Borderline

Borderline, the Illusion of Insanity by Florence St. John is a non-fiction memoir of what it is like to live and grow up in a dysfunctional family. The book starts with an introduction by Florence to her daughter's depression and then discusses her personal and family issues. Florence writes about herself, her mother, her daughter, her sisters, her cousins, and how they all form a part of the larger picture. Borderline delves into inter-generational dysfunction in a family in which mental illness forms a part of the dynamic that includes borderline personality disorder, co-dependent personality disorder, etc. and how she has learned over the years to understand and love not only her family members but also herself.

Florence St. John explores the complexity and resilience between three generations of women who love each other but don't always get along. Daughter and mothers, sisters and cousins, all tangled in a knot. Despite their differences, there is an unbreakable connection that keeps them together. Sandwiched between her mother and daughter Florence struggles to find common ground. Recounting her own childhood experiences, she reveals her family's dysfunction and sheds light on a condition that is rarely spoken about and misunderstood.