Reviewed by Danelle Petersen for Readers' Favorite

Like Father, Like Son? by Alix Lee is the true story of what happened to a son who refused to conform to his father’s ideas. In the 1970s, racism and homophobia were rife, and children had no rights. Raised by a strict, authoritarian father, it was no different for Alix. He lived under constant stress and fear, which took a turn for the worse when he decided to rebel. With the help of his friend and a crooked psychiatrist, Alix’s father gets him committed to a mental hospital. Here, Alix experiences the cruelty of humans first-hand. Sexual abuse of the patients is common and kept secret by the staff, and homosexuals aren’t treated much better. Monitored like a criminal, all Alix’s escape attempts end in harsh punishment, until he meets the Head Nurse at Denbigh Hospital, Alan Worthington, whose influence plays a monumental role in helping Alix prove his sanity. But his release is bittersweet as his relationship with his father never recovers. This book is Alix’s chance at telling his side of the story. He also hopes that fathers will realize that this type of mindset only sets their children back.

Alix Lee tells a story that is raw and gripping. It’s so sad how patients were treated by those in authority; mental hospitals were a terrible place to be in in the 1970s, and many never even received the care they needed. The statistics are horrific, and the fact that these things were so easily swept under the rug is appalling. I felt for Alix’s brother, too, as he suffered undeserved scorn and resentment for merely wanting to follow his own path. Alix is extremely funny, and I often laughed out loud at his antics, especially the part where his father chased him down the street. Yes, Alix was cheeky, but it doesn’t justify being sent to a mental asylum. Everyone moves at their own pace, and that needs to be respected. Alix has a compelling narrative style, and once I started reading Like Father, Like Son? I couldn’t put it down.