Sian Ní Chinnéide

I’m Full Of Myself

Apparently. 

Or at least, according to the opinion of a random stranger.

Here’s what happened:

I was in a cute little book store by my house one day- minding my own business, looking for my next read. As I was passing My Year of Rest and Relaxation (the best book EVER), I overheard two people discussing it.

So I eavesdrop. Obvs.

"Have you read this?"

"Yeah. I don't know.. I found it a little.. 

*scoffs*

self-involved."


Well. I. Never.

What do you mean? You weren't transfixed by the "women vs the void" style of narration? You didn't find the narrator's character flaws amazingly refreshing?

WHAT DO YOU MEAAAAAN!!!!

Just kidding. 

Listen, I understand MYORAR is a book that carries a lot of controversial opinions. In fact, it seems to be a book that's mostly hated. Not only for being "self-involved", but for:


Being about another rich white woman acting spoilt and obnoxious

Lacking substance

Not being dark and disturbing enough

Having a "catty" narrator


And more and more and more.

Here's what I think:



For most of those critiques I'm just kinda like..

Yeah. That's the point.

"Being about another rich white woman acting spoilt and obnoxious"- Yes. Exactly... ? I don't understand why a trope is bad because it's done a lot. Take enemies to lovers- that has been done and done and done again and people never get tired of it. I think because this trope is about an inherently unlikeable person it's supposed to be bad. But like, if it's a trope you genuinely enjoy reading about.. the more the merrier, no?

"Not being dark and disturbing enough"- 
This one is a funny one because the argument is that, because the main character is out of it for most of the book it can't get super distressing. Basically, because she's barely feeling anything it barely conveys anything.

Umm.. isn't the fact that she's drugged herself TO THAT LEVEL the disturbing part?!

I've been depressed, anxious, in a really fucking bad way. I've never had the desire to do anything CLOSE to what she did. That's why it's so fascinating to me. Like how bad must she have been mentally to get to that point?

And the "catty" thing.. we can get into the ethics of if this review would exist had the narrator been a man.. but it's been said thousands of times before. What I will say is, again:

Yeah. That's the point.

I have a hard time understanding these reviews as anything but being written by people who just don't like this style of book. 

And that's fine! But I don't go around saying The Hobbit is a waste of time because personally, it bores me to tears.

It's just not for me.

And yeah, people are entitled to write whatever the fuck kinda reviews they want. Free world etc etc etc. There have been many moments when a negative review has saved me from wasting money on a book I would have hated. So you know what, let the haters hate.

The self-involved comment just made me bitter for a sec OKAY?!
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