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A review by bookwormreflections
No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
50 pages in, I posted on Instagram “please do not sleep on this book”. No One is Talking About This follows an unnamed protagonist who is obsessed with the “portal” and is constantly looking at social media, what’s going on in the world, what everyone else is doing and it's just so overwhelming. The structure mimics this in chunks of text that hop from one subject to another.
In the second part of the book it completely changes into autofiction and there is a linear structure even though it's still in those same easy to read chunks of paragraphs. It draws you in deeper to form connections with the characters as it weaves a heartbreaking plot.
I'm only giving it four stars because in the first part nothing really happens. It's little spots of plot mixed in with powerful concepts and bizarre streams of consciousness. However, the second half slows down and becomes more sensical, highlighting all of the things we're missing by being plugged in all the time and how you really only realise what you're missing when something goes wrong. Tiny moments we take for granted like the sound of music, or feeling the sun on your face, or being kissed by dog. These simple things are so much more important than the collective hivemind of social media and memes.
In the second part of the book it completely changes into autofiction and there is a linear structure even though it's still in those same easy to read chunks of paragraphs. It draws you in deeper to form connections with the characters as it weaves a heartbreaking plot.
I'm only giving it four stars because in the first part nothing really happens. It's little spots of plot mixed in with powerful concepts and bizarre streams of consciousness. However, the second half slows down and becomes more sensical, highlighting all of the things we're missing by being plugged in all the time and how you really only realise what you're missing when something goes wrong. Tiny moments we take for granted like the sound of music, or feeling the sun on your face, or being kissed by dog. These simple things are so much more important than the collective hivemind of social media and memes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Terminal illness, and Child death
Minor: Abortion