I haven’t read a ton of books in my 16 years, but I have read enough to know what gets someone's attention and what does not. With that being said, I am not saying that The Spirit Catches You And You Fall Down is not a good nor entertaining book; I am saying that it attracts a specific set of people. While reading the book I found myself, countless times, either getting lost or getting bored, but that is because I am an action, romance, fantasy person. I would recommend that you only read this book if you can handle severe heartache and the brutal truth. My teacher asked me how I felt about the book, and I honestly told her that the book was not bad it was just very “concentrated”. The novel was consistently concentrated on Lia’s medical condition which surprised me because I thought it would be more focused on her as a person; I like to connect to the character but reading this book just felt like she did not even write it. It was her story and her words, but it was not about her. I wanted to understand her, and to feel her emotions, but I feel like that is what the book lacked. Perhaps a medical student would enjoy this novel because medical information was overly used, and at times overbearing. If I had to recommend the book I would recommend it to a medical student in college. It would be a good read for someone with a long attention span and an open mind. If you are immature, or under the age of 21, this is not your book. I did get a look into another culture, which was very interesting, and I, at times, did connect with some of the events in the book. Being someone who is from a different background and is constantly moving around, adapting is my middle name. Lia and her parents went through a lot in the US trying to understand our ways, but trying to stay loyal to their own values. I’m only in high school and I feel that way almost every day. If I am being honest, staying true to yourself is a universal struggle. Sadly, Lia’s struggle appealed to me the most in the book, and is what made me want to continue to read to see if her struggles ever ended. That’s the lesson I took from this I think; everyone has their own struggles, and they never end.