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"Dead kids are put on pedestals, but mentally ill kids get hidden under the rug."

Thank you, Neal Shusterman, for portraying the pain, the horrors, and the light touches of hope that come with mental illness. I have read at least one book (looking at you, All the Bright Places) that glamorizes mental disorders, and as an aspiring psychologist, such inaccurate perceptions of these real diseases disturb me. Through Caden, Shusterman shows the delusions and doubts and episodes of emotional dysregulation that come with schizoaffective disorder, and he does so in a way that advances the plot while honoring the pain that pervades Caden's struggle.

Despite my enjoyment of the book, I do wonder how younger readers with less knowledge about mental illnesses will perceive Shusterman's dual narratives. He switches between Caden's deterioration as he enters a mental institute and Caden's hallucinations of serving as a crewmate on a ship with a terrifying captain. I often felt a disconnect from Caden when he experienced his hallucinatory episodes (which makes sense, because of just how powerful and real they feel to him), and I question how other readers will construe Shusterman's narrative structure in Challenger Deep. Either way, he never makes light of Caden's situation or makes the mistake of glorifying it, which already sets this book apart from others.

Overall, a gripping read and affecting novel about a boy torn between two realities. Recommended to those who enjoy contemporary YA, feel an interest about a book that centers on mental illness, and to fans of Shusterman's other works.