1) The novel begins with an extended description of the narrator/protagonist in pain. There isn’t much action going on, at least not until we read about the trach, but the author clearly wanted to begin with a powerful and scary representation of how the protagonist is harming herself. Ms. Souder wisely keeps the little chapter very short, so as not to blunt the effect of describing pain for a few paragraphs.
2) I love that Grace asks herself a lot of questions in addition to telling herself unhealthy things. That’s the whole point, isn’t it? Someone who is in need of mental health care has a civil war happening in his or her head.
3) Ordinarily, I would worry that there are too many instances of the word “I” in the prose. The frequent use of the word is appropriate, however, as it fits the mindset of the protagonist. Grace is very much immersed in herself and her problems and how people perceive her.
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