The Existence Of Amy

On the surface, Amy has an ordinary life: a decent job, good friends, a nice enough home. But that ordinariness is a fragile shell laid over a far harder reality — the only life her brain will let her live. Every morning is a battle simply to get out of bed and out the door, and every hour is spent managing a relentless barrage of intrusive thoughts and compulsions.

Living with undiagnosed OCD and depression, Amy pours enormous energy into masking her illness, especially at work, terrified of what people would think if they saw the truth. When her closest friend announces she is moving overseas, the careful structure Amy has built begins to give way, and she slides toward her lowest point — until the people who care about her help lift her back up.

Lana Grace Riva's quiet, empathetic novel renders mental illness from the inside, capturing how all-consuming it can be and how much courage ordinary days can require.