On Balance

£9.95

'Chris Danes's impressive debut novel'

- The Times Educational Supplement

Part crime fiction, part psychological study, On Balance probes deep into the human psyche and examines its fragility, its cruelty - and the redemptive power of its love.

On Balance

From the Times Educational Supplement review of On Balance:

'Chris Danes's impressive debut novel draws heavily and in detail on his bi-polarity:  his personal history and circumstances provide the underlying motive for writing the book - which is to raise awareness of a form of mental illness that he claims is much misunderstood.  Laura Morton [the lead character], like her creator, is bi-polar...  Danes's description of Laura's life... is vivid and alarming...  Later in the book, when the murder of a school governor has taken place, she becomes convinced she has a divine mission to tell the police all she knows...  Working at intense speed, euphoric, hallucinating and with a grandiose vision of her destiny, she is quite terrifying to observe.

'On Balance is a thoroughly good and, dare I say it, enjoyable read.  It has pace and urgency, and Laura, upon whom the book certainly depends, is an engaging character.'

Chris Danes broadcasts regularly on the issue of bi-polar disorder in his audio diary on Radio 4's You and Yours and he recently spoke on the same issue on Newsnight.

Chris's You and Yours diary was shortlisted for the Mind Mental Health Media Awards 2010.

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