Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman - Restarting October 21st 2019

[Megan]

Caden Bosch is on a ship that's headed for the deepest point on Earth: Challenger Deep, the southern part of the Marianas Trench.

Caden Bosch is a brilliant high school student whose friends are starting to notice his odd behavior.

Caden Bosch is designated the ship's artist in residence, to document the journey with images.

Caden Bosch pretends to join the school track team but spends his days walking for miles, absorbed by the thoughts in his head.

Caden Bosch is split between his allegiance to the captain and the allure of mutiny.

Caden Bosch is torn.

A captivating and powerful novel that lingers long beyond the last page, Challenger Deep is a heartfelt tour de force by one of today's most admired writers for teens.

[C.P.]

Really excited to read this!

[C.P.]

Hopefully I can get started with this tonight. If not, I'll start in the morning. :)

[C.P.]

Through chapter 30. (view spoiler)[I feel so sad for Caden. I know the feeling of being alone in a crowd of people. It's not a good one. And he has so much more going on. It's interesting how things in his life are kind of mirrored in the ship. (hide spoiler)]

[C.P.]

Through chapter 58. (view spoiler)[I like that I don't entirely know what's going on. Are the captain and the others on the ship in Caden's mind, or are they in a hospital and we're getting his story in between? (hide spoiler)]

[C.P.]

Through chapter 85. (view spoiler)[So the ship was shaped by a hospital it seems. I wonder who the parrot is in the hospital. And that had to be painful for those parents, leaving their son there. But sometimes help is needed and that's the only way it can be gotten. (hide spoiler)]

[C.P.]

Through chapter 116. (view spoiler)[I really love how all of the stuff with the captain is being explained. It's what I originally thought, and it's so interesting. I just hope that Caden can start to heal. I hate that Hal has such a non involved mom. (hide spoiler)]

[C.P.]

Through chapter 139. (view spoiler)[This is really powerful. It was so sad when Caden had to say goodbye to Callie, although it made sense. And Carlyle was like him! I'm just worried that Caden will not have the desire/will to overcome all of his obstacles. Also really liked when his sizter visited. (hide spoiler)]

[C.P.]

I finished a couple hours ago. Really loved this. I think it was an excellent portrayal of mental illness. It didn't gloss over Caden's issues or make it some glamorous ordeal, it was just real.

Love the style of this.

[Abi]

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Reading from the 1st of January 2017

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[Beatrice]

Started this one :)

Chapter 1-5 (view spoiler)[ I think Caden Bosh is hallucinating. Clang speech, neologism and word salad are evident. Most likely he has Schizophrenia. (hide spoiler)]

[Beatrice]

Chapter 6 - 24 (view spoiler)[ Getting an idea how his anxiety and paranoia started. Gosh, his parents aren't even aware of his odd behaviour. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Sorry I'm a little late. Starting today.

[Beatrice]

Cinthia wrote: "Sorry I'm a little late. Starting today."

No worries. Take your time :)

[Beatrice]

Chapters 25 - 55 (view spoiler)[Caden's friend, Max was freaked out by his behavior. I think he's scared and refused to listen to Caden when opens up to him not being himself.

I feel bad because no one wants to listen when he needed. Being isolated and alone triggers his mental illness. Yet, no one is aware that he has one. (hide spoiler)]

[Beatrice]

Chapter 56 - 86 (view spoiler)[I wonder if these hallucinations he have was an asylum? Then white kitchen was his room or examination rooms on an asylum? (hide spoiler)]

[Beatrice]

End (view spoiler)[Such a beautiful and sad journey. Mental illness was portrayed really well. (hide spoiler)]

[Sharon]

I read until the end of Chapter 78.

