What a Shame - Abigail Bergstrom

Description

There is something wrong with Mathilda.

She's still reeling from the blow of a gut-punch break up and grieving the death of a loved one.
But that's not it.

She's cried all her tears, mastered her crow pose and thrown out every last reminder of him.
But that's not helping.

Concerned that she isn't moving on, Mathilda's friends push her towards a series of increasingly unorthodox remedies.

Until the seams of herself begin to come undone.

Tender, unflinching and blisteringly funny, What a Shame glitters with rage and heartbreak, perfect for fans of Emma Jane Unsworth, Dolly Alderton and Holly Bourne.

Review

I wasn't sure what to make of this book. I was confused at first as Mathilda is talking to someone she addresses as "you". Then I began to realise that the "you" was two different people, which would be correct if this was in your own head, but to read it is a different matter.

Intrigued by what the remedies her friends would go to I pressed on. I wasn't overly convinced of their methods. The last method was a little too out there for me and too many pages were taken up describing it all in detail.

My favourite part of the book is where she befriends Constance an elderly lady who still has opinions on lots of things and I thought worth listening to.

There are a couple of what I deem to be comical episodes, but I didn't find them that funny. Overall I found the book a little depressing and even more so when what I had suspected from the beginning is revealed. There could be some trigger points for some readers.

I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to netgalley for the ARC to review.

Comments

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