The Monster and the Mirror
The Monster and the Mirror
Joanna McFarlane-Frampton
, Taya Young
, Barry Kazimer
, Olivier Guérin
, Janet Miller
, Teagan Sedberry
, cassandra schiemann
, Jude Castillo
, Marilyn Stanley
, Dot Mann
, Agnes Marshall
, jaynie jackson
, Mary Therrien
, Gabrielle Wolfe
, Brad MULLER
, Elle Kishia
, Yutong Wu
, Anita Janik-Jones
, Brittney Warren
, Margo Beredjiklian
, Kirsten Lyon
, Kayley Ashman
, Ching Ching Wu
, Louise Walsh
, Natasha Andres
, Kate Rutter
, Alyce Soulodre
, Vivian Thorgeirson
, Andrea Pole
, Holly Elisabeth
, Sarah Schwartz
, liv Girardin
, Joshua Lewis
, Dorothy Wong
, Dorothy Wong
, Sara Hawkins
, Noelle Walsh
, Emily Steiner
, Allison Dube
, Sharon Forzley
, Cheryl Johnson
, Rita O'Sullivan
, Melissa Ritz
, Hilary Jenkins
, Hilary Squires
, Shannan Sword
, Kate Hudson
, Shawna Moodie
, Kartik Gupta
, Patricia Johnson
, Nicki D'Angelo
, Roland Schigas
, Heather More
, Denica StP
, Ashlee Blais
, Lisa Bilodeau
, Pamela Roberts Griffith
, Gabrielle Veilleux
, Nicholas Graham
, Micheal Andrew Laverty
, Zara Garcia-Alvarez
, Sara Conway
, Mary Woods
, Michael Edwards
, Becky Blake
, Meghan Barton
, Angela Chiao
, Marla Schecter Howard
, Tracy Campbell
, Robert Hykawy
, Shannon Lee
, Benita Hartwell
, Olivia Pellegrino
, Damen Rae
, Donna Roucoulet
, Rodney Cross
, Vanessa Seto
, Nicole Haldoupis
, Kym Marsh
, diana kirkwood
, Lisa Mallia
, Amanda Clarke
, Peter Halasz
, toni velthuis
, Kathy Trithardt
, Ken Gilmour
, Lesley Sturge
, Claire Gear
, Cherryl Koylass
, Kristen Nikola
, Rosa Cross
, Joseph Chirayil
, Stephanie Trotter
, Paris Semansky
, Melanie Solar
, Kristen Bach
, Hoda Montazeri
, Mitchell Schmidt
, Christopher Evans
, Madelyn Brittain
, Wendi Waage
, Sandra Lackie
, Faaria Samnani
, Russell Reitsema
, Joe Mitchell
, Val Ross
, Elmira Olson
, Melissa Poremba
, Morgan Stewart
, Tanya Blake
, Paula Jane Remlinger
, Sonia Navvuru
, Danielle Pigeau
, Hana Iudin
, Chris Carvalho
, Kim Cappellina
, Shane Lange
, Cassandra AOUIZERATE
, Catherine Booker
, Lynn Andrews
, Joe Titone
, Rachel Edmonds
, Randi Ann Doll
, Lindsay Hobbs
, Michelle Canfield
, Lindsay Gloade-Raining Bird
, Lori Campbell
, Jeff Eaves
, Emily Johansen
, Lindsey Andronak
, Lori Bardell
, Tanis Anne
, Jacqueline Chenier
, Janice Cournoyer
, Michelle Arsenault
, P. Thompson
editor@49thShelf.com
Revelatory memoir and cultural criticism that connects popular fantasy and our perceptions of mental illness to offer an empathetic path to compassionate care
Growing up, K.J. Aiello was fascinated by magical stories of dragons, wizards, and fantasy, where monsters were not what they seemed and anything was possible. These books and films were both a balm and an escape, a safe space where Aiello’s struggle with mental illness transformed from a burden into a strength that could win battles and vanquish villains.
A unique blend of memoir, research, and cultural criticism, The Monster and the Mirror charts Aiello’s life as they try to understand their own mental illness using The Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, and other stories as both guides to heroism and agency and cautionary tales of how mental illness is easily stereotyped as bad and violent. Aiello questions who is allowed to be “mad” versus “sane,” “good” versus “evil,” and “weak” versus “strong,” and who is allowed to tell their own stories. The Monster and the Mirror explores our perceptions of mental illness in a way that is challenging and tender, empathetic and knowledgeable, and offers a path to deeper understanding and compassionate care.
