This is my second Mark Lages book and I'll be honest, neither of them would have caught my interest in the random playing field of searching for books in general. BUT... having read them by the author's request, or indeed, after getting past the first chapter or two with either book, I can now firmly say that I'm a fan of his writing.

I didn't expect it. I truly didn't. And especially when I learn I'm dealing with a novel about teen suicide, I really out to have squirmed and tried to wiggle out of it... but that's the magic of his writing.

It's warm. Gentle. Empathetic.

We don't jump into the mindset of the suicidal teen except through his poetry, his essays, or some of his actions. We see everything from the PoV of his confused but caring father, who, fortunately or unfortunately, snoops through all his son's things. A grey area? Yeah, of course, but in this case he really does admire his son.

Jacob marches to a different beat. Sees things very differently from most. He's an idealist in a crass, crude world. A sensitive boy unable to deal with the very real negative stuff in this world.

His father is just as lost, but in a different way. This is as much his story as his son's.

All of this could go either way, of course, depending on the writing. Mark Lages holds on to this very gently, leading us up to the critical event with love and care.

Best of all, he doesn't take any easy way out. I admire his courage. ( )

I alternately liked and disliked the father until I realized that my parenting skills were similar. Mistakes were made but there was love, always love. There were two mantras in this book; one applicable to drinking or to any addiction and the other to living. I will keep this book on a shelf to reread certain sections when my demons need settling down. ( )

I just liked this novel, the witty jokes, and the lives of the fictional characters. The heartbreak of the number two cause of death in young people, I was gravely concern with Jacob Harper' dark poems that had been a cry for help that neither parents figured out, and his dad taking him to Mexico so that he could see for himself of how the poor people lived, and once he was the dad he took Jacob to see it too. But it had been years since he witnessed the horrible place and his taking Jacob there ending badly. Arcadia is a wake up call to every parent! ( )

Unsettling, but ultimately rewarding, "Arcadia", from author Mark Lages, explores a subject which terrifies many modern families today: teen depression and suicide. Stan Harper is devastated by his son Jacob's suicide attempt, and he is desperate to understand and help his son. Most importantly, he must prevent another suicide attempt--the next one may be successful Jacob has always been a dreamer and a thinker--always in search of his idyllic "Arcadia". Through the author's skilled character development and careful world building, we get to know Jacob and his family and to see how small interactions can lead to larger consequences. It's very important to address painful concerns before they become major issues. I come from a conservative, old-fashioned family where personal matters, especially something with the stigma of a mental health need, were never discussed. Endured. Never discussed. Back in the day, depression was called "melancholy". Unfortunately, I have lost both family and friends to suicide. My oldest friend (from first grade on)--also my childhood sweetheart--died when he was thirty-seven. He was much-loved, very talented, and supremely self-destructive. He ripped a big hole in all of us when he died. What author Mark Lages has done with his beautiful book, "Arcadia", is to show that, yes, Life is "warts and all", but you never give up--if you do, you'll never know what you missed. You never give up on someone you love. You never give up on yourself.

Book Copy Gratis Author ( )