A review by tmackell
Alphabetical Diaries by Sheila Heti

4.0

very cool, very novel, very '60s sort of don't give a fuck, experimental project especially the first half or so. Captures that thrill of reading bits of your girlfriend's diary when she leaves the room..... not that I ever did that sort of thing.... but then kinda starts to show itself as being a lil curated and gets a lil boring because of that... understandably so though! A lot to ask for this to be any more raw than it already is. Definitely took pictures of several pages in that first half, would've underlined or dog-eared but I was borrowing it. And also obviously as you get towards the end of the alphabet you're going to get less and less.... Interesting though! kinda dilutes her whole style and project in an arbitrary way, reflecting how she seems to be feeling about it all anyway. still would probably rather read a more intentionally structured sort of book from her, as in she is choosing the ordering and storytelling aspects of it, not just letting the alphabet do some work (I recognize tho that through editing this structuring is probably at least somewhat intentional....). But she's already done that many times! So, But would I really rather that?? maybe not. maybe autofiction has run its course so to speak and this is an apotheosis of that sentiment.... maybe this review is in alphabetical order idk read it back.... :0