Damn this book was sad. Martha has spent her whole life trying to understand her erratic and sometimes violent behavior. She slowly slides into depression and neglects the relationships most important to her. Near the end of the book, she finally receives a diagnosis and medication that allows her to be well and begin to repair the damage her behavior has caused. "Sorrow and Bliss" succeeds in depicting the agonizing process of seeking medical help for a mental health issue, and how a lack of diagnosis can compound over the years. The prose is good, and the cast of characters memorable. However, I found myself largely bored and uninterested

Meg Mason explores mental illness and the complexity of family in ways that swing from painfully bleak to refreshingly hopeful. Martha is a complicated protagonist — difficult, compelling, cold, and hilarious. As an avid reader of contemporary romance and overwhelming lighthearted books, literary fiction often leaves me feeling quite somber. While this book is definitely contemplative (would make a great book club pick that easily lends itself to important conversations), I think the word that best fits Sorrow and Bliss is brilliant. For fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Fleabag, and maybe even My Year of Rest and Relaxation.

Sorrow and Bliss is sometimes a hard read, but one that spoke to me.

Martha grew up in an unconventional home. Her mother is a minor sculptor, her father a failed poet, and she and her sister Ingrid have attended their parties since they were young. Martha is married to Patrick, who was the friend of her cousin, so she has known him since she was in high school. But Martha also has some major mental health issues that make her deeply depressed at times, easy to fly off the handle, and hard to live with. Patrick eventually leaves her on her 40th birthday because he can't stay any longer. She moves back in with her parents, and tries to figure out where her life is going and where it went wrong.

The book jumps forward and backward in time to fill in the stories of Martha, Ingrid, their parents, their aunt, uncle and cousins, and Patrick. Martha's mental illness is always part of the story, and it is an uncompromising view of what depression and anxiety and other mental disorders can do to a life, even if you're seeking treatment and taking medication. Mental disorders affect around 1 in 5 adults in the U.S., so many people either have one or know someone who does.

I would label this as a hard read, because it is sometimes hard to find compassion and understanding when Martha intentionally self-destructs. But there also are moments when you see her humanity and want to give her a big hug and tell her it will be alright. The other characters are unflinchingly real, and you'll want them all to have their happy endings.

Exactly the bright, escapist read I needed during this dark, strange time. An absolute treat - reminded me of Where'd You Go, Bernadette in the best ways.

I wanted to like this book, but ultimately, I didn't finish it. The character, her thoughts and experiences, are very real. However, the novel moves at a very slow pace. I could never really get into the pace of the book. This is going to be some reader's cup of tea, just not mine.

Sorrow and Bliss was a tough one to read. Martha is miserable and now that her husband who both figuratively and literally picked up the pieces for her has moved out, she must begin to decipher how to do it for herself.

It took almost ¾ of the book for me to really begin to connect with the main character who has an improperly diagnosed mental illness. Because we know her varying diagnosis and treatments haven’t been effective, it is incredibly hard to know how to relate to and expect personal responsibility from the character. I found this to put extreme distance between the character and the reader, but due to personal experience with a family member, I know this to be true in real and similar circumstances. I found the author's ability to translate this experience to the reader to be extremely compelling.

This story was a heart wrenching, but ultimately heart healing and sheds much needed light on mental illness, the isolation it creates, and the necessity of proper diagnosis, treatment, and support for all affected.

I’m so thrilled this was my first book of 2021!
This novel is very character-driven, so the oversimplified summary is that the story follows the internal journey of Martha as she navigates life with a mental illness.
But, it’s also a love story at its core.

Sorrow and Bliss was heartbreaking and funny, unflinching in its examination of Martha and her relationships with everyone in her life.

The narrative is beautiful and because it’s told in a non-traditional format (no chapters), I found it impossible to put down and kept turning the page.

I highly recommend for everyone, but especially if you or someone you love suffers from mental illness, this story might resonate for you on another level.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins Publishing for sending me the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

CW: mental illness, severe depression

This book is about Martha and her life with a mental illness; how it affects her and her relationships from the time she first felt sick in her teens through present day when she is 41.

I feel like I have been on a roller coaster of emotions with this book. It took me over a week to read it for a variety of reasons (i.e. life responsibilities, disinterest, the heaviness of it all). At the start of the book, I hated it. I was already complaining. It was stream of consciousness similar to Lorelei Gilmore but in an unfunny and not amusing way - it was seemingly beyond random. I searched for other reviews of the book and noted that people seemed to enjoy it and so I powered through. I can officially say that I’m glad I did as I did ultimately end up liking the book.

Following Martha through her journey from first realizing there is something wrong with her to her diagnosis and treatment was exhausting - but not in a bad way. You feel like you are right along side her and experiencing her frustrations with herself and her loved ones. And trust me, you get very frustrated with her. As the reader, you see Martha take two steps forward and one step back time and time again.

This book is a heavy read due to the intense focus on mental illness and the severe depression detailed throughout the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who is trying to better understand mental illness and its affect on relationships. I also recommend this book if you like character-driven novels.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the advanced readers copy. This book is out February 9th, and is available for preorder now!

