This is an engrossing read (so much so that I read it all in one go). It is a resounding indictment of the public mental health system, revealing in the comprehensive story of one representative case an appalling history of neglect by the authorities. It is also a very moving story, and it reminded me very much of Anne Deveson’s biography of her son’s mental illness and suicide (this came out some years ago, and I’m unfortunately unable to remember the title; but it received a good deal of publicity, not only because of Deveson’s public role, but also because she treated the subject in the most uncompromisingly honest manner. This book seems to be of this same ilk).

This is a wonderful human interest story of the type that appears each week on ABC television’s Australian Story. It tells of ordinary people (the narrator and her family) made extraordinary through events not of their own making. I think that the narrative voice works very well – it is erudite, never self-pitying but matter-of-fact in detailing Riley’s disordered conduct and general dysfunctionality. Tilly’s love for Riley is undeniable, even as she manages to convey the difficulty of everyday living with such a tortured individual. This is what basically makes the story so powerful; that the narrator’s love for her son, and her empathy for his condition drives her to tell this extraordinary story.

The narrative is well-structured and rarely flags; description and dialogue are both handled well. There is, happily, little room for sentiment or melodrama, and this adds to the overall effect; it is above all the story of a mother (and a family) coping with both a much loved but always difficult child, and with an unheeding and incredibly unhelpful bureaucratic system. Everything is recounted or explained in a believable, non-hyperbolic manner. It seems to me to be a very worthy piece of creative non-fiction, which should be of interest to quite a wide audience. It is also very topical, given current (perhaps unending) debates about Queensland – indeed, Australian – public health systems and their shortcomings.

Tilly Brasch’s book is beautifully written, and I wish her every success with it. Given the appropriate publicity, it should appeal to a wide readership. I certainly hope that it does.

- Sharyn Pearce, Queensland University of Technology