Caden Bosch is on a ship that’s headed for the deepest point on Earth: Challenger Deep, the southern part of the Marianas Trench.
Caden Bosch is a brilliant high school student whose friends are starting to notice his odd behaviour.
Caden Bosch is designated the ship’s artist in residence to document the journey with images.
Caden Bosch pretends to join the school track team but spends his days walking for miles, absorbed by the thoughts in his head.
Caden Bosch is split between his allegiance to the captain and the allure of mutiny.
Caden Bosch is torn.
I have a complicated relationship with Neal Shusterman. I really enjoyed Scythe but I didn’t much enjoy Unwind. I never really planned to read this book because it just didn’t sound like something I’d be interested in — I try to avoid sad books whenever I can — but I needed a book with the word “challenge” in the title for my Popsugar Reading Challenge, and, well… here we are.
First things first, this book is sad. It’s about a teenage boy deep in the throes of mental illness, and it’s just heartbreaking. I want to mention here that there are some books about mental illness that I’ve really appreciated. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine comes to mind right away, and so does Turtles All the Way Down. There are also some books about mental illness that I have despised, like All the Bright Places. Because, the thing is, mental illness isn’t something to glamorize. It’s not a cute quirk. It’s not something to be flippant about in a book. Luckily, Shusterman treats Caden’s story with the respect that it deserves.
I’m not going to say that I enjoyed reading this book, because I didn’t. It was hard to listen to. It’s confusing at the beginning, but it’s supposed to be confusing. Caden has trouble distinguishing between reality and his delusions, so we’ll be in his real life for a minute before we abruptly transition to him being on a ship in the middle of the ocean. It’s disconcerting, but again, it’s supposed to be. The book is very, very well-written, but it’s confusing and difficult to read.
There is a bright spot in all of this though, and that’s how supportive Caden’s family is of him. His little sister in particular handled everything so well.
It’s hard for me to say whether or not I’d recommend this book. I think if you’re interested in a really character-driven story about a teenager with schizophrenia, it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try. If you like your stories with a bit more action and with more of a clear plot, maybe skip it.
#ps19: a book with “pop,” “sugar,” or “challenge” in the title
#mm19: seasons, elements, and weather
Have you read Challenger Deep? Can you recommend any YA about mental illness?
Let’s talk in the comments!
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The Bibliophagist 
Sounds like a tough read. Great review.
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It really was, and thank you!
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Based on the synopsis, it is not something I would read. The synopsis sounds…. weird. I added it to my TBR after reading your review. I did not know this was a book about mental illness! Mental illness has always fascinated me and for some reason I enjoy reading them if they are done correctly. Laurie Halse Anderson is one of my favorite authors so seeing her on the cover made me want to read this more! One of my favorites is Wintergirls which is about a girl with an eating disorder if you haven’t heard of it 🙂 I’m sorry it wasn’t your kind of book; however, I’m glad it didn’t seem like it was godawful to where you had to DNF it or something 🙂 I hope your next read is way better, hon!
Amber @ Escape Life in the Pages
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Oh, no, definitely not awful! I hope you enjoy it! It’s definitely a great book, just not the kind of book I like to read. And I’ve heard of Wintergirls but I haven’t read it. I’ll have to check it out. 🙂
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I appreciate your honest review. I enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant, and challenger deep sounds like an interesting book. I’ll check out the sample first. Btw, I also enjoyed The Cactus and the kiss quotient, about women with mental issues.
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I hope you enjoy Challenger Deep! The Kiss Quotient was one of my favorite reads from last year. I’ll have to check out The Cactus!
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I read the first few pages when I picked it up a few months ago and I do remember feeling really confused. I’m saving this one for a time when I’m in the mood for a “sad” read lol nice to hear your thoughts on it though! Great review 🙂
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Thank you! And that’s a good idea! I might have liked it better if I’d been in the mood for a sad book.
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