A groundbreaking novel exploring the intersection between race class and mental health in the UKA strong and humane work of fiction Jackie KayThat is the glory of being a mental patient Nothing is impossibleIt is the 1990s and Gloria is living in a London psychiatric ward She is unapologetically loud audacious and eternally on the brink of bursting into song After several months of uninterrupted routine she is joined by another young black woman Merle who is full of silences and fearUnable to confide in their doctors they agree to journal their pasts Whispered into tape recorders and scrawled ferociously at night the remarkable stories of their lives are revealedIn this tender deeplymoving depiction of mental health Roy creates a striking portrait of two women finding strength in their shared vulnerability as they navigate a system that fails to protect them Lifeaffirming and fearlessly hopeful this is an unforgettable storyThis is a novel of daring enjoyable surprising and original Bernardine EvaristoA striking commentary ScotsmanA strong humorous and moving piece of fiction such is the life injected into the characters that by the end of the novel there remains that reluctance to part with people you have come to love Calabash A joy Pride Unflinchingly told harrowing but also shockingly funny Big Issue
