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A review by taliejane
Glitterland by Alexis Hall
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Mini review 📚💗
As I'm brand new to Goodreads, I've decided to start posting short reviews of my favourite books "retrospectively". These are books I loved but where it's been a while since I've read them and so a comprehensive review might need to wait for the reread!
If you've ever asked me what my favourite contemporary romance is, you'll know how special Glitterland is to me 💗📚 The main character's experience of depression and anxiety, but also the shame around suffering from those illnesses and feeling like a burden, immediately spoke to me. Small warning: panic is written extremely realistically and I certainly felt it physically myself as the reader. But the complex experience the mc Ash has of identity and pride and self-loathing...I think will be very relatable to anyone who has ever felt like they were floundering in the sea of their own life.
Darian, the love interest, is a spark of hope (literally, he glitters 💗) in the book. Ash feels awkward about how his friends would usually look down on someone like Darian - a sort of walking Essex stereotype. But what happens when someone with a strict idea of what a valuable person, a person worthy of love and respect, is confronted with unapologetic self-exceptance! With someone living authentically as themselves and ACCEPTING Ash too! Wellllll my favourite book ever happens basically ðŸ˜ðŸ“šðŸ’— It is beautiful and fantastic.
As I'm brand new to Goodreads, I've decided to start posting short reviews of my favourite books "retrospectively". These are books I loved but where it's been a while since I've read them and so a comprehensive review might need to wait for the reread!
If you've ever asked me what my favourite contemporary romance is, you'll know how special Glitterland is to me 💗📚 The main character's experience of depression and anxiety, but also the shame around suffering from those illnesses and feeling like a burden, immediately spoke to me. Small warning: panic is written extremely realistically and I certainly felt it physically myself as the reader. But the complex experience the mc Ash has of identity and pride and self-loathing...I think will be very relatable to anyone who has ever felt like they were floundering in the sea of their own life.
Darian, the love interest, is a spark of hope (literally, he glitters 💗) in the book. Ash feels awkward about how his friends would usually look down on someone like Darian - a sort of walking Essex stereotype. But what happens when someone with a strict idea of what a valuable person, a person worthy of love and respect, is confronted with unapologetic self-exceptance! With someone living authentically as themselves and ACCEPTING Ash too! Wellllll my favourite book ever happens basically ðŸ˜ðŸ“šðŸ’— It is beautiful and fantastic.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness