A review by teyrna
Alone with You in the Ether by Olivie Blake

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

first five star read of 2023! as someone suffering from a personality disorder, this book is special to me. it resonated with me in a way that non-fantasy books rarely do. and though a lot of the criticism surrounding this book talks about how “toxic” regan and aldo’s relationship was, i can’t truly bring myself to see it that way.

people suffering from mood and personality disorders often struggle with their self-image and their relationships. some of us out here will struggle for life — there simply is no cure. you have to manage it everyday, and the people you love will have to see your ups and downs as they come. 

this book gave us a peek into what it could look like, to love someone who has a “broken brain”. how it’s not always easy, how it can be frustrating, how it takes a lot of hard work on both ends. regan and aldo both have their own demons, but love did prevail. the ending to their story is beautifully hopeful, and somewhere out their in a strand of the multiverse, i would like to believe that they are living happily ever after, despite the challenges that life and its multitude of complications must be throwing their way.

olivie blake, you are a real one for writing this beautiful, beautiful story. thank you.