) at your own pace.
I finished this book feeling that the author had chosen not to trust me, and my ability to empathize, before he even began writing. It was as though he had decided I was incapable of imagining what Lisa might be experiencing, so he could only tell me, in explicit terms. The result being that my experience was more like reading a case-study, written by a very inexperienced psychology student, when what I wanted was to descend into madness with Lisa and find the rescue we both so desperately needed.
Lisa is a bright and popular girl in high school when she begins to recognize that she is ill and needs help. Her parents refuse to believe the severity of her situation, even after an incident at school where she is discovered puncturing her skin with a needle and muttering to herself. As a reader, I’m not sure I would have believed she was so desperate for help either. Lisa has bright days, where she is her normal outgoing and happy self, and dark days, which you are lead to believe are terrifying and demonstrate Lisa’s descent into madness. Instead her dark days read more like normal teenage exploration into self, where she comes out little more than “goth” or “emo”, but far from dangerous, depressed, or insane. Her friends try to help, but by the narrator’s own admission, they do little more than hang out with her and discuss normal teenage topics (e.g. Paul Newman and sex). There are only three events (including the one mentioned above) that suggest Lisa has greater problems, one of which finally gets her the help she needs. And these three events are thrown at you as a reader, rather than slowly revealed to you to accept (or reject) at your own pace.
I finished this book feeling that the author had chosen not to trust me, and my ability to empathize, before he even began writing. It was as though he had decided I was incapable of imagining what Lisa might be experiencing, so he could only tell me, in explicit terms. The result being that my experience was more like reading a case-study, written by a very inexperienced psychology student, when what I wanted was to descend into madness with Lisa and find the rescue we both so desperately needed.
January 10, 2018
I am in awe of how much I hated this book.
Neufeld cannot write women - the main character's thoughts about her friends are constantly interspersed with that of boys, even when it isn't relevant to the plot. It's fine for women to want to settle down and have kids, but that's all the narrator is defined by in the story. All she wants is a man, and she has no other characteristics. She is misogynistically written to the point that she could never pass for a person - both in the way she talks, the way her character is developed, and so on.
I also think the book should not have been told from her perspective - the introduction was super confusing not knowing who the characters were, and telling a story of mental illness from a neurotypical point of view came off as very privileged. The book ends with . The book is primarily about Lisa's mental illness and her struggle to recover, but it's told through the lens of someone who doesn't really get it, and at times, doesn't really care. It's like trying to get the news from someone who skimmed today's paper - you only get half the story, and it isn't told correctly.
I get parts of the book, mostly because I grew up in a friend group with multiple mentally ill people in it, and I remember the struggle of trying to be taken seriously as a minor. But altogether, the novel was immaturely written and does not hold up at all today. There are many other better books you could find that deal with mental health.
Neufeld cannot write women - the main character's thoughts about her friends are constantly interspersed with that of boys, even when it isn't relevant to the plot. It's fine for women to want to settle down and have kids, but that's all the narrator is defined by in the story. All she wants is a man, and she has no other characteristics. She is misogynistically written to the point that she could never pass for a person - both in the way she talks, the way her character is developed, and so on.
I also think the book should not have been told from her perspective - the introduction was super confusing not knowing who the characters were, and telling a story of mental illness from a neurotypical point of view came off as very privileged. The book ends with . The book is primarily about Lisa's mental illness and her struggle to recover, but it's told through the lens of someone who doesn't really get it, and at times, doesn't really care. It's like trying to get the news from someone who skimmed today's paper - you only get half the story, and it isn't told correctly.
I get parts of the book, mostly because I grew up in a friend group with multiple mentally ill people in it, and I remember the struggle of trying to be taken seriously as a minor. But altogether, the novel was immaturely written and does not hold up at all today. There are many other better books you could find that deal with mental health.
August 23, 2017
I read this as a teen before Go Ask Alice and before I Never Promised You a Rose Garden. It wasn't as bad as GAA but is wasn't as "good" as INPYARG. Honestly it sounded contrived to me back then. I had friends but none of them were close enough to try to "solve" something serious and difficult as a mental illness. And if you've ever had any experience with having a mental illness you'd know that it's not going to be solved within a novelette's amount of time.
