I could not get into this book, ultimately it was not form me and I could not finish it. It may be one for other readers

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

The Octopus Man should have been right up my alley. I've got the interest in mental health, my lack of existing knowledge about schizophrenia and the critique of current mental health care in the United Kingdom. It really should have ticked every box for me. It's a real shame therefore that it didn't.

Maybe it was the writing style, maybe it was the disorganised haze of thoughts, but I really struggled to engage with this. I'm erring on the side of caution in case it's the latter, as I suspect it's a reasonably realistic view of a schizophrenic mindset. But I think the largest issue was the pacing and complete lack of actual plot. You can essentially get 95% of this novel from reading the blurb and then the final 5% from the last chapters. Yes, within that there is some very nice writing and some poignant thoughts, but those are kind of lost to the jarring style and the disconnect I had with the characters.

The book does have some really touching moments and offers an interesting, if not necessarily strong, critique on the mental health services in the country. I found it disappointing however that much time was given to the obvious abuses in the system by one abusive nurse; whilst I'm sure this does happen, the protective measures in place to prevent this kind of abuse are actually fairly stringent. The more pressing matters of systematic failures are kind of neglected and they are far more widespread and problematic.

All in all, an interesting if disappointing novel. I definitely struggled with the writing style, but I'm being relatively generous in my rating on that because I think it is a deliberate choice to demonstrate the schizophrenic thought process. More problematic for me is the fact that I struggled to connect with any of the characters other than perhaps Missy, the slow pacing and lack of actual plot and the hijacking of what could be a really important conversation on the failure of mental health services by the individual abuse.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this title.

This book gives a terrible, heartbreaking insight into living with schizophrenia, as both the individual with the mental illness, and their family and friends who love and want to help them.

Tom’s personality and individuality is so deeply intertwined with his Octopus God, that he struggles to extricate himself when given the choice between a ‘normal’ life free of its clutches (due to medication) or the life he is familiar with, despite its trials and suffering.

The author also shows aspects of mental illness that the average layperson may never have considered, like the dangers of alcohol and drugs on an already-overwhelmed brain; the dehumanising horrors of mental health treatment; the tendency for everyone – even the well-meaning – to treat you like a child, or less than human, into adulthood, because they assume your decision-making abilities are impaired, even if sometimes they may not be; and, of course, the helplessness and hopelessness of loved ones as they watch you flounder and have no idea what to do for the best.

By the end of the story I was devastated for both Tom and his sister, as I felt that there was no outcome that could please them both, and was left unconvinced by Tom’s rhetoric on the subject, but could also see that he had tried other options and that no other available course was working for him.

Powerful, well-written and painful to read, this is an emotional insight into the everyday challenges faced by those with mental illnesses, even if those illnesses are ‘treatable’ (not curable).

Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog

I found it moving and interesting. A story that deals in a realistic and empathic way with mental health and makes you love what you read and hope for the best.
Great style of writing and character development, the author is an excellent storyteller.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I adored this book - quite possibly my favourite book of the year and have immediately bought a physical copy for my shelves to keep.

Jasper Gibson so perfectly captures the British experience of the mental health systems and processes that are only designed to treat those whose illness is socially acceptable. As someone who also has a neuropsychiatric disorder and is British, it was incredible to read this book because its one of its only kind set in the UK's system, as opposed to being Americanised, and I think a lot of people will feel the exact same way as me. When writing about mental illness nothing feels quite as homey as the tragic-comic British humour that processes it. I laughed out loud a lot. While I was rather heartbroken by the end it was perfect because it did not fall into the trap of being trite like a lot of books of its kind do. Going to pass this one onto my psychiatrist I think

Equal parts heartwarming, funny and relatable and shocking, uncomfortable and thought-provoking, The Octopus Man is the most truthful look at chronic mental ill-health that I've ever found. Whilst often pitying and belittling accounts of mental health issues seem to be in vogue, Tom's journey from promising law student to a dependent, heavily medicated shadow of his former self is so relatable it's almost painful. Seeing him struggle with the burden that his illness places on those around him whilst fighting with an outdated and under provisioned health system really holds a mirror up to the reader and causes us to reconsider our own interactions with people suffering around us, and whether the "positive outcomes" that public policy chases are really so positive at all. Phenomenally written, The Octopus Man is clearly from the author's heart and reminds the reader that behind every episode, prescription or therapists door is a very real person.

