It’s #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek and we wanted to share a special guest post from bestselling author Andy Darcy Theo on his top five books that offer great representation for mental health awareness.
Andy’s most recent novel, The Shadow That Finds Us, is the third in the TikTok sensation Descent into Darkness series, set in a fantasy world with high stakes and elemental magic, following protagonist Alexis who battles his own personal struggles while trying to save the world.
by Andy Darcy Theo
My debut YA fantasy, The Light That Blinds Us, is a deeply personal story that seeks to authentically and poignantly represent mental health with care and consideration. It pulls on some of the most loved tropes in fantasy, such as the found-family trope, slow-burn romance, and the hero’s journey, while exploring the condition of psychosis, as shown through the main character, Alexis Michaels.
This was inspired by my own family history and also by my time working as a clinical psychology assistant, where I worked closely with patients with schizophrenia, personality disorders, and bipolar, amongst others. Working intimately with patients provided me with a critical insight to help develop my story and write Alexis in a nuanced and powerful way, closely reflecting the real experiences of real people.
Of the utmost importance in my books is to portray Alexis as a whole and complete person, where his mental health doesn’t define him, but neither is this aspect of his character ignored or dismissed either.
Here are some of my favourite YA books that I think address mental health well:
The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
A comfort read of mine when I was a teenager and also now as a 27 year old. Charlie’s story handles complex-PTSD with care, delicacy and love. This coming-of-age tale feels like a warm hug and a reminder that you are more than what happened to you. It’s also one of the first times where I’ve seen mental health considered in detail in young men which is extremely important in helping to reduce the stigma that boys must be stoic and that to feel is something to be ashamed of.
The Definition of Us by Sarah Harris
A criminally underrated gem that deserves so much more hype. Various mental health conditions are explored in a nuanced way between the four main characters who are a mission to find their missing therapist. The story is an uplifting, heartwarming story of self-acceptance, which I think is really refreshing in the YA book space.
Songlight by Moira Buffini
Buffini does an incredible job at intertwining raw human emotion with mental health exploration, while allowing the magical and page-turning plot to take centre stage. This is a great read for those who want to read a complex, action-packed novel with mental health representation carefully threaded through.
The Vulpine by Polly Crosby
A beautiful, dystopian story that features not just mental health representation, but explores society’s stigma and mistreatment of a range of disabilities. We go on an internal and external journey with this one and its message has stuck with me long after finishing the book.
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
For a long time, I struggled to find a YA book that explored grief in a way that was adequately heart-breaking yet also tender. Bree’s journey with her grief was the most poignant element of this Arthurian fantasy tale and has me coming back to see how she gets on in each instalment in the series.
The Descent into Darkness series: The Light That Blinds Us, The Dark That Hides Us and The Shadow That Finds Us by Andy Darcy Theo are all out now.
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The Shadow that Finds Us
Alexis, Blaise, Caeli and Demi return to the Haven, carrying scars both on the surface and beneath. Shadows whisper to Alexis, destabilising his grasp on reality as he works to reveal his parents’ secret, while his friends wrestle with fractured trust and forbidden feelings. As the autumn equinox approaches, distrust mounts, forcing them to confront the true nature of their destiny, before it’s too late and they are lost to the shadows forever.
Andy Darcy Theo
Andy Darcy Theo is the author of the bestselling TikTok sensation, The Light That Blinds Us, the first epic YA romantasy book in the Descent into Darkness series.
He is a British Greek Cypriot with an educational and occupational background in clinical psychology and teaching. When he is not teaching, learning, or reading, he is developing his compulsive, character-driven fantasy series he began writing at age thirteen.
He is also a prominent presence on BookTok and Bookstagram (where he posts as @AndyDarcyTheo) and has been documenting his author journey online and posting viral bookish content. He has millions of views and likes, which is nearly as many books as he has in his TBR pile.
PaperBound Magazine 