Janet Tashjian
Author of My Life as a Book
About the Author
Series
Works by Janet Tashjian
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1956-06-29
- Gender
- female
- Nationality
- USA
- Places of residence
- Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Education
- University of Rhode Island
Emerson College - Relationships
- Tashjian, Jake (son)
Members
Reviews
Lists
Awards
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 31
- Members
- 4,023
- Popularity
- #6,268
- Rating
- 3.7
- Reviews
- 72
- ISBNs
- 194
- Languages
- 5
- Favorited
- 2
I have the same mental illness that Monica, this book's protagonist, has. I'm in therapy, and I'm not open about having OCD. People just figure it out somehow. I don't read books about characters that have mental illnesses that I have. I have a few. I live with them. I don't need to see them in fiction. But I remembered this book, and bought myself a copy. Janet Tashjian deserves a ton of awards for her portrayal of an illness that is seen as both setup and punchline to society at large. It was a choice both clever and moving to have Monica not yet be in high school. A ton of people don't think kids can have this. -Diagnosis- usually doesn't happen until the age of eighteen, but that's not the issue. I had to set this book down a few times while reading it. As a tween, my thinking was: I know I'm weird like Monica, but I can't do anagrams so I don't have whatever she has. I was diagnosed with OCD as an adult and given much clearer information: anagrams aren't part of it. Here, they're a clever device used as chapter transitions, characterization, and even plot points. I'm glad magical thinking was shown. I liked how the book was written.… (more)