Synopsis: Life as a student is good for Flynn. As one of the top pianists at the Royal College of Music, he is put forward for a big concert, the opportunity of a lifetime. But beneath the surface, things are changing. On a good day he feels full of energy and life, but on a bad day being alive is worse than being dead. Sometimes he wants to compose and practise all night, at other times he can't even get out of bed. His flatmate Harry tries to understand but is increasingly confused by Flynn's erratic mood swings. His friend Jennah tries to help, but Flynn finds it difficult to be around her - she evokes in him feelings that he can't accept. With the pressure of the forthcoming concert and the growing concern of his family and friends, emotions come to a head. Sometimes things have to get worse before they can get better.

Review: Flynn’s struggle with Bipolar disorder, or Manic Depression, is not only a compulsively readable story, but a convincing portrayal of a young boy’s struggle with mental illness. Not only is it brave for Suzuma to tackle a subject that has up until relatively recently been a taboo area, especially for young readers, but she has managed it with such style and compassion that the novel does not end up being about an ‘issue’ but about a set of people that the reader is able to feel for and relate to.

The majority of the book is a flashback, after a prologue in which an older Flynn sits in a psychiatrist’s office thinking through the question, ‘How did it all begin?’ This initial insight into the fact that despite ten years having passed, Flynn is still struggling with his illness lends a somewhat dismal, if never-the-less realistic, air to the book.

The journey the reader is then taken on in order to try to answer the initial question mirrors Flynn’s extreme feeling of highs and lows, never quite reaching a resolution. This feeling of there never really being a ‘solution’ is not as difficult as it may seem and certainly not a reason for dismissing the book as unsuitable for teenage readers. Indeed, it is somewhat refreshing to find that there is no identifiable cause for Flynn’s illness; no social ‘ill’ or family trauma to blame that carries warning messages for us all.

A Note of Madness is a simply, but beautifully written story about a loving family who rally round to support and care for Flynn who has an incurable, but treatable illness. There is enough in the book for all teenagers to engage with, whether they have come into contact with metal illness or not. The depiction of student life is realistic rather than stereotypical and the supporting characters are both funny and caring. Indeed anyone who enjoys playing an instrument would enjoy the depiction of endless practices, tutorials and sheer musicianship that Suzuma paints so well.

2006-11-07