Gender Theory 'A blazing new voice in Scottish fiction'

A very raw, authentic, and emotional novel about a young woman in her mid-20s who feels incredibly lost in her life. It's about friendship, love, queerness, coming of age, endometriosis, mental health struggles, and so much more, and everything touched me deeply. The author's writing style is very unique. She wrote the novel in the second-person perspective and completely avoids quotation marks. Because the chapters are so short and the story is quite fast-paced, the narrative sometimes feels very distant, but at the same time, it's emotionally charged; I can’t quite describe it. I was definitely captivated and very impressed by Docherty's writing style, and I couldn't put the book down. And this, despite the story not having a classic plot arc. No, it's simply told from life, very authentic. We experience significant, beautiful, and painful moments in the nameless protagonist's life, and it touched me emotionally. I do have to admit, though, that the protagonist became less likable to me over time. She loses herself, her life falls apart more and more, and at the same time, she pushes away the few people in her life who still care about her. I really just wanted to shake her, but at the same time, that was also part of why this book captivated me so much. I also found the perspective on living with endometriosis incredibly fascinating and very important. I don’t think this story will leave me anytime soon. Something in me was definitely triggered by it, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys stories about feeling lost in your mid-20s.