Pieces of Me

PIECES OF ME is a riveting YA suspense/mystery about mental illness. The book begins when Dylan wakes up in a strange boy's bed without any memory of the last three days. Her mother had reported her as missing, but it was another of her blackouts. Intrigued by the boy who did not take advantage of her, she begins a friendship with him while she is on a quest for answers about what is happening to her. With her mother supporting her, she goes to see a neurologist and a new psychologist, but it is her best friend who begins to piece it together and suspect that she may have Dissociative Identity Disorder.

As Dylan begins to look into her illness, she learns that DID was probably caused by trauma when she was young - something so traumatic that she cannot actively remember it. As she begins to try to look into it and figure out what happened, she learns that some of her other identities will go to any lengths to prevent those memories from resurfacing.

What I loved: This is a compulsively readable story with a heady mystery about time lost and then about the trauma that caused Dylan to develop DID. As the story progresses, the reader begins to meet Dylan's other identities and understand the roles that they play in helping her cope with her trauma and anxiety in her life. The author gives some of the research done at the end of the story as well as explain their personal connection with DID that makes it seem as overall carefully portrayed - albeit in a way that makes for a good story.

Themes around mental health, trauma, and identity are strong throughout the story, and I appreciated seeing not only Dylan's experiences with DID but also her path to diagnosis and treatment with therapy, as well as her family's reactions to her diagnosis (not all supportive). While the path would be different for each individual with DID and diagnosis/treatment could vary, it is always helpful for readers to understand the way these paths could evolve, understand the diagnosis and see a mechanism for treatment. While the book gives this a lot of speed and ends on a very hopeful note, the paths and difficulty could vary, and the author does a great job of presenting this to the reader as Dylan talks about her own DID and in the author's note at the end. This was really a big strength of the story.

The relationship with Connor was really fantastic throughout, with a lot of patience and understanding - something we should all value in romance. While their relationship certainly takes a backseat to the diagnosis and treatment, it was a really lovely addition to the story, showing the strength that support can bring from friends and partners during times of stress and challenges. They were easy to cheer for together, and it was just a really great addition to the story that certainly added something more.

Relationship dynamics, with other friends (eg, Izzy) and her twin brother, were also interesting throughout the story. Izzy is one of the first to piece it together, and given the author's personal connection to the story, it seems that this was a personal addition. Izzy has some fumbles, but it is always great to see a strong friendship that gives forgiveness as needed as well as support. Her relationship with her brother is complicated by his feelings and misunderstandings, as he holds a lot of anger towards her and her challenges with mental health in the past. While he does ultimately come from a place of love, he also represents the challenges that a diagnosis can face from loved ones, and the stigma it can carry. His inclusion was important for this reason, giving a more wholistic view of mental illness and the reactions people with mental illness (not just DID) face.

Final verdict: Overall, PIECES OF ME was a compelling and intriguing YA suspense/mystery about mental illness.