Quirky and heartfelt, this is an excellent glimpse into living with mental illness. A recommended first purchase for collections where WF is popular.

This is a tender novel with quirky characters that are sensitive, relatable, and darkly comical. It's a balance between heartwarming and heartwrenching.

A heartbreaking and heartwarming story about love, family, and mental illness. Well written with intriguing characters, this book is a must read in these challenging times.

I received this book from Netgalley after I requested it based on the recommendation of many influential individuals in the book industry. This novel tells the story of Martha from childhood into her 40s as she lives life with mental illness. I had high expectations for this book and while I underlined a few beautifully written passages that spoke such truth, much of it I found a bit boring. That said, we need more books that draw attention to mental illness so I'm glad this book will be published soon and I think most other people would enjoy it more than I did.

This book didn't really do it for me, which is not the author's problem. I just didn't connect to the story personally, but I do think it'll find its readership in our library, so we are ordering a copy or two. Thank you for the chance to read early.

This book is difficult for me to review because it was difficult to for me to read. Martha suffers from an unnamed mental condition. For many, many years she goes undiagnosed/misdiagnosed. When she finally finds out what she has, the reader isn't let in on it. I found this plot point very frustrating. A very raw look at someone with mental illness and how it impacts their life and the lives of those closest to them.

Eh. I kept waiting for the book to get funnier, along the lines of Marian Keyes.
Still, the book is well written.

What a tough topic. Mental illness. Even with this dark theme and in the middle of a pandemic I devoured this. It hits so close to home. It bothered me at first that the author didn’t spell out what the exact diagnosis is for Martha, but eventually I understood that it wasn’t meant to be the focus of the story, to be compared with anyone else’s experiences. What a roller coaster life! And so many stupid doctors who have no idea. But for her to find her answers was priceless. A really good story!

This is a raw, heavy, depressing read. Be prepared and warned to be in a proper mindset before setting down with this. Written from Martha’s point a view, we see the world through her eyes as one living with a diagnosed, yet unnamed mental illness. I found it unsatisfying for her illness to be unnamed but rather simply have a - in its place. While the author states that it is a fictional illness, I suspect it was done purposely, I found the - to be highlighting that as a society we have a tendency to snub the idea of a mental illness being a true health condition. Instead of trying to shatter the stigma, I thought the absence instead just furthers encourages us to keep it hidden as if it is to be ashamed of.
At times, I thought the writing to be disconnected, and I wanted a bit more into the life of Martha and Ingrid’s mom. I did not like Martha; I was angry at her and despite knowing there was this illness, I was convinced she was actually and truly happy being miserable. Being truthful, the book is overwhelmingly dark and sorrowful with only snippets of bliss and occasional quips of British dry humor, I contemplated at several points shelving this as it was just so incredibly depressing, and only trudged on because I was concerned for Martha’s family and how they dealt with her illness.

Book Review for Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason
Full review for this title can be found at: @fyebooks on Instagram!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason.

Martha is constantly at odds with herself. After a disastrously failed marriage, she reconnects with a childhood friend, Patrick, who she is now married to. But Martha can't seem to ever get into step with most of her relationships and begins to sabotage her relationship with Patrick too. But Martha discovers that she has a diagnosis that has inhibited her from behaving in a way that is healthy and normal, and perhaps with help, she can begin to heal.

This was a different kind of book that I really enjoyed. It's got a nice slow tempo, but with a simmering tension underneath. I think anyone who has ever been in love, or in a long term relationship can relate to it. Why are we most attracted to qualities that will drive us the most crazy later on? Why do we push away the people that love us most? Why can't we be happy with what is right in front of us?

I enjoyed being asked those questions through this story, and I appreciated being allowed to hope when it ended.

"Sorrow and Bliss" by Meg Mason is a very unflinching and honest portrayal of mental illness. Our main protagonist, Martha has been suffering from mental illness since she was 17, she is 40 as the story opens. Martha lives in London, is married to a doctor, Patrick, a former family friend. We get to see Martha's descent into depression and despair. All the ways it effects her well-being, job performance, relationship with her extended family. I feel like the author did an excellent job making you feel sorry for Martha in the beginning, and then feeling frustration for her towards the middle, and empathy near the novel's conclusion. My biggest gripe though is the author never specifies Martha's diagnosis. I felt a little irritated by that. Obviously it's intentional on the author's part, ultimately she wants to decide for ourselves what we think Martha is really suffering from, but I found this tactic extremely manipulating and patronizing.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. Martha came across like a multi-faceted person. It was eye-opening to witness all her denials, resentment, anger, insecurity, resilience, and lack self-awareness come to light. The character development was strong and deliberate. I really felt for Patrick. He was the most sympathetic character. We get a glimpse of what it's like for Patrick to be on the receiving end of Martha's meltdowns and temper-tantrums. Mental illness affects everyone; spouse, family, friends, etc. Just look at the cover art. IT. IS. SPECTACULAR. Really sets a mood.

Thank you, Netgalley and Harper for the digital ARC.

Release date: February 9, 2021