Zig-Zag Boy

Madness, Motherhood and Letting Go

Tanya Frank author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:HarperCollins Publishers

Published:2nd Mar '23

Should be back in stock very soon

This hardback is available in another edition too:

Zig-Zag Boy cover

In Zig-Zag Boy, Tanya navigates the complexities of love and mental health as she confronts her partner Zach's psychotic break.

In Zig-Zag Boy, the narrative unfolds through the eyes of Tanya, who grapples with the profound changes in her partner Zach as he experiences a psychotic break. At just nineteen, Zach's world spirals into chaos as he becomes convinced that his phone is bugged and that he cannot trust anyone, including Tanya. This moment marks the beginning of an emotional journey that leaves both characters feeling isolated and adrift in a reality that feels increasingly threatening and surreal.

As Tanya navigates this challenging landscape, she confronts the complexities of love intertwined with mental health. Her efforts to seek help for Zach expose her to the inadequacies of the healthcare systems in both the UK and the US. She wrestles with feelings of guilt and confusion, questioning if there were signs she overlooked and what the future holds for Zach. The narrative captures the raw emotions of love, fear, and the desperate search for understanding amidst the chaos.

Zig-Zag Boy is not just a story about mental illness; it is a poignant exploration of the bonds that hold us together in the face of adversity. Through Tanya's journey, readers are invited to reflect on the meaning of normalcy and the resilience required to love someone who is struggling. This beautifully written tale resonates with anyone who has faced the challenges of caring for a loved one in crisis.

‘By turns an eloquent meditation on the power of nature and a terrifying expose … [an] intense, readable journey … fresh with keenly observed details … What Zig-Zag Boy does best is put you inside the dark recesses of living with a mentally ill adult child, an experience that is on the rise … hopefully it will inspire the most important quality of all among providers, police officers and the public: empathy’
Beth Macy, New York Times

‘A moving portrait of a mother's love for her son. It is also a fiercely intelligent, humane and necessary contribution to mental health literature’
Nathan Filer, author of The Shock of the Fall

'At its heart a story about love; the lengths a mother will go to in a bid to understand her child … Rendered in prose that rings clear and true, Zig-Zag Boy announces an astonishing new voice'
Ali Millar, author of The Last Days

‘Takes us to the heart of loving and parenting a child in the most intensive and often heartbreaking way. Marked by wonderful storytelling, a wry sense of humour and a determination to tell the truth no matter what, you will get lost in this story. And be the better for it’
Emily Rapp, author of The Still Point of the Turning World

‘Starts by chronicling a mother’s nightmare as her promising son falls into psychosis, but ends up being far more than the story of what happens when we fear for the life of someone we love. A searing indictment of the medical industrial complex across continents’
Gina Frangello, author of Blow Your House Down

‘A wonder. I loved this book and loved the family at the heart of it … This is a beautiful book’
Mark Lukach, My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward

‘In unforgettable imagery and nuanced prose, Tanya Frank gives us an incredible journey’
Susan Straight

‘A beautiful, vibrant, powerful memoir about both holding tight and letting go’
Gayle Brandeis

ISBN: 9780008382841

Dimensions: 222mm x 141mm x 23mm

Weight: 340g

224 pages