This book is more like a serious episode of Encyclopedia Brown. It tries to convey how serious a mental illness is while tempering it with Hollywood Hope for a girl who has no history with abuse, trauma or crisis but has ample peer support. In the real world kids with mental illnesses rarely have one friend never mind a pod of friends that survive to teenage-hood. And usually they turn in so much so that communication becomes difficult to convey. And the reaching out most likely has been happening all along and been rebuffed so much that despair sets in and the adolescent stops believing that any help will come.
Is it really hard to write that story, or is that just so negative that no one wants to believe it and would rather be slurping the sop that is pumped out like most ChickLit series? Ugh.
This book is more like a serious episode of Encyclopedia Brown. It tries to convey how serious a mental illness is while tempering it with Hollywood Hope for a girl who has no history with abuse, trauma or crisis but has ample peer support. In the real world kids with mental illnesses rarely have one friend never mind a pod of friends that survive to teenage-hood. And usually they turn in so much so that communication becomes difficult to convey. And the reaching out most likely has been happening all along and been rebuffed so much that despair sets in and the adolescent stops believing that any help will come.
Is it really hard to write that story, or is that just so negative that no one wants to believe it and would rather be slurping the sop that is pumped out like most ChickLit series? Ugh.
September 5, 2011
This book is my favorite because it's a story about friends who help each other even in the most darkest of times. The main character Lisa who is known for being so lively and friendly begins to go mad and slowly starts to act bizarr. Peers in her school begin to torment her even though just months before they admired her and even strived to be her. Even though she reached out to her family like many times in a teenagers life they feel they aren't heard represented or given a voice even when they need help despretly and for Lisa , she was lucky euogh to have support from her best friends even though none of them knew what would become if Lisa and her future ince they were able to finally convince her parents to send her to a specialist after multiple attempts of suicide and seldndestruction. Te power of the friendship even through the scary frighting changes they still stuck by her and it goes to show even when your at your lowest points true friends wount abandon you and may even help
Read
June 12, 2017This book hits a note for me, not only because I read this while I was in labor with my first baby, but also because it's something I went through myself. Having depression isn't easy, and seeking help for your illness is even more difficult. What I would give to have friends like Lisa's: friends who genuinely care for you and are patient with you.
Dealing with the highs and lows of depression can take a toll on your friends, especially when you somehow get violent. If truth be told, you can't help it, the violent outbursts. You can't just "snap out" of it. There's no reason for depression; it just is. It's a hormonal imbalance, not seeking attention. And it's definitely not something you "get over with" in just a few months. It could take years, and even if you do recover, there are relapses.
Lisa's story is an inspiration to anyone who's gone through and is still going through mental illnesses. It's truly brave of Lisa to seek help. But it's braver for her friends to stand up for her and stick with her through the very end.
Dealing with the highs and lows of depression can take a toll on your friends, especially when you somehow get violent. If truth be told, you can't help it, the violent outbursts. You can't just "snap out" of it. There's no reason for depression; it just is. It's a hormonal imbalance, not seeking attention. And it's definitely not something you "get over with" in just a few months. It could take years, and even if you do recover, there are relapses.
Lisa's story is an inspiration to anyone who's gone through and is still going through mental illnesses. It's truly brave of Lisa to seek help. But it's braver for her friends to stand up for her and stick with her through the very end.
July 23, 2015
Reasons why no one should read this book:
1. It's incredibly dated. Using references (books, movies, music) AND lingo from the 60's is just a terrible way to portray critical information about teenagers.
2. This book is written from the perspective of a friend of the person with a possible mental illness. Not a doctor, not the individuals, but from someone who even states in the book they they're only kind of a friend. More of a friend of a friend.
3. The mental illness is not cut and dry...it's like an amalgamation of different disorders, again from the perspective of a not good friend of Lisa
4. I feel like someone acting this oddly very quickly, particularly at school, would actually get people involved, rather than in this book where even school employees looked away from the issues.
5. Self-diagnosing is wrong. so very wrong.
1. It's incredibly dated. Using references (books, movies, music) AND lingo from the 60's is just a terrible way to portray critical information about teenagers.
2. This book is written from the perspective of a friend of the person with a possible mental illness. Not a doctor, not the individuals, but from someone who even states in the book they they're only kind of a friend. More of a friend of a friend.