I can't remember the last book that made me laugh so much and left me so heartbroken at the same time. Schizophrenia is a difficult subject to tackle and Jasper Gibson does it brilliantly, by giving us a real insight into what life is like for his schizophrenic character Tom. The Octopus Man deals with every important subject surrounding acute mental health issues: the trials that the sufferer's loved ones are going you through, the financial and emotional difficulties of someone who struggles to reintegrate into society after twenty years of mental illness and multiple stays in various hospitals and psychiatric wards, the horrors of heavy medication which can make sufferers feel worse while they are supposedly intended to help them, the abuse that can take place in psychiatric wards. This novel is a real eye-opener and should be read by the greatest number, especially--but not exclusively--by decision-makers and people who know someone battling against severe mental health issues, be it schizophrenia, OCD, bipolar disorder and other psychotic disorders or anxiety-related long-term conditions. 5 stars, without a second's hesitation.

I really couldn't get into this book, though I did try! The style was jarring for me. Very interesting concept though.

I tried this but it just didn't work for me. The writing and the premise was interesting but i just didn't connect with the story and however much i tried to continue, i just couldn't continue with it. The ideas it talked about were interesting but it didn't feel like it was the book for me.

The Octopus Man by Jasper Gibson

This is a book that will stay with me for a long time – perhaps the rest of my life. It brought me close to edges in my own psyche that are not comfortable, to thought patterns, to an inner world that sometimes has created a stronger reality than what is happening outside. I don’t suffer from mental illness, I don’t have any diagnosis of schizophrenia, I live a fairly normal life with family and friends and work. And yet, this book showed me all too clearly how close we all live to another frightening, unmanageable world. I don’t know how easy it would be to slip across that border but I do know that reading this wonderful, compassionate and terrifying book brought me uncomfortably close.

Tom Tuplow is a very engaging character and I totally fell for him. He is kind and brave and insightful and intelligent. But his world has been taken over by his relationship with The Octopus God – a strict and punishing god that appears to be leading him on a path of spiritual enlightenment but whose methods include electrocuting him and forcing him to do and say things that he, Tom, doesn’t want to.

The story takes us deep into the British mental health system, peopled by both the well meaning and the cruel. His stay in hospital is a nightmare of trying to keep faith with his God at the same time as survive a chaotic and uncaring system which seems designed to abuse and humiliate the patients. What is real and what is fantasy? We are asked to make our own judgements on this. Yet, Tom is such a sympathetic character that even when he ‘liberates’ his friend into an impossible freedom, we still root for him.

Tom is put into terrible dilemmas – faced with impossible choices. To take the medication that might separate him from his closest companion, the Octopus God, or to continue on a downward spiral which is destroying his own life and the health of his beloved sister Tess.

I had to put the book down several times. It is an intense and disturbing read but it is also always entertaining and full of love and honesty, even hope sometimes although there are times when hope itself seems an impossible dream.

I love how Tom sees the world yet I also am terrified of it. His sensitivity gives him an immense creativity and compassion for others as well as deep insight. The writing is excellent, throwing new light on everything the author describes. We are inside Tom’s head so we see the world as he sees it and we find, it sort of makes a lot of sense.

“The ticket inspector comes. He has grey teeth and doesn’t look at anyone when he askes for their tickets and has a kind of bark on his soul”

And..

“The man is still scowling at me but I feel nothing but love for him. I don’t mind if he thinks I am a loony. Malamock’s presence becomes very strong. I can almost lean my head into it and feel His arms, His compassion around me”

Living in Tom’s world, in Tom’s head – who amongst us would find it easy to let go of a god who wraps us up in such strong tentacle arms of love.

I could write a much longer review of this book – I loved it and it terrified me. It disturbed me and asked of me that I really examine sanity and madness, reality and fantasy, and most importantly, how we humans have not yet found a compassionate and healing way to help our fellows who are suffering spiritual and emotional distress of this kind.

Wow! What a journey this book took me on! I felt as if the lid on Tom's brain had been opened upon and I had been slipped inside as I witnessed his every day life as a schizophrenic. Moving, shocking and sometimes funny. The author was inspired by his cousin who suffered with schizophrenia for twenty years. A book that will stay with me and won't forget

Tom has been a schizophrenic for almost twenty years. His life has been controlled by drugs, periods in hospital, and by Malamock, the Octopus God. His sister has stood by him every step of the way.
Jasper Gibson is an important new voice in fiction. Tom's story is extraordinary, touching, harrowing and unforgettable. It is a powerful evocation of someone trapped in a mental health system that cannot cope.
This is a story of beauty and brutality, of humanity and inhumanity, of friendship and rejection. A truly remarkable book.

*THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*
*CONTENT WARNING: MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, INCLUDING SUICIDE*

Many of us will probably describe themselves as progressive, modern, even woke, but we all have our taboos, and schizophrenia and mental health are most certainly some of them.

If you are shaking your head and want to contradict me because actually you do know a lot about this topic, well good for you then, you will be happy to see a book like The Octopus Man published and you will certainly appreciate the narration of this story. Seriously, you should read it.

On the other hand, if you recognize yourself in the first category, then you have your chance to redeem yourself and peek through the curtain of the taboo that envelopes schizophrenia thanks to this novel.

