Otherwise Kill Me

Anne-Marie Morrissey

Otherwise Kill Me allows the reader through a door - into the mind of a voilent schizophrenic. Francis Page is a London doorman who's nearing the end of his shelf-life in the bouncing game. He wants to make some real money and resorts to smuggling drugs. Francis gets caught and sent to prison, where his violence is treated with neuroleptic tranquilizers. He kills a guard and is sent to a secure psychiatric hospital, from where he escapes. Francis finds out that, while he was inside, his daughter has become a heroin addict and he goes on a revenge rampage, killing everyone he thinks is responsible. He is spoken to by many 'voices' that tell him many contradicting things. He can't make sense of it all and eventually commits suicide. The novel takes a harrowing, yet sympathetic look at the way schizophrenia affects the main character and how society views and treats someone in his situation. The book paints a surreal picture, full of strange landscapes which are alien to most individuals, but which are a very real part of the human condition.

Ray Foakes

Great book. It takes you inside the mind of a violent schizophrenic. Not for the faint-hearted.

Ray Foakes

Otherwise Kill Me allows the reader through a door - into the mind of a violent schizophrenic. Francis Page is nearing the end of his shelf-life as a London bouncer. He wants to make some real money, so he resorts to drug smuggling. Francis gets caught and sent to prison, where his violence is treated with neuroleptic tranquilizers. Francis kills a guard and is sent to a secure psyiatric hospital, from where he escapes. He learns that, while he was inside, his daughter has become a herion addict and he goes on a revenge rampage, killing anyone he thinks is responsible. He is spoken to by many 'voices' who tell him many contradicting things. He can't make sense of it all and eventually kills himself. The novel paints a surreal picture, full of strange landscapes that are alien to most individuals, but which are a very real part of the human condition.