Sorrow and Bliss by Meg MasonRead about another title on the list.
An excellent depiction of the impact of mental health on relationships, Sorrow and Bliss blends comedy with heart-wrenching scenes about mental illness that will stick with you long after you’ve finished the novel. Martha, once a writer with a bright future, has come up short in life. Though if you asked her, she couldn’t begin to tell you when or how everything went sideways. On paper, she has (or had) it all. For one, there’s her husband Patrick, who she’s loved since she was a girl, a loyal sister, and an aunt who fiercely supports her. Somehow, she’s ruined everything.
It may be due to the random mood swings that can override everything else, causing her to push away everyone she loves, cannibalize her career, and mirror the chaos she experienced in childhood. To understand her outbursts, Martha revisits key moments of her upbringing to understand and address her behavior, hopefully before it’s too late. This book has a host of trigger warnings, from alcohol abuse to mental health issues, so be sure to give it a quick skim before diving in if you’re unsure if it’s right for you.
Sorrow and Bliss is among Justine Sullivan's ten top novels with heroines who are hot messes, Claire Alexander's five books to read when you’re lonely, Jane Shemilt's five books tracing the portrayal of mental disorders in literature, and Alyssa Vaughn's [February 2021] 42 books to help you get through the rest of quarantine.
The Page 69 Test: Sorrow and Bliss.
--Marshal Zeringue
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