I picked up this book with high hopes, having read extracts that promise relatable emotional prose. I didn't see these lines right away there were emotional deep dives into the protagonist's childhood, her dissatisfaction with not being where she wanted to be in her thirties, in comparison to her peers who were either published writers or those who "sold out" for a more profitable lifestyle.
The novel had numerous literature references, as expected, given it is a novel about a writer, which is highly appreciated, but also a whole unfamiliar realm considering my not existent depth of knowledge when it comes to English literature, especially the classical stuff.
Then came the words, that begged to be underlined, the words that felt like my own reflections, my own fears, pain and regrets. The book was not just about the loss of her mother, or the trauma that came in hand with the revelations of her father's character from her childhood, her trail of past lovers, or the fresh throbbing heartbreak. It was more about the picking herself up, despite everything. Amidst the physically numbing anxiety, the perpetual string of tough life decisions and disappointment, she kept going.
Lily King's novel reads like a reminder for everyone who feels like life is happening to them, rather than with them. A reminder to pause, look around, and realize, you already had all the answers, and that life is happening in the moments you put one foot in front of the other, in what seemed to be your worst challenges to date.
To feel like you learned someone's history, ride a roller coaster ride with them and watch them touchdown at the finish line, and reaping the seeds of their hard work, pick up this book. Let it make you feel all these things, and remind you all the pains and privileges of being alive.
17:03 12/10/20
To end I leave you with one of the lines that spoke to me from the book:
"I think of all the people playing roles, getting further and further away from themselves, from what moves them, what stirs them all up inside." p.147
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