Trivial by Alee Lythgoe

Book Blurb

from the eyes of another common nobody, a guide to help you dodge every little terror life sends your way. whether you’re battling depression, anxiety, or any other mental disorder, this guide is for you.

I received this book from the author for the purpose of this review. All comments and opinions are entirely my own.

Review:

Trivial strikes me as a diary of entries written to remind the author of truths and hopes that she has experienced to overcome her depression and anxiety. It’s a collection of thoughts that are meant to guide the reader through similar circumstances that one may find themselves in–inside their own brains.

I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place on determining how I should feel about this book.

On the one hand, it’s very beautifully written and thought provoking. It has an almost philosophical vibe to it as the author uses metaphors to describe feelings and thought processes. Some chapters even felt like poetry to me, so I really cannot deny that it is beautifully written.

On the other hand though, I had a really hard time agreeing with the author’s conclusions at the end of each entry. There were some that I nodded along in agreement and a few that I even related to myself, but unfortunately, with a large majority of them I was sadly shaking my head and wanting to reach through the book to give every person who feels like and agrees with these conclusions a big, big hug and talk to them about Jesus.

The hope and joy of Jesus is truly what is missing in this book. It’s a collection of feelings that sometimes ends with positive encouragement, and sometimes doesn’t. I’m very glad I read this book, personally, so I now understand how to better share the hope of Jesus with girls who are walking with dark clouds of anxiety and hopeless thoughts raining over their heads. It was eye-opening to me and it really helped me understand what I can do to be the light in someone else’s life. But I’m afraid that I cannot recommend this book to my friends and acquaintances as help for depression and anxiety, there are too many aspects of the book that I really don’t agree with.

I give it 2 out of 5 stars.