*I received a free copy of this ebook, with thanks to the author. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Blurb: Gosling Wakefield is a reclusive, tormented soul haunted by the shades of his past. Self exiled in his home, his mental state is scarred and diminishing.
His only chance of redemption is the challenge he must make into his inner recess. Only there will he find his resolve.
Lucid, surreal and present in solid obscurity, his search for peace begins in his mind home
“Go further. Find Thalamus”
Mind Home is an allegorical tale of mental illness and the journey to self-healing.
Gosling, the main character, is locked inside his home due to a combination of mental illness, substance addiction and despair. Sinking into further depression and alcoholism, he isolates himself from anyone and everyone and loses any purpose in life or hope for a future.
Until a mysterious voice reaches out to him to ‘Find Thalamus’, and he begins a quest of self-discovery akin to Alice’s journey through the Looking Glass, or Christian’s Progress.
By confronting his inner demons and temptations, can Gosling break through his mind’s walls and step outside his home and into a brighter life?
Joel Ross Whitehead’s exploration of the inner mindset of someone suffering from multiple mental conditions is fascinating and authentic; the reader really gets a sense of the confusion and despair that Gosling is battling against at every turn. The plot and character/s are compelling and take the reader through Gosling’s ‘mind journey’ with visitations from experiences and loved ones that reminded me of a Mitch Albom novel or A Christmas Carol.
I found it a little difficult to fully immerse myself in Gosling’s world at times, partly because of the darkness and chaotic disorder of his thought processes, but also because some sections of the book feel somewhat overwritten and repetitive – problems that could easily be resolved with further editing, to tighten the description and dialogue.
With the past stigma surrounding mental health and wellbeing, the subjects covered in this story are incredibly important and Gosling’s experiences here can help to guide readers towards greater understanding of and sympathy towards those who are facing these difficult realities. And for anyone suffering similar struggles, Gosling’s story shows that you are not alone and that there is always hope, even if it is buried deep in your own ‘mind home’.
The surreal dream with eroding decay and, the asphyxiating grey mist falling virgin-like upon Papillion Way.
The shadowy shade intruding his home, with those evil pulsing eyes.
The young man’s voice familiar but like a forgotten birthday, offering gifts to a reclusive mortgage.
It perplexed him so. Yet he felt that shackle loosen from his neck as ponderous thoughts washed his point of reference.
He just wanted to forget and ignore it all and run and hide and lock himself somewhere unseen in the house. Out of reach from these crazy demands, voices, walls, shades and macabre tormenting his every breath, maybe this Thalamus was a safe place after all.
Although the pessimistic views made sense to hand ignorance its due, he felt a proactive drive igniting his bones. Strange happenings spawn regular curiosity.
So, he repeated the words over in his head.Go further.
Find Thalamus.– Joel Ross Whitehead, Mind Home
You can follow Joel Ross Whitehead on Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads.
Mind Home is available on Amazon right now.
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