Me, Myself and Them: Review

"Struggling to cope with a tragic loss, Denis Murphy has learned to live a bit differently. Both his friends are used to it - the only problem is his monstrous housemates.

When his enigmatic ex-girlfriend comes back into his life, she threatens to shatter the finely crafted world around him.

As Denis begins to re-emerge from his sheltered existence and rediscover the person he used to be, things turn nasty, and he is forced to confront the demons that share not only his house, but also his head."

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After reading the first chapter or so, I was intrigued by Denis but a bit reluctant to fully engage with the story as I found the concept of living with a hairball, a clown, a zombie professor and a feminine feline a bit of a stretch. But then I understood, and was completely on-board with where the book was going.

Denis went through a traumatic experience six years ago and subsequently suffered with mental illness, which he learned to cope with by enforcing extreme control on his life. His routine, planned to the minute, helps to keep Denis's life in order - also helped by his four housemates, of course. Denis plans to see his two friends every Saturday afternoon for exactly 120 minutes, the three of them together being the only time he will tolerate odd numbers; during one of these meetings he spots Rebecca, an ex-girlfriend who has been living in Australia for the last six years. Slowly the order Denis had so carefully put in place begins to unravel - much to the dismay of his housemates.

Me, Myself and Them handles mental illness expertly. The reader gets a clear insight into Denis' thought process and his desperation in not allowing his housemates and their mess to be seen, leading to all sorts of chaos. Denis's mind is split between what he wants, and what he thinks he needs; and the change in dynamic between Denis and his housemates through the book is a terrifying reflection of this. It's also clear to see the impact the carefully constructed life has had on his friends and family, and although Denis can see this too, he struggles to break through until the end of the book when he finally recognises that something needs to change.

This book was a rollercoaster of emotions. Definitely worth a read.

Rating: 4.5/5