Chapter 15: (view spoiler)[ I still do not get the Captain/sea chapters. Caden has disorganized thoughts, which is a much more accurate portrayal of schizophrenia. Also, the chapters are really short. (hide spoiler)]

[Sharon]

Chapter 29: (view spoiler)[ I am wondering if the Captain is a metaphor for a doctor or psychiatrist. However, this seems like an accurate portrayal of schizophrenia. The narrative is as scattered as his thought process. It is very interesting. I'm enjoying this a lot. (hide spoiler)]

[Sharon]

Chapter 34: (view spoiler)[ What if everything on this boat is a metaphor for his mind and not for people? (hide spoiler)]

[Sharon]

Chapter 56: (view spoiler)[ The way Calliope describes what she sees seems to hint towards delusions or hallucinations. I'm suddenly wondering is everyone aboard this ship is a metaphor for a symptom Caden's experiencing. (hide spoiler)]

[Sharon]

Chapter 78: (view spoiler)[ I love that he's using the second person. It makes everything more powerful and this is an important story to be told. (hide spoiler)]

[Sharon]

Chapter 83: (view spoiler)[ I find it interesting that patients with schizophrenia actually have enlarged ventricles, so there's no way his MRI is "clean". Really enjoying this read. (hide spoiler)]

[Sharon]

Chapter 90: (view spoiler)[ The ship and everything was the hospital and its occupants. It is interesting to get this look into mental illness. It makes you think about how it impacts life. (hide spoiler)]

[Sharon]

Chapter 131: (view spoiler)[ I wish there was no romance. It was hinted at that they couldn't cure one another and then, they ruin it all by promising to "free each other when the time comes". What the heck does that mean? (hide spoiler)]

[Sharon]

Beatrice wrote: "End [spoilers removed]"

I agreed with you 100%

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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Date changed. Restarting July 10th 2019. Happy Reading ☺

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[Eesh]

Will be a few days late to the read. I'd ordered the book but the delivery got a little delayed.

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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Date changed. Restarting September 1st 2019. Happy Reading ☺

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[Sierra]

this book is going to take me awhile to get through i have restarted it like 3 times now

[Fuzaila]

Sierra wrote: "this book is going to take me awhile to get through i have restarted it like 3 times now"

Yup, it takes some time to get used to :) I had to remind myself to keep going all the while. But it was incredible 🔥

[Sierra]

25% (view spoiler)[ how does the parrot help "them" get them? will he take up a sport? why is he so worried that someone will kill him? (hide spoiler)]
50% (view spoiler)[will they find out whats going on with him. i wonder how long he will have to stay in the hospital. i didnt think he would act out when they took him away. (hide spoiler)]
75% (view spoiler)[ does callie really like him? i like that shelby came and said she was sorry and you could really tell it hurt her how she acted and whats going on with him. (hide spoiler)]
finished (view spoiler)[ whats going to happen since he doesnt trust the parrot? i cant believe he really did it how is caden going to handle that. i hope he lives. now he has a new roommate i wonder how that will go. (hide spoiler)]

[Fuzaila]

Reading it now.
Pg 6. (view spoiler)[ Saw that China reference? I know there is one more to come. Love how he makes all those observations. Dolphins that probably won't be scheming your death? It's iteresting to see all the things going on in the mind of a mentally ill person.

I think I read the book last two years ago probably. But I still remember most of these details. (hide spoiler)]

[~Sophia~]

Hello! I thought I might join in if that's okay. I finished this one today and it was spectacular! Here are my thoughts:

Chapter 11
(view spoiler)[The illustrations are a pleasant surprise! I am a little confused as to what is going on, but I am enjoying this thus far. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 64
(view spoiler)[Caden has just seen a therapist for his “out of the ordinary” behavior. This is getting pretty emotional, especially when he was talking to Max about being a part of everything. That scene with his friend really touched me. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 77
(view spoiler)[Wow. That was so tough, saying goodbye. This is so gripping and tragic. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 94
(view spoiler)[I love how the author utilizes point of view, switching from second person when Caden feels like a part of everything, to first person when he realizes he’s not. (hide spoiler)]

Finished
(view spoiler)[Overall, incredible! This was so sad, and for a while there I thought that it was taking a turn for the worse, but everything turned out okay-ish. The illustrations were magnificent. I highly recommend! (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

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Date Changed. Restarting October 21st 2019. Happy Reading ☺

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[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Starting the audio for this today, will probably take me to the end of the month but at least I'll have one BR I'm not starting super late lol

[Abby]

