A review by anjh
Different, Not Less: A Neurodivergent's Guide to Embracing Your True Self and Finding Your Happily Ever After by Chloé Hayden

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted sad medium-paced

5.0

if only i’d read this book when i was a child or teenager who was autistic but just didn’t know it yet because of the stupid stereotypical ableist portrayal of autism in the media - usually as highly unempathetic straight white men who have special interests in science, maths and trains (a bit of a generalisation, but the media portrayal of autism still has a long way to go).
chloé hayden is so welcoming, accepting and calming and her writing is exactly the same with the addition of humour. this book is both informative from a general perspective and individual perspective with UP TO DATE statistics and information written from an autistic/ADHD perspective, by an autistic/ADHD author and it isn’t often you find something like that. there were so many parts in this that i could relate to and made me feel so seen and heard. 
this book really puts the idea out that whatever you’re into, whoever you are, whatever your story is, you matter just as much as anyone else and you are loved just as much as anyone else and any unique parts of your identity (i.e., seemingly “obscure” interests, etc) are nothing to be ashamed of and nothing short of something that makes you human and that is beautiful. 
i love you chloé.
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