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I have so many notes to go through, but, for now I will say: this is some of Emily’s most beautiful writing. It is heartfelt and poignant. It is reflective and brutal and honest. It is tragedy and love, humour and regret.
I related to so many of these characters in different ways, from Alice’s insecurity around her mother’s feelings towards her to Hayden’s perfectionism and fear of being himself. Very real fears of me were reflected in this book, the anxiety around bringing children into this world which is cruel and dangerous and difficult.
There are things I’d love to know more about, particularly surrounding the outcome of the
I’m already raring for a reread, and I obviously need to listen to the audiobook but, for now, I leave you with some of my favourite quotes presented with absolutely no context:
“If that’s what I meant, then that’s what I would’ve said.”
“Stone-cold sober and he looks almost as drunk as I feel.”
“What if they have to care for me, for years, after I’ve stopped calling them by their nicknames or telling them I love them?”
“I don’t do this.”
“I do.”
“Fine. I do too.”
“This doesn’t have to be the greatest tragedy to ever befall anyone. It doesn’t even have to be the worst thing that’s ever happened to you.”
“Like I swallowed the sun. Like it’s breaking up every bit of darkness inside me.”
“Maybe every bit of heartbreak in life can be rearranged and used for something beautiful.”
Also, huge shout out to the Pole of Inaccessibility, which is where my heart resides most of the time.
Minor: Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Stalking, Death of parent
Minor: Medical content, Car accident, Pregnancy
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy
The romance part of the book was the least satisfying part for me; it fell a bit flat. I love a slow burn and I feel like generally speaking, Emily Henry does a great job at building tension and yearning between the love interests. There was a bit too much instant chemistry for me in this book. I liked Alice and Hayden's relationship fine, I just didn't feel it in the same way that I have with other books. However, the story and relationship between Margaret and Alice was stunning. I absolutely loved the way they interacted, the way Alice told Margaret's story, and the way they helped each other progress.
Overall, I really loved the book. It made me laugh and cry, and I fell in love with Alice and Margaret both. I did not see the big twist coming and it was so satisfying to find out what was really going on. The ending had me in tears in the best possible way.
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Sexual assault
Minor: Dementia
Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Chronic illness, Sexual content, Car accident
Minor: Cursing, Pregnancy
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Death
Minor: Confinement, Drug use, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Pregnancy, Abandonment
This place was, in fact, doing too much.
Graphic: Death, Death of parent
Moderate: Mental illness, Pregnancy
Minor: Alcohol
Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Car accident
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol
Minor: Animal death
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Car accident
Minor: Pregnancy
Moderate: Animal death, Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Classism