Review: The Form of Things Unknown by Robin Bridges

Honest, nuanced, and bittersweet, The Form of Things Unknown explores the shadows that haunt even the truest hearts…and the sparks that set them free.

Natalie Roman isn’t much for the spotlight. But performing A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a stately old theatre in Savannah, Georgia, beats sitting alone replaying mistakes made in Athens. Fairy queens and magic on stage, maybe a few scary stories backstage. And no one in the cast knows her backstory.

Except for Lucas—he was in the psych ward, too. He won’t even meet her eye. But Nat doesn’t need him. She’s making friends with girls, girls who like horror movies and Ouija boards, who can hide their liquor in Coke bottles and laugh at the theater’s ghosts. Natalie can keep up. She can adapt. And if she skips her meds once or twice so they don’t interfere with her partying, it won’t be a problem. She just needs to keep her wits about her.

Paperback, 304 pages

Expected publication: August 30th 2016 by Kensington

Terri's Thoughts

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  The expected publication date is August 30th, 2016.

In today's world it is hard enough just being a teenage girl.  Pile on top of that mental health issues in your family, the possibility of your own mental health issues and trying to keep it all a secret while trying to make friends and fitting in in a new city.  This is where Natalie's journey begins.

Written for the YA audience, this storyline sticks mainly to topics that those in that genre can identify with.  For the most part clean, it does tell of things that teenagers can get involved in.  What makes this story interesting is the fact that Natalie is attempting to fit in by doing all sorts of things that could compromise her health due to her medication and as a results start to doubts what is real and what isn't.

While an extreme example, it does highlight the inner battle that goes through every teenage girl as they try to navigate the waters of social acceptance and inner acceptance.  Trust me I know, I was a teenage girl once!

Altogether an entertaining read that I think will be a hit with the YA crowd.  Also, at the end of this story is a blurb for Bridge's other novel Dreaming of Antigone which I have also read.  They seem to be loosely linked however I never made a connection so these stories are easily stand alones.  Having enjoyed both, I will be keeping an eye out for her other work.

About the Author

By day, Robin Bridges is a mild mannered writer of young adult fiction. By night, she is a pediatric nurse, poking small children with needles for a living. She lives on the Gulf Coast with her family and an ever-growing menagerie of cats, dogs, tropical fish, and parrots. But alas, she still does not have a unicorn.

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