Inspired by the life of Jasper Gibson’s cousin, Ed Metcalfe, who died in 2011 after suffering with schizophrenia for 20 years, the book follows our character Thomas Tuplow’s life.
Tom has been living with schizophrenia for nineteen years; he is not self-sufficient and relies heavily on his sister Tess’ help. Tom does not believe he has schizophrenia, he is adamant that the voice in his head belongs to Malamock, the Octopus God, who guides him on a spiritual path towards a mission.
Tom cannot eat meat, cannot drink alcohol and has to give up any sexual impulse. He leads a chaste existence, under a regime of medications and Malamock’s electrocution threats.

Tom has experienced a turbulent youth, abusing alcohol and all sorts of drugs, and his diagnosis indicates that these elements have affected Tom’s psyche to the point where Tom created a voice in his head to save himself from this destructive path.

The perspective of a trial for a new medication, the fictional Bildinocycline, is a major trigger for Tom and his relationship with Malamock, and that is what will lead us to a series of events which will change Tom’s life.

Gibson does not spare us any details, we dive deep into Tom’s mind and his perception of the world, we look at it through his eyes, both under the Octopus God’s and the new medication’s influence. We struggle and feel uncomfortable when faced with the brutality of mental health issues on patients and their families. We learn how inadequate the health system is in supporting them (not really a surprise). We suffer from the inability Tom feels to do anything, even the most basic activities such as reading a book or babysit his nephew for one evening.

We meet a number of characters gravitating around Tom, each one of them a suffering soul in their very own particular way. Tess has been taking care of Tom all this time on top of balancing her career and her personal life as a single mother of two children and a complicated relationship with Byron, who has a conflicted relationship with Tom himself. There is Missy, a teenage girl Tom meets in Hilldean, the hospital where he ends up after he triggers in Uxbridge, who has spent years in hospitals since she does not have a family outside to go back to. She will be part of Tom’s recovery later on in the story and will play a major role in the unfolding of the final events. Rashid, the abusive nurse at Hilldean, who attempts to frame Tom accusing him of sleeping with Roseanna, another patient in the hospital, when we actually know it is Rashid who is having an illicit and unprofessional affair with her. And a number of other patients at Hilldean and people in the outside world who interact with Tom and leave, unknowingly, a mark on his life and his relationship with Malamock.

This book unveils the problematic approach to a very sensitive topic such as schizophrenia, both in literature and society. We cannot know the full extent of mental struggles or even begin to fathom what they feel like just by reading this book, but it definitely provides a good introduction to the much wider topic of mental health and the precarious lives people affected by mental conditions live.

Living the story through Tom’s eyes and mind, we grow close to him and we care about his life and worry about his struggles. The ending is left relatively open for the reader to imagine and fill the gaps in, but it is certainly a positive one. I was quite pleased to see Tom recovering in the first place during the Bildinocycline trial, so when he seems to be back on his feet pursuing his legal career, with or without Malamock, it is inevitable to root for him.
However, the novel brings the reader in pretty dark corners of the human mind, and finding a happy ending in the last few pages seems a bit out place. I did not see it coming and however pleased to see a positive unfolding of the events, the whole story seems to lose authenticity towards the end.

Overall I find The Octopus Man a fundamental reading in a more inclusive perspective on literature, a good example of how to talk about topics that are still a taboo in our society in an intelligent and knowledgeable way. I highly recommend it to all those who are ready to confront themselves with how little we know about our mind and its intricate logic.

4.5 stars
Oh this book is heartbreaking. Tom is a very clever man, formally a law student with great prospects, he has fallen down the mental health black hole. His one constant is Malamock, the Octopus God who is always there for him, guiding him, talking only to him, appearing only to him, praising him when he does good and punishing him when he tries to resist.
After a psychotic break, Tom is invited to take part in a new drug trial. One which could change his life for the better. Only thing is, Malamock isn't keen and when he feels threatened... well... that doesn't bear thinking about.
I do have to admit that it did take me a wee while to get to grips with this book but then that's par for the course for mental health. Tom is one of the most complex characters I have met in time and it too a while to get to grips with how he ticked. But once I managed that, it was all plain sailing and we rubbed along very nicely indeed. I laughed with him, I cried for him. I sympathised with those who care for him. Having sailed the sea of mental health issues myself I am no stranger to a lot of what was going on for Tom, not personally but through volunteering in that sector, so I have a good handle on things and found what was going on to be wholly accurate albeit harrowing.
The humour - and there's quite a bit of that - keeps the book from going too dark but the message is retained throughout. Tom is a character that I feel privileged to have met and one who will stay with me a while yet. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

You are flung headfirst into this book, and I must have re-read the first page at least three times before I realised it wasn't my lack of concentration or understanding - it just didn't make a lot of sense.

