Picked By
K.E. grade 10
Media Type
Teen Reviews - Books
(Trigger/content warnings for depression, suicide attempt, suicide thoughts, panic attacks, loss of a loved one, grief, loss, and sexual assault.)
How it Feels to Float by Helena Fox - The biggest topic in How it Feels to Float is mental health, but there is much more added to it. The main character, Elizabeth who also goes by Biz for short, struggles with love, lack of understanding, and a lot of despair. Biz can see her dad (as if he was a ghost) who died when she was a young girl. She is the only one who can see her dad. She sees him everywhere, on the edge of her bed, in the living room, walking with her, and in other places she steps through. He can't help her, but he talks to her reminding her of special and little moments they shared when she was younger, but every time Biz tries to speak to him, he vanishes, leaving her alone. Biz is a 16-year-old high school student trying to navigate the difficult world of friends and discovering her sexuality. She does well until one night on the beach which sends her entire life into a mess. After that night, she has to struggle to put the pieces of herself, as well as her father’s past, back together again. This novel gives hope and a voice to the hopeless and the voiceless, the people who feel isolated and unsafe. This is not an easy read. It's full of anguish, despair, and lots of emotion. Yet it was also filled with sparks of healing, love, and hope. Although Biz struggled with plenty of mental, emotional, and physical problems, she did find the support and love that she needed.