Andrew Brawley's life changed forever in one night. His parents and sister dead, he found his only choice to remain in the hospital--but not as a patient. Drew sleeps in an empty supply closet, works in the cafeteria (being paid under the table), and befriends many of the long-term patients. His cover story is that he's visiting his sick grandmother who is in a coma, and while many of the staff don't necessarily believe it, they let it slide. And as long as he can steer clear of a too-inquisitive social worker, he knows he could keep this going for a while. But one night when he sees a young man brought in to the emergency room, apparently set on fire by his classmates, Drew is immediately drawn to the new patient. Drew feels for him, and in some ways he sees a kindred spirit. As he learns more about Rusty's situation, and eventually gets to know him after he wakes him, Drew begins to wonder if there could be a potential future in which they might leave the hospital together. But before that can happen, Drew needs to face the demons that have kept him in the hospital in the first place--and those just might lead to the undoing of the life he has built.

I think the one word that stands out to me most after finishing this book would be "refreshing." Drew is far from perfect. And the author does not try to hide or mask that in any way during this book. There is a realness to it that I don't think I always get from young adult titles, and I found myself really connecting to the material and the characters as a result. An interesting and insightful read. ( )

What a surprising little read. When I picked up this book, I did not expect the protagonist, Andrew, to live in a hospital. When the summary said that, I figured it meant that he was having treatment done there and was having an... extended stay at the hospital. But no, Andrew lives in the hospital, unbeknownst to everyone there.

And that's just the first surprise this novel gave me.

The characters are all wondrous, and for once, the adults are just as interesting as the teens. Everyone's story is heartbreaking, and most are uplifting, and they're all so beautifully fragile and strong.

Another thing I adored was the comic book featured within the pages, which really shows you Drew's state of mind, and what he maybe isn't telling anyone-- including the reader. It's clever and beautiful all at once.

I didn't cry, but I could understand why someone would. It's hard not to let this book touch your heart. ( )

Ağladım, çünkü gerçekten çok güzeldi. ( )

Review also posted on my blog: https://bennilovesbooks.wordpress.com/2018/02/07/review-the-five-stages-of-andre...

This book has content warnings for death, suicide/attempted suicide, suicidal thoughts, physical abuse, bullying, depressive behavior, self harm, hospitals, graphic depictions of medical procedures, and a car accident (off-page but described somewhat).

One of my favorite things about this book is how well it portrayed a teenager who had suffered through trauma. I was hooked from the second Andrew mentioned seeing "Death" -- it's pretty apparent from the start that who he is seeing isn't really "Death," but it immediately has you wondering just who he is referring to, then. Who is he so afraid of? He really is so convinced that it is Death who is roaming through the halls, looking to take him and others away, and his terror shines through. Andrew himself is convinced that these things -- seeing Death everywhere, feeling a need to save everyone, being able to live in a hospital forever -- are normal things even when they aren't, and it was a really refreshing point of view to read that I just ate up.

Similar themes came through in Rusty's character, as well. Rusty had his own trauma from being set on fire, and he developed a dependency on Andrew that played right into Andrew's own trauma. There was an unhealthy element to it while they were in the hospital that they didn't really figure out until later, and I loved how it showed how mental health can affect the relationships between people, both romantic and platonic. The resolution to this was really nice, and I really enjoyed seeing these two boys interact.

I also really loved Lexi and Trevor, Andrew's friends from the children's ward. I thought it was great to have Andrew make friends his own age inside the hospital to show him interacting with other teens, and I also really appreciated having a healthier blooming romance in the book to contrast against the one between Andrew and Rusty. Lexi and Trevor really contrasted Andrew's need to be an "adult" who has to take care of himself and his need to be a regular teenager who likes to celebrate things and play games and talk to other people his own age.

Stylistically, I loved the added depth that the comics pages brought to the book. They were well-laid-out and brought an extra layer of characterization to Andrew as they gave us an extra way to see into his mind through his art. I also really appreciated the comics pages at the end of the book and thought they were a great way to wrap things up.

This book is a sad read. I loved the characters, but my heart was left hurting for them as I read. If you want something sad and sweet, this is an excellent book for you. Hutchinson's writing really has a way of manipulating your emotions as you read, and this book shows just how much work he puts into his craft.

Final rating: 5 of 5 stars ( )

This book will stay with me for a very long time. ( )