However, I ended up staying up late so I could read this in one interrupted sitting - I simply couldn't put it down!

It's a very compulsive book that gets under your skin. In some parts, honestly, it's a bit long and unnecessary, but for the most part, it's a darkly humorous story about mental health, which goes much deeper than just whether or not you believe the main character, Tom, actually holds a telepathic link with The Octopus God.

It definitely isn't the easiest of reads - it jumps around from past to present with no warning or introduction - but it is a compellnig one.

My thanks to the Orion Publishing Group/W&N for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Octopus Man’ by Jasper Gibson in exchange for an honest review.

I have a fascination with octopuses, not only in terms of natural history but their mythic manifestations such as Cthulhu, so a novel about a man convinced that he is communicating with the Octopus God naturally drew my interest.

Twenty years ago Tom had been an outstanding law student. However, his overindulgence in mushrooms triggered a major psychotic break that resulted in Tom becoming lost in the British mental health system, talking to a voice that no one else can hear: the voice of Malamock, the Octopus God - sometimes loving, sometimes cruel, but always there to guide him through life.

Following his latest florid psychotic break, Tom is pressured to take part in an experimental drugs trial that promises to silence the voice forever. Yet will this prove the answer for Tom or cripple him in a different manner? Are his experiences with Malamock a symptom of madness or a spiritual connection?

‘The Octopus Man’ is a powerful work of literary fiction that seeks to provide insight into the inner life of someone experiencing schizophrenia as well as highlighting the inadequacies of aspects of the mental health system. In his Author’s Note Gibson advises that the novel was inspired by and dedicated to the life of his cousin, who had struggled with a schizophrenic diagnosis for twenty years.

‘The Octopus Man’ is a tragicomedy that like Ken Kesey’s seminal novel before it explores both the camaraderie that occurs between patients in mental health wards along with the abuses that sadly are found in some.

The novel also focuses upon the relationship between Tom and his sister, Tess, and how his condition deeply distresses her. There were some quite harrowing scenes between them as Tom seems to be unable to appreciate the pain his behaviour continues to cause her. I came to care very much about Tom, Tess, and his quirky fellow patient, Missy.

There is also pushback against the over reliance upon powerful anti-psychotic medications that can induce a kind of chemical lobotomy. This is a subject of special interest for me as years ago I was quite involved with transpersonal psychology where advocates such as Stanislav Grof questioned the nature of psychosis and suggested alternative approaches to treatment. Indeed, Tom’s initial experience with Malamock appeared to have resonances with what is known as Kundalini syndrome.

This proved a fascinating, raw work though admittedly it was at times challenging. I am glad that I read it and I expect that it will remain with me for a long time. I would hope that it might also serve to open up further dialogue about various mental health issues.

Given the quality of writing and its themes I wouldn’t be surprised if it is among the novels featured in the running for the 2021 Booker Prize.

This story is about mental health and how it affects the people around someone who is mentally ill. It was funny in places and sad in others. It was an interesting and fascinating read which was definitely thought provoking.

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy.

Inspired by his cousin, who suffered for more than 20 years on long term medication as a diagnosed schizophrenic, Jasper Gibson’s novel is heart-felt and deeply moving.

Written from the perspective of Gibson’s central protagonist Tom, once an outstanding law student, the novel provides a glimpse into the life of a man struggling with the impact of voice-hearing, and a schizophrenia diagnosis on both himself and his loved ones.

In Tom, Gibson has created a character with wit and humour, endearing the reader to him. I found myself smiling and laughing with him...but hurt all the more for him in his pain, sadness and suffering.

There are a number of other strong, likeable and believable characters, in particular his sister Tess, who don’t detract from Tom’s battle at all, but I found added to, and heightened my engagement with the novel, and the emotional impact that it had on me.

I did become confused at points in the novel where there was a lot of dialogue, and I wasn’t always clear who’s voice was speaking. I also got a little lost when Tom was reflecting on moments in the past, and think this could have been presented a little more clearly in an otherwise incredibly well written novel.

Gibson doesn’t shy away or gloss away from reality. This novel is deeply unsettling...but through sensitivity and humour, it both provokes thought and provides valuable insight.

Thank you so much to Orion Books and Net Galley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

The Octopus Man is a remarkably books full of warmth and a tongue in cheek wit that belies its vital exploration of the mental health of Tom. GIbson masterfully examines the life of a man living with mental illness, never belittling or judging Tom as he decides how to navigate his life. There are episodes that echo One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, but this book is not about the external presentation of mental illness but rather invites us into the internal mind and experience the daily battles and the difficult choices that Tom takes in order to feel balance in his life. The Octopus God who exists within Tom is both a malignant and a positive force and this dichotomy is perhaps what we should extract from this rich narrative - Tom is not Tom without this central aspect and to deny his existence lessens the life that he can lead.
Outstanding and eye opening.