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A review by mackenzierm
High Society by Daniel Kalla
4.0
Holly barely survived a traumatic car accident that killed her father when she was 16. Her grandfather took her to the jungles of Peru, where she took an ayahuasca treatment (a plant-based psychedelic) to emotionally recover. Now, twenty years later, Holly is one of the most sought after psychiatrists who is determined to use her expertise in psychedelics to treat patients suffering from addictions. She embarks upon an unproven new protocol that delivers miraculous results. Holly's world is quickly turned upside down when one of her clients goes public with his recovery and another overdoses after accusing Holly of improprieties. With her career on the line, Holly reaches out to her mentor, (and estranged husband) Dr Aaron Laing, for comfort and advice. It soon becomes clear that it is up to Holly alone to figure out what's going on with her clients.
HIGH SOCIETY is a story that I very much enjoyed. It is told primarily in Holly's POV with some short chapters in other characters' POVs. I loved Holly's narrative, while some of her choices crossed a line, I was still thrilled to see her growth and how she worked through some of her own realizations. This is the third book I've read by Kalla and I absolutely love his writing style and that he uses his own medical knowledge and expertise to write about 'hot' topics.
I really liked that this story takes a closer look at mental health, addictions, and how past traumas can continually influence our choices. I thought it was really interesting to learn about psychedelic treatments in conjunction with talk therapy (both one-on-one and in a group) as it is not something I had any knowledge of coming into this story.
HIGH SOCIETY is a highly interesting read with short, pithy chapters that make you want to keep reading. There are several twists that serve to shift the focus as well as up the ante, leaving me with no clue how all the pieces of this story would come together. I was truly surprised by how the story came to the end, in the best way. The ending was really well done, tying up many of the loose ends.
I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions shared are my own.
HIGH SOCIETY is a story that I very much enjoyed. It is told primarily in Holly's POV with some short chapters in other characters' POVs. I loved Holly's narrative, while some of her choices crossed a line, I was still thrilled to see her growth and how she worked through some of her own realizations. This is the third book I've read by Kalla and I absolutely love his writing style and that he uses his own medical knowledge and expertise to write about 'hot' topics.
I really liked that this story takes a closer look at mental health, addictions, and how past traumas can continually influence our choices. I thought it was really interesting to learn about psychedelic treatments in conjunction with talk therapy (both one-on-one and in a group) as it is not something I had any knowledge of coming into this story.
HIGH SOCIETY is a highly interesting read with short, pithy chapters that make you want to keep reading. There are several twists that serve to shift the focus as well as up the ante, leaving me with no clue how all the pieces of this story would come together. I was truly surprised by how the story came to the end, in the best way. The ending was really well done, tying up many of the loose ends.
I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions shared are my own.