Made You Up by Francesca Zappia | Book Review #48

‘Reality, it turns out, is often not what you perceive it to be–sometimes, there really is someone out to get you. Made You Up tells the story of Alex, a high school senior unable to tell the different between real life and delusion. This is a compelling and provoking literary debut that will appeal to fans of Wes Anderson, Silver Linings Playbook, and Liar.

Alex fights a daily battle to figure out the difference between reality and delusion. Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8-Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her Schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college. She’s pretty optimistic about her chances until classes begin, and she runs into Miles. Didn’t she imagine him? Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers. But Alex is used to being crazy. She’s not prepared for normal.’

Ok, honestly? This book broke me. Made You Up starts with a memory that Alex has. This memory proves to be important later on.

There are so many great parts to this book. AKA, all of it. I love this book. Which is surprising, because I didn’t think that I would. There are so many emotions in this book, and I love how Zappia portrayed these characters.

There are so many things that I want to talk about, but I can’t because I’d spoil the book! If you have read Made You Up, didn’t your heart break into a million tiny pieces once you found out?! I feel like I died.

I love Alex’s character. I love Alex all together. She’s honestly a great character, who yes, has her problems. I’d say that Alex reacted to some of the things in a really healthy way, in her own right. And among other things, I feel like she’s just another normal teenager. She’s funny, and there are so many moments she’s had with Miles that I laughed and giggled a lot.

And Miles, what an unexpected character. I am so happy that the two of them have each other now. Oh, and that ending! Another happy ending. I must have chosen what to read really well, because this was the second happy ending in a row that I’ve gotten. I can only speculate (and hope) who “they” are in the ending.

Made You Up took so many unexpected turns! I love how this book turned out though. And Zappia, I feel, has brought an iffy theme to the table, so to speak. Schizophrenia isn’t really talked about these days, and when it is talked about, the people who talk about it degrade the people who have it.

Do those people even know what it’s like to have delusions?? I know that I’m not able to speak up for the people who do have Schizophrenia, but I do know what it’s like to have memories and episodes where you believe something is so real, and find out that it wasn’t. To have that ripped out form under you, and then yo feel like you’re falling into a never ending pit.

While this book has a serious undertone, aka, Alex’s schizophrenia, Zappia manages to keep this book lighthearted and about two teenagers who fall in-love with each other.

If you’d like to see more about this book, here’s a link to Made You Up on GoodReads.

Thanks for reading! Have you read this book at all? If you have, what’d you think of the story?

Until next time,
Adele