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Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite
Unlawful DISorder by David Jackson Ambrose is the story of a man named Bowie Long as he battles mental illness and struggles to find himself. Bowie wakes up in a state hospital after attacking his mother. Therapists and doctors all want to help him, and Bowie is desperate to find out why he is the way he is. Fighting with his bipolar disorder day in and day out is tough, but what is hard is fighting the voice inside his head. Being gay and black was just another stigma that Bowie kept with him like a heartbeat. However, things change when Bowie and Eden grow closer. Both men find comfort in each other, and before Bowie knows it, Eden wants Bowie to fight for himself. Eden wants Bowie to be confident and learn to live with his illness and away from the clutches of his mother. All Bowie has to do is believe in himself. Can he?
Unlawful DISorder is an entertaining and heartbreaking tale of survival. Not exactly a happy story, it is indeed a hopeful story, and hope is all we need to fight. Bowie’s character is complex and very intricate. There is hardly a moment in the story when Bowie isn’t struggling or is desperate to make sense of the world. His mother is despicable, and some of the things she does make me sick. Those are the hardest parts to read, but they reflect on what truly happens to people with a mental illness when they don’t have proper support. The pacing is just right, the characters are all well-developed, and the narrative style is perfect. Educational and emotional, this novel had me on the brink of tears at times. The ending is bittersweet yet hopeful at the same time. I loved it!
