A review by hollyd19
Everyone in This Room Will Someday be Dead by Emily Austin

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Gilda, the protagonist, is a late-twenties lesbian atheist who is wildly anxious and awkward. After receiving a flier for mental health services, she ends up at a Catholic church, is mistaken for a job applicant, and is offered the position of secretary. Desperate for work, Gilda accepts, though doing so requires a significant amount of identity masking. She also must learn some of the rhythms of her new setting, which provides its own source of comedy. 

This is a very character-driven novel. Gilda’s worries and thoughts make up the majority of the content — and it’s so very good. What I loved most about it was how real the depictions of anxiety and depression are. I related deeply to her panicky moments as she thought about things like the vastness of the universe and the insanity of skeletons. Austin wrote Gilda’s inner monologues with deftness and humor and humanity all baked in. Kindhearted yet debilitated by both fear & apathy, Gilda makes for a maladroit heroine that must attempt to navigate the world alongside her emotional chaos. 
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