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What Does Blue Feel Like?
Char is seventeen. She's in her last year of school. She's in a mess.
She can't sleep, she can't eat. She feels... nothing.
As Char deals with her parents, her boyfriend Jim, her friends, parties, school work and end-of-year exams, we feel just what it's like to be seventeen and so unsure that the future is anything more than just a concept of time.
A compelling verse novel from an exciting new voice in children's fiction. Confronting, realistic, funny and chilling, the kaleidoscopic emotions of a teenager on the edge are poignantly conveyed in powerful verses that weave in and out of Char's view of the world, and the views of those around her who watch, disturbed, helpless, as Char slowly loses herself.
She can't sleep, she can't eat. She feels... nothing.
As Char deals with her parents, her boyfriend Jim, her friends, parties, school work and end-of-year exams, we feel just what it's like to be seventeen and so unsure that the future is anything more than just a concept of time.
A compelling verse novel from an exciting new voice in children's fiction. Confronting, realistic, funny and chilling, the kaleidoscopic emotions of a teenager on the edge are poignantly conveyed in powerful verses that weave in and out of Char's view of the world, and the views of those around her who watch, disturbed, helpless, as Char slowly loses herself.
- GenresYoung AdultPoetry
288 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2007
133 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 11, 2020
i didn’t not like this book, just from a literature point of view: i had lots of issues. for a book of its subject matter i am reluctant to say weather or not it took responsibility for its subject matter. to me it felt as though the author was trying to cram in so many different topics for the sake of shock value or leaving readers with a “message” rather than for honesty or sincerities sake. for a book structured in poems, a lot of the writing & poetic suggestion felt very much lacking. i also found the pacing to be something that let this book down , there was no character development or time for readers to get to know char , we were just thrown into her. she was an unmoving protagonist , rather than having a personality or being active as a protagonist , her personality was simply what was happening to her. it errs on the side of dishonesty. but perhaps this was the point , to have the main character be an illness rather than a person. but also , people with mental illnesses are people first. & i would’ve really loved to have seen some more humanity within char.
but all this aside , as the books target demographic , i was honestly quite sucked in & struggled to put it down.
but all this aside , as the books target demographic , i was honestly quite sucked in & struggled to put it down.
August 6, 2011
This is the story of Char, an adolescent girl in the midst of gripping depression, who feels isolated from her family and friends. In her final year at school and struggling, she states at the outset: 'I want it to be over, my whole life.'
Char is dependant upon her boyfriend Jim with whom she shares many drunken nights as she attempts to hide from her mental illness. The dependence on alcohol only exacerbates the problem because she engages in risk-taking sexual and self-harming behaviour. Char falls pregnant and faces the dilemma of whether to keep or abort her baby.
What Does Blue Feel Like? Jessica Davidson's debut novel is a realistic depiction of teenage depression and the effect that it has on the individual, her family and friends. Char finally does seek help from a psychiatrist, who has a positive impact on her life. Her family also attend counselling as they all come to terms with her illness and find out how to support her in the most positive way.
Written as a verse novel. Great read.
Char is dependant upon her boyfriend Jim with whom she shares many drunken nights as she attempts to hide from her mental illness. The dependence on alcohol only exacerbates the problem because she engages in risk-taking sexual and self-harming behaviour. Char falls pregnant and faces the dilemma of whether to keep or abort her baby.
What Does Blue Feel Like? Jessica Davidson's debut novel is a realistic depiction of teenage depression and the effect that it has on the individual, her family and friends. Char finally does seek help from a psychiatrist, who has a positive impact on her life. Her family also attend counselling as they all come to terms with her illness and find out how to support her in the most positive way.
Written as a verse novel. Great read.
July 5, 2018
When I first started reading it I was very unsure of the verse format but as the characters developed and you could start to see more interaction between them it really hooked me in. It was a unique story and an enjoyable read.
February 22, 2024
it was ok. pretty lacklustre in my opinion.
September 24, 2012
What Does Blue Feel Like exceeded my expectations by a mile.
From the start of the book to the end, I could see the dramatic improvement in the author’s writing. At the beginning, the writing was awkward and the verses were a little forced. But it flowed together so beautifully near the end, in a haunting way. Verse novels/novellas are definitely among my favourites: they can capture emotion without making the main character seem whiny.
Davidson used this to her obvious advantage, because Char’s emptiness broke my heart. Her loneliness, her cries: they were all too real. It’s also a wonderful insight as to why people may start up alcohol in first place. They might have a perfect house-life, no major conflicts. But that emptiness; that worthlessness. It’s enough to tear people up.
And that’s exactly what I saw in Char’s story.
The reason I got rid of a star was because the story just didn’t feel like five stars. I still can’t point out why –maybe because the ending struck me as overly optimistic too quickly?– but regardless, it remains a moving piece.
Beautifully written, breathtaking and poignant, What Does Blue Feel Like? is a definite must-read for contemporary readers.
From the start of the book to the end, I could see the dramatic improvement in the author’s writing. At the beginning, the writing was awkward and the verses were a little forced. But it flowed together so beautifully near the end, in a haunting way. Verse novels/novellas are definitely among my favourites: they can capture emotion without making the main character seem whiny.
