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sad to happy

kungfufool45 ๐Ÿšซ

i'm depressed. i wanna read a story that start depressingly slowly but surely get's better emotionally

bk69 ๐Ÿšซ
Updated:

@kungfufool45

Look up Don Lockwood. 'Heroes' might be a bit... harsh. But it ends in classic style. Some of his others are similar. If he'd ever finished 'Curse 2' that would be the epitome of stories that start out as depressingly as possible, but turns the corner to end on a impressively high note. (note: yeah, that was the one based on the Red Sox ALCS win over the Yankees after being down 3-0 in the series. So from the horror of a Yankees win to the world suddenly becoming right.)

Finding a Place starts with the tragically broken MC starting a new life and overcoming the scars of high school to the insulin-necessitating ending.

madnige ๐Ÿšซ

@kungfufool45

I would have said Wes Boyd's Square One but that's not here; try his Picking Up the Pieces

Crumbly Writer ๐Ÿšซ

@kungfufool45

i'm depressed. i wanna read a story that start depressingly slowly but surely get's better emotionally

Unfortunately, the typical storytelling motif is to start with everything being normal, before some precipitating event throws the protagonist's life into disarray, as it then grows steadily worse until the character manages to solve the underlying crisis. But, the "Ove" books (A Man Called Ove) in your local library or book store certainly fits, as the main character is fed-up with humanity and wants nothing to do with anyone but meets a curious young girl.

whisperclaw ๐Ÿšซ

@kungfufool45

Feathers fits the bill. A child soldier experiences the horrors of war (in a fantasy setting) and returns home years later to put back the pieces of his life.

bk69 ๐Ÿšซ

@kungfufool45

Also, there's ReluctantSir's Dark Days...

Replies:   Behindflayer
Behindflayer ๐Ÿšซ

@bk69

Sorry for the bump, but no! Don't read this if you are depressed. Certain aspects, especially considering that kungfufool45 usually asks for stories with less relationship drama, may upset you greatly if you are like me and the two books that are out as of yet do not conclude the story happily, at all.

Replies:   bk69
bk69 ๐Ÿšซ
Updated:

@Behindflayer

That's why I said only the first book.

Also, Georgia Moonbeams might work for OP. Yes, it starts bad, improves ever so slightly, gets worse, and THEN improves... but it does end on a up note.

Behindflayer ๐Ÿšซ

@kungfufool45

You didn't actually explicitly say that but, anyway, I disagree. The first book made me (more) depressed and I was hoping that the second book would salvage the story but it didn't really do so for me during the more fun parts and made some things worse. Maybe the payoff will be there if the author writes a few more books because it's hard not to want to see Jack find happiness but right now I just regret reading it.

As for Georgia Moonbeams, I personally will stay the fuck away from that, because obviously your standards for "happy" are not in line with mine and what I read about it was upsetting enough and "ending on an up note" is never enough to redeem a story to me.

Replies:   bk69
bk69 ๐Ÿšซ

@Behindflayer

Well, it's infinitely better for either of you than, say, 'Samuel' by Lazlo Zalezac.

Replies:   Behindflayer
Behindflayer ๐Ÿšซ

@bk69

Yeah, not touching that with a ten foot proxy.

Replies:   bk69
bk69 ๐Ÿšซ

@Behindflayer

Also - if you're ever tempted, do NOT watch "Grave of the Fireflies"

Behindflayer ๐Ÿšซ

@bk69

Thanks for reminding me of that one.

Quasirandom ๐Ÿšซ

@bk69

Or if you do, have My Neighbor Totoro on hand to watch immediately afterwards. (The two movies were originally released and shown as a double feature.)

Replies:   bk69
bk69 ๐Ÿšซ

@Quasirandom

Oddly, I never thought 'Grave' was really deserving of the 'most depressing anime ever created' title. Yes, the second time through it's pretty brutal... but then, for someone with PRSD there were more brutal ones.

Replies:   Dominions Son
Dominions Son ๐Ÿšซ

@bk69

but then, for someone with PRSD there were more brutal ones.

What would the Pentucket Regional School District have to do with it?

Or did you mean PTSD?

Replies:   bk69
bk69 ๐Ÿšซ

@Dominions Son

Close, but not quite. Post Relationship Stress Disorder. Like PTSD, but it was a relationship that fucked you up rather than combat.

Replies:   Dominions Son  Remus2
Dominions Son ๐Ÿšซ

@bk69

Close, but not quite. Post Relationship Stress Disorder.

I Googled PRSD and that did not come up.

Remus2 ๐Ÿšซ

@bk69

https://graciehemphill.com/2016/10/23/what-is-post-traumatic-relationship-syndrome/
https://psychcentral.com/blog/relationship-corner/2019/12/post-traumatic-relationship-stress-15-signs#1

It's not been recognized by the broader psychological community yet. Nor is it found in DSM5.

Replies:   bk69
bk69 ๐Ÿšซ

@Remus2

Yet.

Give it time. DSM7 for certain, if not DSM6.

Replies:   Remus2
Remus2 ๐Ÿšซ

@bk69

Given enough time, hurt feelings will be considered traumatic stress.

karactr ๐Ÿšซ

@kungfufool45

He'll, for the woke community, "mildly offended" is serious traumatic stress.

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