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| Customer Reviews: | | Average Customer Review: ( 26 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 found the following review helpful:
 A Gripping Page Turner Sep 28, 2008
By J. Cameron
"bookworm"
Jan Stites has written a truly compelling account of a woman who confronts her inner demons. Simone is in the midst of an emotional meltdown and finds herself in unfamiliar territory with people whom she had always considered "others". As she grapples with her own issues she discovers her shared humanity with these others. The characters become so alive that reading this book is almost like watching a movie. It's so real, so moving, so heartfelt that the story pulls you along like a rip tide. Stites' thoughtful yet vernacular language engages your mind as well as your heart. I highly recommend this very powerful book.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
A beautifully written book Sep 28, 2008
By Joan Diamond
"Avid Reader"
I couldn't put this book down. It is a beautifully told story....compelling, insightful and heartfelt. The characters are unforgettable. It's amazing read !!!!
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 Compelling characters make for an engaging story Feb 18, 2009
By Beth Cholette
"doctor_beth"
As a psychologist, I was intrigued by the plot of this book. It is the story of Simone, a 40-year old teacher, outwardly successful, who suddenly has a breakdown in front of her students. It comes to light that she has been engaging in self-injurious behavior--cutting herself on her thighs--and her principal suspends her from teaching pending that she receive treatment. With no income, the only therapy that Simone can afford is Oakwood Hospital, a day treatment center where Simone, white and middle class, is surrounded by mostly black, lower-class patients, many of whom are angry, resentful, and seriously mentally ill.
Given my own professional background, there were some aspects of Simone's treatment that I did not find to be wholly realistic. However, I soon became engaged in author Jan Stites' story, so any issues I had were easy to overlook. Stites has strong narrative skills, and she has created compelling characters in Simone and her fellow hospital patients, particularly Satch. I definitely cared about what happened to this odd little group of people, and so I eagerly read through the book to the end.
Overall, I found this book an interesting, worthwhile read, and I would definitely consider reading another novel by this author in the future.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Compelling May 02, 2009
By Jo Chandler
Jan Stites' darkly compelling novel, Edgewise, is hard to put down. The novel is the story of Simone, a 40-year-old teacher whose carefully contained life unravels on the pages before us. When she is suspended from her job after breaking down in the classroom, Simone turns to an outpatient program in a psychiatric hospital eerily nicknamed "Oakhell," a mandated move if Simone wants to regain her teaching position.
While there, Simone encounters a group of fellow patients whose stories are so real, so authentic, they will break your heart and leave you smiling through your tears. These are the people, along with a stellar professional staff, who reach out to Simone and help her on her journey.
It's a journey worth taking. Not only could I not put the book down, but I came away with heightened understanding and greater compassion for those whose lives have been overwhelmed by personal tragedy. I like these characters, a lot. And I like the novel. It's definitely worth the read.
 Predictable Pop Psychology Aug 13, 2011
By G. Wade
"Krista"
Uck, just finished this book & although the characters kept me reading, the storyline was completely predictable. The mental illness descriptions were pop-junk & not reality based - kind of the thing you'd see on a tv drama instead of within the pages of a DSM-IV. I can't believe I finished it but I thought something would happen that would surprise me, it just all made me a little angry that I was sucked into the book at all & wasted a week of reading on it. I hate to be critical & I rarely read a book that I don't like but this one just felt like such a sad attempt to depict people with mental illness by showing it was all their parents' fault instead of delving deeper into the reality of brain chemicals and other factors-- it really reduced the suffering of the mentally ill to a one-liner...such a shame
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