The Lost Language of Crazy

This story talks about identity and mental health.

Here's the main character, P, who keeps changing their name frequently as a part of their creativity. The character is so lively and driven at the beginning; full of vibes and a strong mind that wouldn't budge easily.

The dad is quite understanding though and I love reading about parents with never-ending patience dealing with their stubborn, chaotic teen kids. Also, there's another character struggling with an eating disorder.

The plot is quite character driven. Here's another character dealing with their gender identity. I really appreciate the representation of these characters. The story also focuses on the struggles of immigrants in getting proper jobs apart from being discriminated.

I just love the grandparents! I love how loving the entire family is.

The humour in the writing makes the read so much enjoyable. I was expecting a rather serious read when I started the book.

The story takes a turn when P discovers something she shouldn't have.

And the second half of the book ensues. It made me cry! I just wanted to protect P, her dad, her friends and there's this character who I wanted to know the most. My heart broke into pieces.

But well, things end well. I love how the mental health issues have been dealt with except for one character's mental health disorder which is likely to be depression.

I'm going to read anything and everything written by this author.

Thank you, author and the publisher @Atmosphere Press for the advance reading copy.

A breathtaking story about identity and mental health that weaves topics such as love, acceptance and resilience in a hopeful but aching manner that culminates into an unforgettable narrative. While slow to read, I ended up enjoying this and will be recommending it in the library and beyond that space.

<b>Twelve year old Penny explores what it means to have no voice, what it means to hear many voices, and what it means to have your voice squashed.</b>

This was such an interesting read. I really loved the author's style of writing and the exploration behind mental illness. The two illnesses in focus are selective mutism and schizophrenia and I particularly enjoyed the monologue behind the selective mutism and the familial experience of schizophrenia.

There were various characters with lots of confusion about their identity, but the theme of friendship is very strong, and lent a warmth to the otherwise troubled storyline.

However, I felt that the story was rushed, and there was a lot to unpack with not a lot of time. I think the book could benefit from refinement, but Laskin is surely an author to watch.

This book was informative and lovely and had good mental health rep. I loved the inclusion of blog posts and everything in between. The MC was loveable and wonderfully written. Well done!!

Thank you to @Netgalley and @Atmosphere Press for providing me with an ARC of “The Lost Language of Crazy”, to read and honestly review!✨

I really enjoyed this book! From its very first pages, The Lost Language of Crazy plunges into some serious topics, and the way our narrator, P, a 13 year old girl, perceives them, how they affect her world and what they truly mean for (to) her. Her narration gave this book a truly refreshing edge; with a complex, curious and creative mind, our heroine slowly discovered her world and gave the readers the chance to see what being a writer is truly like, and in how many different ways somebody can exist as one.

This book was character driven and had great representation! Mental illness, gender identify, Muslim rep, selective mutism, this book touched into some serious topics, yet all the while managed to retain its funny, engaging side. P’s humor, playful way of perceiving human life, made this read truly enjoyable.

I liked the way all of the mental health issues were dealt with and most of all I loved how while reading, you felt as if you grew along with P, as she slowly navigated and explored the world she and all of us, live in!

[3.5/⭐️]

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

The Lost Language of Crazy was a beautiful story about Penny who is currently writing a play but can't seem to find an ending that fits. She is surrounded by wonderful friends and a father but of course, feels the absence of her mother who she believes is dead.

I thoroughly enjoyed several aspects of this book such as the representation of different gender identities, expectations everyone feels from society and families, the way mental health problems are dealt with and talked about in the book

Although I could not fully enjoy the characterization of Zeina and her family. These characters are Muslim in the book, which could have been a wonderful chance to represent a minority community. I felt that certain aspects of their characterization were stereotypes such as Zeina being portrayed only as beautiful without her hijab and her father's anger issues.

Other than that, I think the book was overall a great and extremely quick read.

“Sometimes in life you just have to eat the eggplant Parmesan, even when you don’t want to, because you love the person who made it.”

This might be one of the best depictions of trauma I’ve ever read?? I finished this book in under 4 hours.

This book follows a 13 year old Penny/Pilar, stuck in a world of judgement, identity crisis and change. She is learning who she is, who her friends are, secrets about her parents, and struggling with becoming a writer. Her play is going to be performed not the way she envisioned it. Her small voice isn’t being heard, until she no longer has a voice.

So let me break down how many hurdles this book covers. You get to see how religion in young people trickles down from their parents, and how they struggle with their own religious beliefs. How teens accept a fellow transgender youth. A very difficult situation of being guilted for not “liking” a transgender individual not because they are trans, but just because you don’t have feelings for them. How immigrants are treated in the American work system, even when they have years of background and experience in their home country.

Dealing with mental illness through therapy. Acknowledging it doesn’t always work but you have to put in the effort. How your parents mental illness can or can’t effect you. Will you have the same struggles? Learning how to be strong for other people who are hurting, and knowing when you must step back and help yourself. When someone is not themself anymore, lost to mental illness, when they don’t know you most days. Disordered eating as a result of anxiety, as a way to punish your body. Comparing traumas because you are using anger as a coping mechanism. Dealing with all of this at just the age of 13. The list is endless.

So obviously this is a lot, I took so many notes because some of these topics hit so close to home. There is a situation I mentioned previously that I was in personally, I won’t share, but having an author write about this was just so validating and rewarding.

Even though the main character is only 13, it does not feel like a YA novel. I think teens could easily read this and learn a lot. It’s absolutely an emotional roller coaster, but you come out learning more then when you began.

I cannot recommend this book enough when it is published. I was shaken to my core and knew that only after a few chapters, it was a 5 star for me.

Received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review~~~~~


This book is about Penny, who after she finds the truth about a family member loses her voice (literally). It explores her fragility, and the vulnerability that comes with the exploration of her self identity. A good premise that explores mental health issues such as identity, growth and gender issues; (n my opinion was a bit too short. Overall a good read.

The Lost Language of Crazy is told beautifully from the point of view of twelve year old Penny who is trying to deal with her own mental health and the blockades it can create. A special and important book that I think more Middle Grade children should read to get an in depth look of what people look like from the inside.

Is it possible to wake up one day and be emptied of words? For a writer, this would be an unimaginable nightmare, but for any of us, this would be a terrifying ordeal. What happens when we lose our voice? On the flip side, what happens when we are plagued with many voices?

THE LOST LANGUAGE OF CRAZY explores the terrain of mental illness from the point of view of its twelve-year-old narrator, Penny, who has grown up believing her mother is dead. The novel opens with the protagonist's desire to finish writing a play, which she is incapable of doing, since she does not know how the play ends, while her best friend, formerly a girl, yearns to play the dad. This is a story about words and language; gender confusion and the secrets surrounding it; silence and lies; mental illness and a writer's journey.

Central to the book is the premise that we all have deeply buried selves, and these burials create a mental instability, which becomes the narrative we bring to the world.
This book was a great insight into mental illness

This was so well written. I was engrossed from the first page and it ticked all the boxes of my expectations. I would definitely recommend to others.

This book really exceeded my expectations.

Many topics are covered which are vital to be discussed with not only young people but EVERYONE. Mental health, isolation, sexuality, loss of sense of self. The novel follows a scattered, fragmented stream-of-consciousness form at times which I LOVE. Our thoughts aren't linear, especially when suffering with mental health issues.

I wish it wasn't such a brief snapshot to be honest - Laskin is clearly a writer to watch!