We Are All So Good at Smiling

“Beautiful, Powerful, All-Encompassing” this story is a profound and impactful piece that delves into the depths of sorrow and despair experienced by individuals grappling with depression. The author’s exquisite prose skillfully weaves together a narrative that transports readers on a journey through the emotional turmoil of this condition. The poem vividly portrays the internal struggles faced by those battling depression while navigating the challenges of the external world. It skillfully names and describes various feelings and experiences that resonate with a wide audience, transcending time and space. By untangling the memories that have been burdened by the desire to forget and breathing life into the trauma that has left them breathless, the author offers a glimmer of hope and resilience. The poem concludes with a poignant message of encouragement, reminding readers that they can breathe again and find solace in the face of adversity. It serves as an ode to clinical depression, honoring the countless individuals who have fought and won battles against this formidable challenge.

Metaphorically beautiful verse! Two depressed teens, Whimsy and Faerry, meet at a mental hospital and then become neighbors and attend high school together. They’re both suffering from depression and memory loss from when they were young children. They’re not sure what they’re not remembering but it’s bothering both of them to the point of despair. They become friends that want to help each other and understand each other’s problems. They need each other to process the trauma they’ve been through and to help the lost information resurface. Likes/dislikes: The writing is metaphorical and beautiful. I was intrigued by the mystery surrounding the story. I like Whimsy and Faerry, the two main characters. Language: G for no swears and no f-bombs. Mature Content: PG for suicidal thoughts (nondescriptive) and clinical depression. Violence: PG for talk of cutting, undescribed. Ethnicity: The two main characters are black and they attend a predominantly white school.

"I keep trying to talk but no sounds come out, voiceless drowning in a sea of purple snapdragons." As the parent of a child who suffers from anxiety, depression, and PTSD, I would like to say thank you to Ms. McBride for giving my daughter a voice. Of course Ursula holds hers captive; she is 12 years old and was (is) so articulate, but how can anyone explain the pain and sadness associated with clinical depression, especially a child? This book is perfection; it resonates with me on so many levels. For those who see mental illness as a distant planet - uncharted territory that exists but is difficult to understand - Ms. McBride's writing provides a beautiful way to appreciate what life is like for its inhabitants.

I really enjoyed the lesson behind the story of Whimsy & Faerry. Having a book for young adults to access revolving depression is in dire need. As a reader, though, I found the layers of the forest to be too dense and not closely enough related to eachother. It felt a little repetitive at times and as if she was trying to include as many fairy tales as possible into one novel. Reads like poetry rather than narrative text.

I have always been a sucker for fairytales, stories of princes and fairies and magic have enchanted me since before I knew the meaning of the world. However, this is one of few books where I was able to both take joy in escaping to a world that is not my own while still being able to see myself in the characters. It is also one of the few books that seamlessly combined fantasy with reality and conveyed its message better than any other author could have. Read it.

If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would give it all the stars that have ever been created. TW: suicide, death, bullying, hospitalization. We Are All Good at Smiling is a beautifully written novel that not only talks about mental health, but provides a beautiful narrative about overcoming our suffering and writing our own story even when the narrative has already been started. This an unputdownable book that should be on every shelf. Gorgeous imagery, stunning prose, and tough subjects all set upon a background of a fairytale.

Whimsy hasn’t had the easiest childhood, and she’s currently back at the hospital for her clinical depression. While there, she meets a boy named Faerry and comes to realize that they both have magic in their bodies. As they get to know each other and find out that they are new neighbors, they begin to realize that their lives may be more interconnected than they remember. They both fear the forest at the end of their road but learn that it holds the secrets they need to make sense of their lives. This was a fascinating and unique read that I quite enjoyed. It took a little bit to become situated within the story and the author’s writing style, but I enjoyed the lyrical style. The chapters began with tea leaf readings and their meanings, which was a wonderful inclusion. While this work wasn’t plot heavy, it never felt stalled, and the characters made up for the slower plot. I also loved the inclusion of folklore/fairytales from different cultures, as well as how these things were incorporated with Whimsy’s magic and The Forest. The characters were lovely. Faerry and Whimsy are the only two with real page time and so are the only two with any real development. I loved how unique they were – Whimsy had a fixation with making lists, and the way the author incorporated this was perfect. The way their different trauma/mental health struggles were presented and discussed was well done and added meaningful depth to them. This is an imaginative, semi-abstract work of magical realism that explored mental health, trauma, memory, and healing. I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator did an excellent job, but because of that I didn’t realize the work was written in verse like a poem. Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I truly did not know what to expect from this book, but what a whimsical, magical, painful read. This story in verse is achingly beautiful and reflective, and had some of the best embodiments of clinical depression/anxiety that I’ve ever experienced. I borrowed this from the library but I already know I’m going to buy my own copy so I can highlight and scribble and read and re-read. I am so glad I picked this up.