Highly Illogical Behavior is a sweet coming of age story that comments on the topics of agoraphobia, anxiety disorders and stigma surrounding mental health. John Corey Whaley does so by blending humor with heart while being sure to write with a touch of empathy.

Solomon Reed is 16years old. He hasn’t left his house in three years, since a panic attack compelled him to sit in the fountain at his school until his parents came to take him home. He’s smart and funny, he loves movies and books and Star Trek: The Next Generation, but the thought of leaving his house makes him hyperventilate to the point he cannot breathe. So while his parents worry about his future, for now they’re content to let him go to school online and spend his life inside his house, with only them and his spry, sassy grandmother for company.

Lisa Praytor is determined to escape her home town and make something of herself. She has her sights set on attending the second-best psychology program in the country, but there’s a catch: her essay must deal with her personal experience with mental illness. After a chance encounter with Sol’s mother, she finds a solution to that problem: she’s going to “fix” Solomon and get him to leave his home again. Lisa soon realizes that Solomon is more than his disease and the two form a strong friendship. Lisa soon introduces Solomon to her boyfriend Clark, with whom she is having slight relationship problems. As Sol shares his secrets and starts to think about life outside his house, Lisa starts questioning her relationship with Clark, and what Sol’s role might be in the problems they’re having.

Highly Illogical Behavior has well-developed, believable characters, however it’s portrayal of other aspects regarding mental health leaves something to be desired. Solomon is a very pleasant and realistic character. He is funny, very aware of his limitations, relatable, adorable, and intelligent. His character traits are not portrayed as less important than his agoraphobia, on the contrary his agoraphobia only serves to increase the depth of his character without taking away from his personality. However the main plot point of this novel: Lisa’s attempts to fix Solomon seem insensitive and degrading. The novel’s suggestion that people with mental illness are something to be “fixed” is crass and derogatory. Lisa felt manic and manipulative, her portrayal as an “anti-hero” was unsuccessful. The novel’s portrayal of Solomon’s mental illness felt simplistic. Solomon felt mostly comfortable inside, but he got spontaneous panic attacks and negative thoughts with no background or lead up. The end was rushed and didn’t end off with a clear resolution, or a clear message about anxiety. Overall, Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley is an acute, fluffy read that was slightly insensitive at times.

Strange The Dreamer by Laini Taylor captures the reader’s attention with its vivid imagery and flowing prose. It the first novel in Laini Taylor’s new duology of the same name. Strange The Dreamer follows Lazlo Strange, an orphan librarian who was rescued by monks and dreams of a magical city.

The novel opens with Lazlo as a child, bemoaning the harsh order of the monastery in which he lives. The only joys in Lazlo’s life are stories told to him by a senile monk of a mystical exotic city full of knowledge and culture. As Lazlo grows older, his obsession with this city he calls Weep does not fade, yet he is constrained by the strict order of the monastery. He is sent by the monks to deliver a manuscript to the Great Library and does not return, becoming an apprentice. Lazlo begins to meticulously research the lost city through his resources at the library, compiling tomes of the research in his room. One day, Lazlo sees a caravan coming through the city and he is stunned at his realization that the travelers are from Weep. He finds out that they are coming in search of great minds to restore Weep to its former glory. Through his knowledge of Weep’s culture Lazlo convinces the caravan leader to let him join them, fulfilling his dream of seeing the lost city in person. In Weep, Lazlo is amazed at the diminished glory of the city he so vividly imagined. He is determined to restore it and fix the problem that has been hanging above the citizens’ heads (literally). The city of Weep had been taken over by gods who had tortured the citizens and stolen away children. The gods were killed, yet the shadow of their influence still hangs over the city. In his dreams, Lazlo meets a blue skinned girl named Sarai who by his knowledge should be dead because all gods were killed. At first Lazlo believes that she is a figment of his subconscious, but as they begin to have interactions inside his dreams he realizes that she is indeed real. They begin to form a romantic connection. Sarai becomes imperative in Lazlo’s quest to save the city of Weep.

Strange the Dreamer is a thoroughly enjoyable novel. Laini Taylor’s writing is beautiful and the plot is captivating. The story is addicting and the end comes abruptly and unexpectedly, causing the reader to crave more. While the novel is set in a fantasy world, real-world themes such as discrimination, emotional and sexual abuse, rape and racism are developed throughout the story. Characters in Strange the Dreamer are all deep, complex and flawed, having both a good side and a bad side. They deal with the weight of their responsibilities and the repercussions of their actions. My only critique for this novel is the speed of Lazlo and Sarai’s romantic relationship. They seemed to form a romantic connection the second they laid eyes on each other, and this relationship intensified very quickly with seemingly no background or reason to. Their relationship seemed almost akin to “insta-love”, in which characters fall in love the second they see each other. Overall, Strange the Dreamer was an amazing book with a great plot and deep characters. I look forward to the next installment in the duology.