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A review by bookgirllife
Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
everything I know about love was everything I needed right now and more. I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect to love this book that much beforehand. I expected to like it, but reading this book was such a moving experience, I fell head over heel in love. This book felt like a conversation with a close friend about life. Dolly Alderton is humorous, candid, and brilliant.
Alderton’s writing is accessible, witty, and intentionally emotive. She uses tone and language to express the simultaneous beauty and darkness of growing up and being a woman in her 20s. I underlined so many eloquently worded quotes that perfectly describe love, loss, and loneliness.
Alderton’s writing is accessible, witty, and intentionally emotive. She uses tone and language to express the simultaneous beauty and darkness of growing up and being a woman in her 20s. I underlined so many eloquently worded quotes that perfectly describe love, loss, and loneliness.
Alderton’s stories almost always end with a thinly veiled, sometimes entirely naked, messages and advices that the reader probably could’ve deduced for themselves, but it is a characteristic of her experience writing an advice column in The Sunday Times Style.
everything I know about love is a depiction of growing pains. It is an ode to friendship. The book tackles love is various forms, as well as mental health, eating disorders, death, and heartbreak. It had more heaviness in it than I expected, but those were my favourite chapters. I nearly cried on the train while reading ‘Florence’. Alderton holds on punches with her honesty. She bares her heart in these pages. The themes of loss and insecurity added so much dimension to this memoir. It showcases a life lived and the lesson learned from her many different experiences.I particularly related to her in feeling like we’re falling behind and our friends are outgrowing us (even though they aren’t actually). I loved her recognition of confusing intensity with intimacy. Reading that line took my breath away.
If you’re approaching your 20s, particularly if you live in the UK, this book is an absolutely essential read. It’s a lifeline that I wished I had when I was first entering adulthood. The later chapters are life lessons that I will be taking away with me and revisiting as needed. Because I will need it. There will be times in my life to come when I feel lonely, confused, or overwhelmed and this book will make me feel seen. It already has. I think that’s the many take away of everything I know about love. It is a book that I found comfort in. I can’t wait to read more of Alderton’s work in the near future.
everything I know about love is a depiction of growing pains. It is an ode to friendship. The book tackles love is various forms, as well as mental health, eating disorders, death, and heartbreak. It had more heaviness in it than I expected, but those were my favourite chapters. I nearly cried on the train while reading ‘Florence’. Alderton holds on punches with her honesty. She bares her heart in these pages. The themes of loss and insecurity added so much dimension to this memoir. It showcases a life lived and the lesson learned from her many different experiences.
If you’re approaching your 20s, particularly if you live in the UK, this book is an absolutely essential read. It’s a lifeline that I wished I had when I was first entering adulthood. The later chapters are life lessons that I will be taking away with me and revisiting as needed. Because I will need it. There will be times in my life to come when I feel lonely, confused, or overwhelmed and this book will make me feel seen. It already has. I think that’s the many take away of everything I know about love. It is a book that I found comfort in. I can’t wait to read more of Alderton’s work in the near future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Death, Alcohol, and Drug use
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Grief