Scan barcode
violethazel's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
this book lowkey feels like barbie
there were moments of immense wisdom and truly fantastic parts to read, but they were scattered between lots of stories and stuff that didn't seem to have much point. hold on through those, and you will find gems, but do bear that in mind. heavy trigger warning for eating disorders and alcoholism.
there were moments of immense wisdom and truly fantastic parts to read, but they were scattered between lots of stories and stuff that didn't seem to have much point. hold on through those, and you will find gems, but do bear that in mind. heavy trigger warning for eating disorders and alcoholism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Grief, and Alcoholism
allydoessomereading's review against another edition
funny
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
Dolly Alderton reflect on her twenties and the love she felt and experienced in her twenties with such richness and passion. I feel envious of the depth to all the relationships she reflects on, and I feel comforted in learning about the existentialism surrounding love and ageing is experienced by almost all.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Grief, Alcoholism, Self harm, Child death, Death, and Terminal illness
milaju's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Drug use, and Eating disorder
alysereadsbooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
3.25
Listened to the audiobook and enjoyed it. I saw a lot of rave reviews about this book and while I loved the exploration of different kinds of love, particularly friendship, I found myself bored at other parts. Still nostalgic, vulnerable, and relatable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Sexual content
lara_r's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Terminal illness, Eating disorder, Medical content, Alcohol, Death, Chronic illness, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Pregnancy
linnybear's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I was dreading it for the first 35% of the book, picking it up was like making your way through the torment mostly because I found it utterly unrelatable. Not that everything I read has to be relatable but I didn't find it funny nor interesting to read about an abandoned sheltered child turned out alcoholic who somehow found a great pack of friends and a job despite their problems with various substances.
I stuck through it mainly for the writing, but then I cried as I read the chapter about Florence, and I thought how important the ending chapters would be to the younger me. Just proving the author's point that you don't need constant validation from anyone (especially a man), that you are enough, and showing it through her own experiences.
It's not something groundbreaking that wasn't said before, quite frankly it has been said many many times but in this book it doesn't sound cheesy or condescending. And I actually quite liked how it wasn't really about love as much as it was about friendships, loss and making peace with yourself. I'd be happy human being if fiction authors write friendships exactly like in this book.
I stuck through it mainly for the writing, but then I cried as I read the chapter about Florence, and I thought how important the ending chapters would be to the younger me. Just proving the author's point that you don't need constant validation from anyone (especially a man), that you are enough, and showing it through her own experiences.
It's not something groundbreaking that wasn't said before, quite frankly it has been said many many times but in this book it doesn't sound cheesy or condescending. And I actually quite liked how it wasn't really about love as much as it was about friendships, loss and making peace with yourself. I'd be happy human being if fiction authors write friendships exactly like in this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, Eating disorder, and Grief
sidekicksam's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
2.5
I was hesitant about this book, and I was both correct in my expectations and also surprised at some bits. If more of the book was as profound as the chapter on Florence was, I would have felt more connected to the book. The nostalgia of the 00s with the rise of MSN messaging, first encounters with boys, and some of the friendship love stories were also very relatable and fun to read.
But (and there is a massive big but with this book for me), the overall tone of the book just made it very difficult for me to either love Dolly or to appreciate any of her stories. The excessive drinking and the egocentric attitude in her relationships with her friends (and not in her teen years, but as a 20-something) made her seem bratty and self-indulgent in my eyes. The satirical e-mails in between chapters definitely emphasized Alderton's ability to write (I liked her writing well enough), and though I also understood the recipes she included, with the naggy tone of her stories and the satirical tone of the e-mails, they felt out of place to me.
Perhaps it is because I don't have a close group of girlfriends that are my whole world, or because I am not single, or because I had a very different upbringing that the book didn't resonate with me. But alas. Personally, though I do consider the message of friendship evolving and that being ok an important one for people to read about and learn, I would expect a memoir to reflect on bigger personal growth or a truly outstanding story. This was not that for me, and for that I am sorry.
I would recommend picking up Conversations On Love, in which Dolly also contributed. And for memoirs I really appreciated: Educated (Tara Westover), I'm Glad My Mom Died (Jennette McCurdy), Taste: My Life Through Food (Stanley Tucci) and Finding Me (Viola Davis).
But (and there is a massive big but with this book for me), the overall tone of the book just made it very difficult for me to either love Dolly or to appreciate any of her stories. The excessive drinking and the egocentric attitude in her relationships with her friends (and not in her teen years, but as a 20-something) made her seem bratty and self-indulgent in my eyes. The satirical e-mails in between chapters definitely emphasized Alderton's ability to write (I liked her writing well enough), and though I also understood the recipes she included, with the naggy tone of her stories and the satirical tone of the e-mails, they felt out of place to me.
Perhaps it is because I don't have a close group of girlfriends that are my whole world, or because I am not single, or because I had a very different upbringing that the book didn't resonate with me. But alas. Personally, though I do consider the message of friendship evolving and that being ok an important one for people to read about and learn, I would expect a memoir to reflect on bigger personal growth or a truly outstanding story. This was not that for me, and for that I am sorry.
I would recommend picking up Conversations On Love, in which Dolly also contributed. And for memoirs I really appreciated: Educated (Tara Westover), I'm Glad My Mom Died (Jennette McCurdy), Taste: My Life Through Food (Stanley Tucci) and Finding Me (Viola Davis).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
gzaborski's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
I cannot wait to reread this book again in a few years. Discusses issues of self-image, dependency, growth, friendship, and of course love. Made me remember what I have ahead of me at age 23 and for that I’m grateful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Eating disorder, Cancer, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Drug use
breenareads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Alcohol, Sexual content, Drug use, and Cursing
Moderate: Cancer and Death
ciwanski's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
A real life Bridget Jones, Dolly Alderton shares her heart and soul (and the shadows between them) in an astoundingly honest and relatable way.
I felt so understood by this memoir and found myself laughing and crying throughout. Her depiction of female friendship is so accurate and I can’t help but hate her (in a jealous, admiring way) for having so much of it.
Her language is candid and easy going. As a novel where so many stories are set in bars having conversations with strangers or friends, so too do you feel like you’re sitting at the bar having Dolly share her life story with you. At least for me, it felt like a two way conversation with lots of nods, “mhms,” and reminiscing on my own life experiences.
I highly recommend this to all 20 something year old women — especially to the single ones.
I felt so understood by this memoir and found myself laughing and crying throughout. Her depiction of female friendship is so accurate and I can’t help but hate her (in a jealous, admiring way) for having so much of it.
Her language is candid and easy going. As a novel where so many stories are set in bars having conversations with strangers or friends, so too do you feel like you’re sitting at the bar having Dolly share her life story with you. At least for me, it felt like a two way conversation with lots of nods, “mhms,” and reminiscing on my own life experiences.
I highly recommend this to all 20 something year old women — especially to the single ones.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder and Alcoholism
Moderate: Cancer, Drug use, Death, and Sexual content