Spyros Batzios's Reviews > Shy

If you have never been a troubled teenager this book is your opportunity to see how it feels to be inside the head of one. “Shy” by Max Porter unfolds in a single night and describes a few hours of Shy’s life while he escapes from “Last Chance School”, a home for disturbed young men. This is the first Max Porter book I read and I found the protagonist’s mental wanderings and turmoil of thoughts really interesting. The writing, between poetry and prose, is quite experimental (probably passed beyond the point of literary experimentation for me) and in a way became incomprehensible and chaotic. Felt like a dream where many things don’t make sense and gave the feeling that things are beyond control, that there is not enough air to breathe, that you want to scream but your voice doesn’t come out; and after finishing the book I wasn’t sure if this was a good or a bad thing. In between the chaos though, I felt the humanity and hopelessness of the protagonist, and that was for sure a good thing.

This is a book about boyhood with all its complications and troubles. About rage, violence, substance abuse, mental health issues and risky behaviors. About the pressure we all felt when we were teenagers related to what people thought of us, the burden of the society that wants you to be fixed, the worries of parents that chronically misunderstood you. It is a book about feeling shame, guilt and exhaustion to be you. About wishing to never have been born, wanting to die and trying to escape from yourself. About all the things you felt sorry for or all the times you lost control. About the rucksack of experiences we all carry, which sometimes can be shockingly heavy. It is also a book about memories, life saving warm memories that can keep you standing and walking. About the voices of the people around that care and try to help. About how love is the only thing that can truly save us.


Why should you read “Shy”:

Because you will realize how important it is to recognise any warning signs of mental disorder and be aware of what you are feeling and how it’s affecting what you’re doing.
Because you will understand that sometimes life can feel like too much pressure, and stress you in a way you will feel you can’t deal with it.
Because you will justify feeling ashamed and embarrassed when little things get so big inside your head.
Because it will hopefully make you stop feeling upset and angry with yourself when things don’t work out exactly like you want.
Because you will feel how love can make you want to stay around forever.


Favorite quotes:

“It’s a multi-season job, knowing yourself. You’re still in the spring”