"Crazy," by Han Nolan

Fifteen-year-old Jason thinks he might be crazy. Since his mother passed away several years ago, Jason has taken up the responsibility of looking after his mentally unstable father. As he struggles to find justification for his father’s increasing reprehensible actions, Jason wears rags, doesn’t have enough to eat, and begins to fear for his own mental situation. 

Though Jason is virtually invisible at school—an unpopular misfit—he has an audience inside of his head. His mind serves as an alternate universe where he is the star. His imaginary audience members watch his every movement, his every action, and applaud the accomplishments the real world is blind to. They are his friends, his companions. And his father is his family.

Although his father lives inside an imaginary world of Greek mythology, Jason loves his father more than anyone else in the world. He could never imagine entrusting his father to a mental hospital or another person’s care—and this is what they would do if they found out. They means everyone. There is no one Jason can trust.

Formerly isolated inside his own world, Jason is forced to come out of his shell at his mandatory lunchtime counseling sessions. He is thrust into an uncomfortable position of clashing psychological complexes and raw, objectionable truths. Strangely enough, the social circle of nonconformists confide in each other and him. It’s almost like they trust each other . . .

How far does trust go? Jason doesn’t trust anyone to take care of his beloved father. But as his father’s mental condition falls into tatters, Jason finds his own world torn into painful shreds as he struggles to understand his own role in the world. Despite his predicament, Jason remains witty and loyal. Even if you’ve never been in a similar situation, Jason is a very unique character—a personality you’re not likely to forget.

Reviewed by Alice Yanhong-Lu