25%: (view spoiler)[I'm pretty sure the pirate ship is Caden's mind. (hide spoiler)]

50%: (view spoiler)[I was right! Now I'm piecing together what everything is representative of. Calliope is Callie and the captain is Doctor Poirot. Who's the parrot? (hide spoiler)]

75%: (view spoiler)[Oh, poor Hal! I hope he lived. It's devastating what happened. (hide spoiler)]

Finished: (view spoiler)[I like how Caden talks about mental illness being individual to each person. (hide spoiler)]

[Jennifer]

Ch 42 (24%) - (view spoiler)[ He has quite the imagination doesn't he? (hide spoiler)]
Ch 86 (48%) - (view spoiler)[ That is a pretty messed up part of therapy isn't it? Ok so somewhere between 1/4 of the way through and now I figured out that the other crewmen were people in his therapy group, but I'm not 100% convinced that the parrot is really the doctor. The Captain seems to make suggestions that go against what I think is good for Caden but then at the same time, perhaps going to the bottom of the trench is really a metaphor for getting to the bottom of his problem? (hide spoiler)]
Ch 133 (73%) - (view spoiler)[ Interesting that Carlisle is a recovered patient that got his degree but can only volunteer in therapy. I mean, I guess that makes sense, but I still found it interesting.

I hope Hal is ok and makes a grand reappearance at some point. Talk about a mood killer. (hide spoiler)]
Finished - (view spoiler)[ OK, so confession time. I saw this book on the BR list and I love Neal Shusterman, so I picked it up without really knowing what it was all about. When I started it, I was thinking to myself, "wow, this is the most wacked take on Alice in Wonderland that I've read so far." After a few more chapters though, I was so confused that I went back and read the synopsis, which didn't really help. It was then that I saw it was tagged as mental illness, etc. and I started putting things together. I gotta say if this is what having paranoid delusions is like, that is plain out TERRIFYING! Not only are the delusions terrifying, but the occasional realization that you are responsible for the terrorization of yourself is equally terrifying. I couldn't even bring myself to try to consider it from the standpoint of Caden's parents, it was just too scary.

All that said, this was another brilliantly done story. I can't say that I liked it because mental illness makes me uncomfortable (as it does most people by the author's own admission), but there is no doubt that it IS a brilliantly done story. It will still get at least 4 stars from me. (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Chapter 1- 40 (view spoiler)[This book is like reading the jumbled thoughts of my brain. He's on a boat to back in school or in Vegas with his family. It jumps all over but it's so clear as a reader there's a lot going on in his mind. I'm wondering if he's actually in some type of treatment and his mind is manifesting this pirate life, guess we'll see. (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Chapter 41- 90 (view spoiler)[I'm glad he's finally getting help. Hope it works for him and not against him. Being in his mind makes me just want him to pull through. Honestly someone just needs to tell him everyone has these erratic thoughts, his are just a bit more often and far fetched. I feel bad for him the way they just sort of dropped him at this treatment facility. (hide spoiler)]

[Jennifer]

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Chapter 41- 90 [spoilers removed]"

That's interesting because I kept thinking about (view spoiler)[ how lucky he was that his parents finally woke up and sought treatment. (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Jennifer wrote: "❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Chapter 41- 90 [spoilers removed]"

That's interesting because I kept thinking about [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I’m certainly happy for him and glad they woke up to seek help for him but I dunno to me it didn’t seem like the parents tried much before just telling him they were going on vacation and leaving him at the facility. But again it’s all his POV and one sided so whose to say they didn’t try many things before taking this road 🤷🏼‍♀️ (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Chapters 91-135 (view spoiler)[Aww I feel so bad for him Callie is leaving, his Calliope. I will say his delusions are if anything getting worse maybe, really hoping things work out for him. I think it helps too to know that Carlisle is more like him and his peers than he thought. (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Finished
(view spoiler)[ I absolutely appreciate the way this book was written. I mean I don't know if I've ever felt so IN a characters mind. Caden got the help he needed and now he can function and deal with it all a bit better. I think the audio version helped because all the characters were given different voices and it helped differentiate who they were in his mind and who they were in real life. (hide spoiler)]