Comments on: Review: The Devil in Silver, Victor LaValle

By: Heather

Heather — Thu, 07 May 2015 18:17:43 +0000

I hadn’t heard of this one but I’m super intrigued. And how impressive that the author had a terrible experience but was still able to write such an excellent novel based on that experience.

By: Anastasia

Anastasia — Wed, 06 May 2015 23:46:44 +0000

Pretty sure I am too scared to read this book, BUT reading your review reminded me of how much I liked Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy, a 1970s feminist scifi novel about a woman stuck in a mental institution who basically…astral projects herself into the future? And it has a lot of good stuff in it: mental health issues, racism/sexism therein and also in welfare agencies, classism, sexuality (including GLBTQ stuff), all sorts of things! Have you read it?

By: Alley

Alley — Wed, 06 May 2015 01:26:11 +0000

I am intrigued but also slightly hesitant about the literal devil bit. Because I fear that could go badly. Though I guess if it had, you would have mentioned that.

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Tue, 05 May 2015 19:03:31 +0000

In reply to aartichapati. YES YES YES. I think that's probably part of why it struck me so hard, because it applies to so many areas of privilege.

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Tue, 05 May 2015 19:03:02 +0000

In reply to Athira. To me it doesn't suffer from that problem at all. And the book is much stronger for it.

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Tue, 05 May 2015 18:59:45 +0000

In reply to stitchesandmarginalia. I've been SO surprised when people have told me they had positive inpatient mental health experience. Happy for them, but very surprised. (It's depressing.)

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Tue, 05 May 2015 18:59:11 +0000

In reply to aliceburton. Hm, BUT, as a counterpoint, this is not my usual type of book. So maybe you would like it. After all.

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Tue, 05 May 2015 18:58:27 +0000

In reply to litlove. Oh, totally! I think that aspect of it is right up your alley! And I don't think it's anything so particular to the American mental health system that it would lose its punch. I read that book Poppy Something, or something Poppy, about the British mental health system, and I feel like I was picking up what the book was putting down.

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Tue, 05 May 2015 18:57:16 +0000

In reply to Heather. Oo, I read Welcome to Braggsville recently and felt that exact way about it. I would never ever read it again, but I know I won't forget it. The Devil in Silver wasn't quite as painful a read, for me.

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Tue, 05 May 2015 18:55:54 +0000

In reply to Lisa. Yeah, it's an impressive accomplishment.