Many thanks to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for gifting me a digital ARC of this nonfiction book by Daniel Wallace, and allowing me to participate in the blog tour prior to its publication - 4.5 stars rounded up!
Daniel Wallace (author of Big Fish) grew up idolizing William Neely, his older sister Holly's boyfriend. William was everything more that Daniel wanted to be - fearless, a writer, an adventurer, a seeker, a helper. When William died by suicide at the age of 48, he broke many hearts, including David's. Years later, Daniel goes against his conscience to try and discover more about his idol.
This is an unflinching memoir that reads like fiction, with the added touch of William's own illustrations. It's honest, real, and shows the interior struggle that we all feel, but those with mental illness even more so. Having lost someone to suicide and left to answer questions alone, I can't help but feel alternately envious that Daniel got to peek behind the curtain of William's mind and also grateful that I didn't have to have all those feelings laid out when it was too late. We all hide so much behind our outside veneer, so this is a reminder to treat everyone a little more gently.
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