Young Adult Contemporary Romance discussion

This thread is to discuss Challenger Deep, please post spoilers and where you are at in the book. Enjoy!

Starting this one for the reading challenge. It won the National Book Award last year.

Chapter 27 (view spoiler)[There's so much to take in! Some parts are starting to make sense now that I'm a few chapters in. Caden is clearly experiencing some hallucinations and he's having a difficult time discerning between those and reality. I haven't quite pinpointed the identities of the parrot and the captain yet, but some are easier to identify than others (e.g. the navigator, the bartender). It's a tough read; the chapters seem so incohesive but the effect is compelling in that the reading experience really emulates the onset of Caden's mental illness. I'll take a guess here and say, based on what I've read, paranoid schizophrenia? (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 5(view spoiler)[ is he in a mental hospital?!?!?! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Erika wrote: "Chapter 5[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I think so. There are chapters where he recounts his stint in the mental hospital. He goes back and forth between reality and his hallucinations. (hide spoiler)]

Grace wrote: "Erika wrote: "Chapter 5[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

Yea I'm so lost sometimes...does it eventually come together? I'm on Chapter 13

Erika: (view spoiler)[It hasn't yet and I'm on Chapter 35, but it'll start to make more sense soon. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 23(view spoiler)[ I absolutely love that his dad threw up. I totally would of never done that!!(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Grace wrote: "Chapter 27 [spoilers removed]"

It's so much to decifer

Chapter 60 (view spoiler)[It's so frustrating that people around Caden think that he's drinking or on drugs! The parents are starting to notice at least, because his behavior is really spiraling out of control. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 13.....(view spoiler)[.....I dont know if he is i. A mental hospital...but the blurb did mention this was a book about mental health...so I guess I just thought the weird captain and ship stuff was maybe where his kind went when he was unable to focus on the now....you know how some autistic kids get trapped in their heads???? Does that make sense??? (hide spoiler)]

Vega_girl wrote: "Chapter 13.....[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I had to take a break because my mind could not take it!!!!(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 110 (view spoiler)[They're all starting to make sense! Everyone he describes on the ship are the people he meets in the hospital. A few have been revealed through his bouts of lucidity. (hide spoiler)]

Haha, me to. I just finished an awesome book so now I am coming back to this one!

Chapter 137 (view spoiler)[It's interesting to see the contrast between Callie and Hal. One gets better and the other worse. I think that Callie's recovery and subsequent departure only motivates Caden to get better, but his saying goodbye to her is still heartbreaking. (hide spoiler)]

Finished. This book is really worth reading.
(view spoiler)[I loved the last few chapters. Though it ended with a positive outcome for Caden, the book doesn't idealize mental illness. It's confusing and doesn't really go away permanently. It's unpredictable and impacts lives. I especially liked the last couple of paragraphs in which Caden talks about how the Captain will always be waiting and that there's a chance he may go with him again, whether he wants to or not. (hide spoiler)]