Davidson used this to her obvious advantage, because Char’s emptiness broke my heart. Her loneliness, her cries: they were all too real. It’s also a wonderful insight as to why people may start up alcohol in first place. They might have a perfect house-life, no major conflicts. But that emptiness; that worthlessness. It’s enough to tear people up.
And that’s exactly what I saw in Char’s story.
The reason I got rid of a star was because the story just didn’t feel like five stars. I still can’t point out why –maybe because the ending struck me as overly optimistic too quickly?– but regardless, it remains a moving piece.
Beautifully written, breathtaking and poignant, What Does Blue Feel Like? is a definite must-read for contemporary readers.
June 15, 2013
I've read a few books like this now and to be honest, What Does Blue Feel Like fails to offer anything new to the formula. Oh, except, (and spoiler alert in three, two, one) the main character, Char, has an abortion at one point, but as if nobody saw that one coming.
The fact that Davidson seems to have no real concept of consistent point of view writing does not help this book. I know it's a verse novel, but if you're going to write in the third person you had better damn well stay in the third person and not jump around between that and first person like a fish on dry land. Unfortunately, Davidson chose the fish on dry land approach.
You can tell that Davidson also has little to no knowledge of what goes through the minds of high schoolers. Anyone who would call something a craze would be ridiculed into oblivion for it, unless this is some kind of time warp into decades long gone.
All the characters are generally unlikeable. More than that, it's difficult to relate to any of them because they're really just half-baked caricatures of people than actual characters.
To be fair, this book does have a saving grace. You can get through it overnight if you try.
The fact that Davidson seems to have no real concept of consistent point of view writing does not help this book. I know it's a verse novel, but if you're going to write in the third person you had better damn well stay in the third person and not jump around between that and first person like a fish on dry land. Unfortunately, Davidson chose the fish on dry land approach.
You can tell that Davidson also has little to no knowledge of what goes through the minds of high schoolers. Anyone who would call something a craze would be ridiculed into oblivion for it, unless this is some kind of time warp into decades long gone.
All the characters are generally unlikeable. More than that, it's difficult to relate to any of them because they're really just half-baked caricatures of people than actual characters.
To be fair, this book does have a saving grace. You can get through it overnight if you try.
September 4, 2015
I love books written differently so this appealed to me immediately though I initially thought it was poetry!
However I haven't completely finished reading it and for now I will leave it, only because it is too blue.
I have read plenty of sad or unfortunate tales before but I just can't manage even with the verse.
I have been reading pages at random too and I like it. There has been a monotone feel so far, maybe it is too close to the bone?
Adolescents can be so self absorbed...or unabsorbed.
It could be a journal.
Maybe we don't realise how drone we sound when we churn our souls out on paper in that state?
Depression is a monotonous state of being.
So yes I contradict myself in saying this book is appealing in an unappealing way!
The heartstrings aren't coping.
However I haven't completely finished reading it and for now I will leave it, only because it is too blue.
I have read plenty of sad or unfortunate tales before but I just can't manage even with the verse.
I have been reading pages at random too and I like it. There has been a monotone feel so far, maybe it is too close to the bone?
Adolescents can be so self absorbed...or unabsorbed.
It could be a journal.
Maybe we don't realise how drone we sound when we churn our souls out on paper in that state?
Depression is a monotonous state of being.
So yes I contradict myself in saying this book is appealing in an unappealing way!
The heartstrings aren't coping.
June 5, 2016
I adored this book. I was in year 10 when I bought it for an English assignment at school and read it all that night, I couldn't put it down! It is so beautifully written and I felt very connected to Char and her story. I have suffered from depression and I felt as thought this book really does explain what it feels like. All I can say is that it is an incredible piece of writing. I used this book for school from years 10-12 and I don't think it has ever really left me, it's stuck with me nearly 10 years since I bought it which is something I can't say has happened with any other book I've read.
November 13, 2013
3.5*
It's scary reading this book. In a weird sense, reading this was like reading the words off of one's own journal after a long while.
The events in this book plays out in a very realistic way; however, because it's written in verse, a lot the issues that were dealt with were not developed properly. As a verse book, it would have been much better if it was written under a single POV - not constantly jumping to and fro from the first person to the third person.
It's scary reading this book. In a weird sense, reading this was like reading the words off of one's own journal after a long while.
The events in this book plays out in a very realistic way; however, because it's written in verse, a lot the issues that were dealt with were not developed properly. As a verse book, it would have been much better if it was written under a single POV - not constantly jumping to and fro from the first person to the third person.
November 22, 2015
Picked this up on a whim. This is one of those books that had so much more potential. The POV jumping got really confusing at times and it was difficult to relate to the characters as I've never acted as they did. Quite a quick read, wouldn't recommend. I'm sure there're better verse novels/books that dwell on depression out there.
December 23, 2012
a brilliant book. not your typical novel format but it wouldn't have worked as well if it was. the imagery and emotions provoked were so powerful. reminded me a bit of Speak or Prep, and even though I loved both of those this definitely exceeds both.
December 10, 2009
I really enjoy reading books in poetry and that was the first thing that drew me into this book.
September 26, 2012
It is an amazing and inspiring book and I loved reading it
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December 27, 2017This book was heavy, but I feel like it really captured the darkness of depression. I'm glad it ended on a realistic, but hopeful note.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews