Give a young adult a gift that can help them work through emotional strife with 2024’s best young adult fantasy novel: Behind the Eyes of Zylo Moon. Author David Nathaniel Nealis helps shed light on mental illness in this powerful book with a positive message.
Understanding mental illness, especially from a younger lens, can be difficult and even painful. But fantasy stories can tackle these issues without being overwhelming or confusing.
Behind the Eyes of Zylo Moon, by David Nathaniel Nealis, takes young adult readers on a journey from the darkness into the light using the intoxicating world of fantasy and magical realism.
Want to learn more? Just go to https://zylomoon.com/
Author David Nathaniel Nealis wrote this novel to provide hope and guidance to individuals and families struggling with mental health issues.
Behind the Eyes of Zylo Moon follows the journey of the protagonist, Zylo Moon, as he struggles with the complexities of his psyche. The story takes place in a dreamy, fantastical land where Zylo moves seamlessly through time to investigate and understand various formative experiences in his life.
This captivating novel begins with a prologue in which the protagonist, Zylo Moon, experiences a sort of cosmic intervention. Zylo is able to escape his own death, even through the temptation of giving up and letting himself die. The prologue ends with a lightning strike, which frees Zylo from his ultimate demise and sets him on a journey back to his roots to figure out how and why his dark, emotional turmoil originated.
In the novel, Zylo revisits various times in his childhood, including specific interactions with his grandmother that were highly influential on the development of his adult self. In particular, the book highlights a time when Zylo found a golden pocket watch while on a walk with his grandmother. Upon picking up the watch, time and reality began to morph, setting the tone for the story's magical realism and serving as a useful metaphor for the intangibility of time.
The story's hero endures great loss, feelings of dissociation, and loneliness but ultimately learns how to use these experiences to grow stronger. By giving this book to a young adult, you can help them work through issues of grief and isolation, as they walk with Zylo on his journey toward redemption.
Behind the Eyes of Zylo Moon is a testament to Nealis' talent and compassion. It's not just a compelling narrative but also a platform for dialogue and healing around mental health.
I struggle with my mental health a lot and I absolutely felt Zylo’s pain and empathy of wanting to help everyone. The way that Zylo wants to help his friends is very inspiring.
Reviews are available on Amazon. Additional reviews are available at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/204286091-behind-the-eyes-of-zylo-moon?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=aQXP6OJeHL&rank=1
All chapters of Behind the Eyes of Zylo Moon are available in both Kindle and paperback formats.
Want to learn more about author David Nathaniel Nealis and purchase a copy of Behind the Eyes of Zylo Moon? Visit https://a.co/d/6KX7wT7 for the paperback edition or https://a.co/d/13lVLuc for the Kindle version.
