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A review by jenrcratsenberg
How to Be Alone: If You Want To, and Even If You Don't by Lane Moore
2.0
1.5 stars.
I’m so upset I paid money for this. I was browsing the bookstore and this had one of those staff reviews under. Which stated some pretty hefty sentences like “everyone needs to read this” type of a thing and so I was like wow ok yeah!
First, this book was not close to anything I expected it to be. Not even a little. To be honest I’m not certain how to eloquently put to words what I read. Because I actually don’t entirely know.
Wtf.
The author must be in her 20s. She just must. I’ll give her a chance to write this over again in her 30s or 40s because I myself, maybe whined a bit in my early 20s about a few similar (more or less similar anyways I didn’t live in a garbage can apt for instance but had my fair share of disturbing childhood experiences). And that’s just what you do in your 20s. Whine about ish.
I am not implying you cannot be wise in your 20s. I know what it’s like to be forced in areas to grow up before others. I get it.
I am NOT saying her pain is not relevant to what what going on in her life. And she has a right to her pain and anger. She suffered immensely. I’m sure her childhood was horrifying (although admitting you make child abuse jokes when young disturbs me). And to be honest it wasn’t the talking about her childhood that bothered me. Why would it? It was this consistent whining about how much easier everyone else in this world has it besides her.
Everyone. Dirt poor? Oh no you don’t suffer like Ms. Moore did. Don’t have enough to own a car or buy gas? Don’t have enough to buy food without gov assistance? Don’t have enough to rent even a crap hole of an apt? No one wants to hire you based on xyz? Oh but your mom loves you! Well, since Ms. Moore is the only one allowed to suffer, you may as well walk on past and take your privilege of mama’s love with you.
But this book was actual poop, for lack of a better term.
Not actual but close enough.
Childhood pain and trauma is not a pissing contest. There are so many people on this planet who are abused. Who go through the hardest and most horrifying things imaginable. Who can write and speak in ways that hold your attention and make you feel empathy and compassion for a suffering soul. Beyond that... There are people with money who suffer in ways I wouldn’t mentally be able to handle I’m sure (ok I totally would but doesn’t mean I want to). Money is not some magic system that allows you to escape pain (I know it’s so shocking) no she didn’t say this to a T but this idea that everyone else in the world lives off 10k a month in their early 20s wasting away like a proper adolescent? As if she was the only person in the world who was forced to live off of 200 dollars a month. Smh.
I’m linking a review here by someone else that basically stole the words right out of my mouth.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2653101883
I gave it 1.5 stars because there were a few times I nodded my head saying yes. A few. Literally three.
I’m so upset I paid money for this. I was browsing the bookstore and this had one of those staff reviews under. Which stated some pretty hefty sentences like “everyone needs to read this” type of a thing and so I was like wow ok yeah!
First, this book was not close to anything I expected it to be. Not even a little. To be honest I’m not certain how to eloquently put to words what I read. Because I actually don’t entirely know.
Wtf.
The author must be in her 20s. She just must. I’ll give her a chance to write this over again in her 30s or 40s because I myself, maybe whined a bit in my early 20s about a few similar (more or less similar anyways I didn’t live in a garbage can apt for instance but had my fair share of disturbing childhood experiences). And that’s just what you do in your 20s. Whine about ish.
I am not implying you cannot be wise in your 20s. I know what it’s like to be forced in areas to grow up before others. I get it.
I am NOT saying her pain is not relevant to what what going on in her life. And she has a right to her pain and anger. She suffered immensely. I’m sure her childhood was horrifying (although admitting you make child abuse jokes when young disturbs me). And to be honest it wasn’t the talking about her childhood that bothered me. Why would it? It was this consistent whining about how much easier everyone else in this world has it besides her.
Everyone. Dirt poor? Oh no you don’t suffer like Ms. Moore did. Don’t have enough to own a car or buy gas? Don’t have enough to buy food without gov assistance? Don’t have enough to rent even a crap hole of an apt? No one wants to hire you based on xyz? Oh but your mom loves you! Well, since Ms. Moore is the only one allowed to suffer, you may as well walk on past and take your privilege of mama’s love with you.
But this book was actual poop, for lack of a better term.
Not actual but close enough.
Childhood pain and trauma is not a pissing contest. There are so many people on this planet who are abused. Who go through the hardest and most horrifying things imaginable. Who can write and speak in ways that hold your attention and make you feel empathy and compassion for a suffering soul. Beyond that... There are people with money who suffer in ways I wouldn’t mentally be able to handle I’m sure (ok I totally would but doesn’t mean I want to). Money is not some magic system that allows you to escape pain (I know it’s so shocking) no she didn’t say this to a T but this idea that everyone else in the world lives off 10k a month in their early 20s wasting away like a proper adolescent? As if she was the only person in the world who was forced to live off of 200 dollars a month. Smh.
I’m linking a review here by someone else that basically stole the words right out of my mouth.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2653101883
I gave it 1.5 stars because there were a few times I nodded my head saying yes. A few. Literally three.