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These Three Words by Jess van der Hoech follows the life of Luna-Ray, a 15-year-old English student who’s keeping a secret from her friends and family – she always feels anxious. Not having been properly diagnosed before, and only being able to articulate her other symptoms; sickness and chronic stomach pains, she feels isolated and afraid of due to her condition. It’s not until she meets Sadie Rainbow where her life turns around.
When the author reached out to me to ask me to read this book, I was so happy as I knew this would be so important to everyone who reads it. The author, Van Der Hoech, is a therapist, and after realising that anxiety was on the rise amongst young adults, felt she needed to do something about it. The author told me how this book is “a way of getting some techniques out to kids who couldn’t get to therapy because waiting lists are at an all time high.” Through the character of Luna-Ray, teens, and even people of all ages, can relate to the protagonist and apply the skills to their lives.
One of the best things about this book, and one that I was completely surprised about, is how good the writing is - considering the purpose isn’t exactly literary but more of a ‘self-help’ book so to speak. The writing is simple but effective, getting the message across succinctly, and often leaving me in laughing fits. These Three Words has the right balance of humour, information and relatability that makes it a book I’m sure anyone would enjoy.
While the focus is on a 15-year-old who finds her family and school life difficult because of her anxiety, there are also examples of adults in the book who also experience the same things, highlighting to the reader that these feelings are normal throughout all ages and people.
This book is a huge step in the right direction regarding how literature treats mental illness, and hopefully more people with mental illness’ will feel confident going about their lives with this book, knowing that their feelings are valid. Reading about mental illnesses from people who have experienced it first-hand, or are an expert in the field, is always refreshing and I hope to see more books like this in the future.
Overall, if you suffer from anxiety, or know someone who does, I cannot recommend this book enough. It teaches the readers about skills to adopt to help cope with these issues, but also gives advice for how family members can interact with people who have anxiety so that they are most comfortable. Having a comfortable surrounding is crucial for those with anxiety and this book handles it perfectly.
I will be donating this book to my local comprehensive school, the one I attended, and hope to spread the message further.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
For more information on anxiety:
For more information on mental illness:
To purchase this book:
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3rdIBps
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2KlhrMJ
To find out more out Jess Van Der Hoech: