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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
i see a lot of myself in gilda which is very sad but also reminds me to be gentle with myself and id like to thank emily austin for that. this character means so much to me.
London I think you’d like this.
Girl goes casually insane.
Girl goes casually insane.
This was solid. I love how it just keeps building the tension up and up and up. What a mess.
Damn this was really beautiful and I can tell well researched about the church. Lines of liturgy and feast days describing points in time took me back to my childhood. Nice to read an anxious monologue to know youre not alone in all the fears you have of the world.
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
I appreciated the main character's struggle and how mental illness is portrayed. It's not pleasant reading about her poor choices, buried feelings, and constant dread. But it feels realistic. I found myself in some of Gilda's thoughts.
It's always been hard for me to feel happy. I think the triggers that prompt my brain to transmit happy chemicals are broken.
Unfortunately, the plot fell at the final reveal. It was incredibly disappointing to see it "solved" with such a stupid plot convenience.
Literally, no one in that office figured it would be a good idea to clean out the desk for the new hire to see this stupid note? It didn't sound like it was well hidden! Why?!
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Gilda stresses me out - so glad she’s at least funny lol
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I also had a bunny who I found dead when I was 10. RIP, Oreo.
This book was a very-needed reminder that we are deeply lovable even (especially?) at our worst.
This book was also a welcome reminder that Catholic ritual is weird and exclusionary and the perfect expansion pack for anyone whose parents never validated their pain. Bonus: It brought me back to 8th grade Stations of the Cross when my gay best friend played Jesus and I played Mary Magdeline (lol) and carried his watch in my wooden jar of “sacred oils and spices” so he wouldn’t lose it or break the 4th wall by revealing that God wears Guess.
Seriously though, I couldn’t put this down.
This book was a very-needed reminder that we are deeply lovable even (especially?) at our worst.
This book was also a welcome reminder that Catholic ritual is weird and exclusionary and the perfect expansion pack for anyone whose parents never validated their pain. Bonus: It brought me back to 8th grade Stations of the Cross when my gay best friend played Jesus and I played Mary Magdeline (lol) and carried his watch in my wooden jar of “sacred oils and spices” so he wouldn’t lose it or break the 4th wall by revealing that God wears Guess.
Seriously though, I couldn’t put this down.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
I feel like this was overall okay, giving an extra quarter star because I was very touched by the last 20 pages.
A good depiction of mental illness and I found the character generally relatable. I do think some of the events or loops she went in were too far fetched that it brought me out of the reality of Gilda’s world/thoughts.
A good depiction of mental illness and I found the character generally relatable. I do think some of the events or loops she went in were too far fetched that it brought me out of the reality of Gilda’s world/thoughts.
This book will not be for everybody. There's not a lot of action, there's very little mystery and it's mostly the ramblings of the main character which some people may find annoying. I related to the main character Gilda so much. She wasn't raised Catholic but I was, I am now an atheist, I identify as a queer asexual and aromantic, and I have a fear of getting old and dying so I'm constantly thinking about death like the main character. I loved being in the mind of Gilda, I related to pretty much everything she thought. There's not a lot of action but the story moves quickly and the book never dragged for me. If you like character driven stories and constantly being in the mind of a character this book might be for you. I'm definitely going to check out Emily Austin's other works.