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michaelhyn3s 's review for:
Worry
by Alexandra Tanner
Alexandra Tanner’s debut novel, Worry, is a captivating plunge into the chaotic, anxiety riddled lives of two sisters, Jules and Poppy Gold, set in 2019 Brooklyn. The audiobook narration by Helen Laser elevates the experience, her voice perfectly embodying the sharp, deadpan wit and emotional undercurrents of Tanner’s characters. The story unfolds in a delightfully unstructured way much like life itself where seemingly random days weave together, building toward a stark realization that echoes the nihilistic dread some readers may recognize: does anything truly matter?
Tanner’s writing is bold, unique, and unapologetic, blending dark humor with relatable moments of millennial malaise. I found myself laughing at the absurdity of the sisters’ predicaments while nodding in recognition at their struggles particularly the push and pull of their codependent yet fractious bond. The novel’s setting, mere months before the COVID-19 pandemic, adds a layer of eerie prescience. In hindsight, the characters’ worries over jobs, relationships, and a three-legged rescue dog feel trivial against the looming, unspoken upheaval to come, prompting a deeper question: what do we really fret about when “impending doom” might be just around the corner?
Worry excels at capturing the messiness of life and the quiet resilience of sisterhood, even amid constant conflict. The abrupt, chaotic ending mirrors the book’s refusal to tidy up life’s loose ends, which left me a bit unsettled and reflective by design I imagine. Tanner’s fearless approach makes this a standout debut, a darkly funny meditation on anxiety and connection that lingers long after the final page.
Tanner’s writing is bold, unique, and unapologetic, blending dark humor with relatable moments of millennial malaise. I found myself laughing at the absurdity of the sisters’ predicaments while nodding in recognition at their struggles particularly the push and pull of their codependent yet fractious bond. The novel’s setting, mere months before the COVID-19 pandemic, adds a layer of eerie prescience. In hindsight, the characters’ worries over jobs, relationships, and a three-legged rescue dog feel trivial against the looming, unspoken upheaval to come, prompting a deeper question: what do we really fret about when “impending doom” might be just around the corner?
Worry excels at capturing the messiness of life and the quiet resilience of sisterhood, even amid constant conflict. The abrupt, chaotic ending mirrors the book’s refusal to tidy up life’s loose ends, which left me a bit unsettled and reflective by design I imagine. Tanner’s fearless approach makes this a standout debut, a darkly funny meditation on anxiety and connection that lingers long after the final page.