3. The mental illness is not cut and dry...it's like an amalgamation of different disorders, again from the perspective of a not good friend of Lisa
4. I feel like someone acting this oddly very quickly, particularly at school, would actually get people involved, rather than in this book where even school employees looked away from the issues.
5. Self-diagnosing is wrong. so very wrong.
August 1, 2016
I suppose I expected more from this book and was very disappointed. I picked it up because it was compared to Go Ask Alice, which I liked. However Go Ask Alice was a book that I read when I was much younger and probably wouldn't like today.
I feel that the story of Lisa was told through a character that wasn't necessarily appropriate considering the seriousness of the situation. Betsy (the narrator) is a bit too bubbly and too hooked on Paul Newman to take her seriously.
If you read this book, take note that it was written in the 60s and the world has changed a lot since then.
Other than that, I felt this book was overall pretty awkward. None of the characters were endearing and they didn't seem the least bit like real people.
I feel that the story of Lisa was told through a character that wasn't necessarily appropriate considering the seriousness of the situation. Betsy (the narrator) is a bit too bubbly and too hooked on Paul Newman to take her seriously.
If you read this book, take note that it was written in the 60s and the world has changed a lot since then.
Other than that, I felt this book was overall pretty awkward. None of the characters were endearing and they didn't seem the least bit like real people.
August 8, 2015
Shit. This book was so damn beautiful. And dark. And HAUNTING. And oh so rightfully humorous in some. It took me to places, thoughts, bright and dark. I'll probably be left drifting in a Lisa, bright and dark hangover now. Sure won't forget about it anytime soon. It really touched and spoke to me. God bless you John Neufeld. :*
April 25, 2018
Everything is really out of date here. The pop culture references, the attitudes, and the language. I think it's past it's time. And not completely sure I'd want a modern teenager reading it honestly.
April 26, 2012
Dated, obviously, but it feels very genuine and honest.
April 5, 2018
This was one of the very first young adult/teen novels I ever read. I was in 7th grade. All these years later I remember it as touching me deeply.
June 29, 2018
This came out in 1969, when mental illness wasn't exactly a common topic of conversation - and I'm not sure it's a comfortable topic today. The book takes an interesting tack: a high school student knows she's not quite right, tries to tell her parents, but they don't believe her. Her friends try to help; ultimately even her teachers believe there is something wrong, but her parents continue to do nothing as her illness progresses and she continues to cry, and act, out for help.
The book is definitely dated. The idea of teenagers attempting "amateur psychology" is quite frightening - today, in most states, if someone is deemed a danger to themselves or others, they can assessed by medical personnel regardless of age. And, again in most states, a lawyer/advocate is assigned to a patient immediately upon commitment, so the drastic action Lisa takes would be unnecessary - but in the 1960's, that wasn't the case. And the dating also works in Lisa's favor; in the United States, long term care for most mentally ill no longer exists.
But any book, targeting the teen market in 1969, that talks about mental illness, has to get a little credit.
This book became a movie broadcast on television in 1973, starring Anne Bancroft and John Forsythe as Lisa's parents, Kay Lenz as Lisa, and Deborah Lee Furness as MN. Like many others my age, I wasn't allowed to watch it.
The book is definitely dated. The idea of teenagers attempting "amateur psychology" is quite frightening - today, in most states, if someone is deemed a danger to themselves or others, they can assessed by medical personnel regardless of age. And, again in most states, a lawyer/advocate is assigned to a patient immediately upon commitment, so the drastic action Lisa takes would be unnecessary - but in the 1960's, that wasn't the case. And the dating also works in Lisa's favor; in the United States, long term care for most mentally ill no longer exists.
But any book, targeting the teen market in 1969, that talks about mental illness, has to get a little credit.
This book became a movie broadcast on television in 1973, starring Anne Bancroft and John Forsythe as Lisa's parents, Kay Lenz as Lisa, and Deborah Lee Furness as MN. Like many others my age, I wasn't allowed to watch it.
March 5, 2023
Quite simply, one of the best books about mental illness, and friendship, ever written.
December 31, 2025
I read this as a kid, somewhere around junior high. It was one of the books the girls in school passed around amongst ourselves. It was worth reading again.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews