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Interesting Facts about Space
A fast-paced, hilarious, and ultimately hopeful novel for anyone who has ever worried they might be a terrible person—from the bestselling author of Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead .
Enid is obsessed with space. She can tell you all about black holes and their ability to spaghettify you without batting an eye in fear. Her one major phobia? Bald men. But she tries to keep that one under wraps. When she’s not listening to her favorite true crime podcasts on a loop, she’s serially dating a rotation of women from dating apps. At the same time, she’s trying to forge a new relationship with her estranged half-sisters after the death of her absent father. When she unwittingly plunges into her first serious romantic entanglement, Enid starts to believe that someone is following her.
As her paranoia spirals out of control, Enid must contend with her mounting suspicion that something is seriously wrong with her. Because at the end of the day there’s only one person she can’t outrun—herself.
Brimming with quirky humor, charm, and heart, Interesting Facts about Space effortlessly shows us the power of revealing our secret shames, the most beautifully human parts of us all.
Enid is obsessed with space. She can tell you all about black holes and their ability to spaghettify you without batting an eye in fear. Her one major phobia? Bald men. But she tries to keep that one under wraps. When she’s not listening to her favorite true crime podcasts on a loop, she’s serially dating a rotation of women from dating apps. At the same time, she’s trying to forge a new relationship with her estranged half-sisters after the death of her absent father. When she unwittingly plunges into her first serious romantic entanglement, Enid starts to believe that someone is following her.
As her paranoia spirals out of control, Enid must contend with her mounting suspicion that something is seriously wrong with her. Because at the end of the day there’s only one person she can’t outrun—herself.
Brimming with quirky humor, charm, and heart, Interesting Facts about Space effortlessly shows us the power of revealing our secret shames, the most beautifully human parts of us all.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 30, 2024
About the author
Emily R. Austin
5 books1,870 followersEmily Austin is the author of EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM WILL SOMEDAY BE DEAD, INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT SPACE, GAY GIRL PRAYERS, and WE COULD BE RATS. She currently resides in Ottawa/the territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation.
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April 15, 2022I WANT IT I NEED IT I WILL COMMIT MINOR CRIMES IF I CAN JUST HAVE A COPY OF THIS BOOK IN MY HANDS PLEASE MAY I HAVE IT
March 18, 2024
Before uploading this digital reviewer copy, I checked the book's Goodreads page and witnessed an avalanche of praise! Readers, without even reading it, were ready to trade internal organs for a copy, lauding Emily Austin's writing. I wondered why I hadn't delved into her work before, especially since the blurb resonated with me—quirky, peculiar, addicted to true crime podcasts, and grappling with a dysfunctional relationship with her mother. It felt like the author had written a book about me, and I wanted to ensure she hadn't spilled too many of my secrets.
Diving into the book, I soon realized that all the accolades fell short of capturing the brilliance of this novel. It has swiftly claimed a spot in my top five fictions of the year, and while voting for the Goodreads Choice Awards may be a tad premature, this book might have ruined me for others. It's exceptional, intelligent, mind-blowing, engaging, and takes your emotions on a rollercoaster of highs and lows. It's simultaneously sad and entertaining, unearthing complex emotions I didn't know I was grappling with.
Enter Enid—a 26-year-old, queer, randomly dating via apps, one-of-a-kind individual, probably on the spectrum, dealing with her inner demons in unconventional ways, mostly paranoid, and working in a space center with encyclopedic knowledge about space, which she loves sharing with her mom.
Her list of grievances includes:
Her father.
Gina: the woman her father left her mother for, starting another family.
Kids who were mean to her in elementary school.
All bald men: an unhealthy phobia with no known reason.
Anyone she loaned a pen to who didn't return it.
People who don't like cats.
A lady who spoke to her for an hour without telling her there was something in her teeth.
Men on the "women interested in women" side of dating apps.
Her landlord and all landlords, who keep texting her not to have a pet in her apartment, even though she doesn't have one!
Married people who try to date her.
People who get on public transportation before waiting for others to get off first.
Her habits include listening to murder stories, having casual lesbian sex, and telling her mom interesting facts about space. However, her routine takes a turn when her date's wife, Polly, shows up at her door crying. Enid lets her in, giving her a bath and offering a shoulder to cry on. This unconventional meeting sparks an unexpected connection, but Enid also becomes wary of someone breaking into her apartment and stalking her. Is it Polly's ex, her obsessive landlord, or her new bald neighbor? Why is she afraid of bald people, and what deeper fears is she avoiding?
Enid's journey to normalcy involves connecting with her half-sisters amid Gina's sarcastic comments, pushing her further into her shell. She must explore and confront her fears, unlocking the possibility of being loved in return.
Overall, it's a mind-blowing, perfect read that I wholeheartedly recommend. I'm thrilled to have discovered another brilliant, auto-approved author.
A heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for sharing this fantastic book's digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
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Diving into the book, I soon realized that all the accolades fell short of capturing the brilliance of this novel. It has swiftly claimed a spot in my top five fictions of the year, and while voting for the Goodreads Choice Awards may be a tad premature, this book might have ruined me for others. It's exceptional, intelligent, mind-blowing, engaging, and takes your emotions on a rollercoaster of highs and lows. It's simultaneously sad and entertaining, unearthing complex emotions I didn't know I was grappling with.
Enter Enid—a 26-year-old, queer, randomly dating via apps, one-of-a-kind individual, probably on the spectrum, dealing with her inner demons in unconventional ways, mostly paranoid, and working in a space center with encyclopedic knowledge about space, which she loves sharing with her mom.
Her list of grievances includes:
Her father.
Gina: the woman her father left her mother for, starting another family.
Kids who were mean to her in elementary school.
All bald men: an unhealthy phobia with no known reason.
Anyone she loaned a pen to who didn't return it.
People who don't like cats.
A lady who spoke to her for an hour without telling her there was something in her teeth.
Men on the "women interested in women" side of dating apps.
Her landlord and all landlords, who keep texting her not to have a pet in her apartment, even though she doesn't have one!
Married people who try to date her.
People who get on public transportation before waiting for others to get off first.
Her habits include listening to murder stories, having casual lesbian sex, and telling her mom interesting facts about space. However, her routine takes a turn when her date's wife, Polly, shows up at her door crying. Enid lets her in, giving her a bath and offering a shoulder to cry on. This unconventional meeting sparks an unexpected connection, but Enid also becomes wary of someone breaking into her apartment and stalking her. Is it Polly's ex, her obsessive landlord, or her new bald neighbor? Why is she afraid of bald people, and what deeper fears is she avoiding?
Enid's journey to normalcy involves connecting with her half-sisters amid Gina's sarcastic comments, pushing her further into her shell. She must explore and confront her fears, unlocking the possibility of being loved in return.
Overall, it's a mind-blowing, perfect read that I wholeheartedly recommend. I'm thrilled to have discovered another brilliant, auto-approved author.
A heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for sharing this fantastic book's digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium.com
May 8, 2024
This one is for the ones who have to mask in everyday conversations, the ones who have constant paranoia about everything from accidentally saying the wrong thing to being murdered, the ones who continually do things that they know are bad for them and maybe not completely ethical, the ones who spent their middle school through college masking so people would like them and are now trying to pick up the pieces of who they are and put them back together. This one was for me and if any of what I said sounds like you, this one is for you too.
“I want to be the type of frozen asteroid that is burned up by a star, and never creates crates in the moon or kills of the dinosaurs.”
After feeling relatively lukewarm about Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead (a book I thought I would fall in love with), I went into Interesting Facts About Space cautious yet hopeful. The first page feels like a bit of a bold start as I was dropped right into the true crime podcast that Enid was listening to while she ran her errands. Here is where you, my dear friends, learn something about me: I hate true crime. I had a phase when I was a kid way too young to be listening to it (I think that is partially why I’m so paranoid all the time) and I have a lot of issues concerning how true crime is handled in pretty much every form of media – with podcasts being the top offender for me. So yeah, rough start having to read a bunch of true crime stuff. All that to say I can’t exactly say I was hooked by page one, but let me tell you when page two came around so did I. (and if I’m giving a book where I have to read true crime stuff 5 stars, it deserves it).
“I spent a lot of time growing up trying to seem normal. Sometimes I worry I neglected doing the internal work most people do while they’re developing; I was too preoccupied camouflaging. I think I might be stunted because of it. I think I missed a step.”
Enid is a neurodivergent lesbian with rat tattoos, or rattoos (we are three for three for things we have in common so far) who works at the Canadian Space Agency, has a phobia of bald men, and is deaf in one ear, leading to quite a few unpleasant encounters with people yelling at her. All at once a dating app hookup has some serious consequences, she becomes convinced someone is breaking into her apartment, a coworker at work becomes a very big stressor, and her half-sisters and stepmom are making an effort to include her more as a family member. I would almost venture to call this a “slice of life” novel if that life includes a base level of paranoia, anxiety, and phobias of bald men. We follow Enid as she navigates new and old social situations, oftentimes overthinking. Emily Austin is really incredible at eliciting very strong emotions while writing about relatively simple things. In Interesting Facts About Space we don’t see much of a plot, but we see so much depth in these characters and their interactions. Everyone is flawed, but everyone is loveable. There are so many casually devastating insights on the people Enid is close to that my heart was genuinely just hurting too much for them to think negatively of them (well except one person who does suck, but they are homophobic so it’s a bit different). There are misunderstandings and miscommunications but there are happy nights where Enid can truly be relaxed with people she loves. (I am not going into the majority of these people because I think that they are best kept as surprises, but the love interest is one of my favorite characters in general. Despite her flaws, I was so in love with her.)
“I want to linger here in the in-between, half made, in some permanent adolescence, forever. I don’t ever want to become my full self.”
“I managed to overcome aspiring to appear normal but never really figured out what I should aspire to be.”
Reading this book consisted of a lot of me thinking “damn, I’ve never had an original thought in my life” which is honestly quite comforting, especially when it comes to thoughts about how you wish you could shed away your layers of rot and become anyone else. Enid stifles herself continually, preventing any growth, because of this deep-rooted fear that nothing she will output into the world will ever be good. This makes her incredibly avoidant in every single type of relationship imaginable because she is so scared of being too weird or actually being evil and tricking everyone into liking her. She is such a realistic and painful character, and you can really tell that Austin is writing from experience.
There’s one point where Enid reflects; “I wish I could have one nice interaction with everyone and then disappear.” and oh my god I just wanted to scream “Yes! Exactly!” Austin nails writing about how absolutely terrifying interactions are and how somehow they manage to be worse the more you know someone because the stakes seem to get higher if you do the wrong thing. And who is to say what the wrong thing is? Not me nor Enid, but we'll be overthinking about it in a corner somewhere probably. It is such a pleasure to be able to see someone else have similar thoughts to you. One of my favorite parts of the book was seeing how learning about other people’s experiences and seeing how discussing shared experiences can help shift the perspective a bit and lessen the load. Seeing solidarity in someone else can allow someone to gain the courage to take next steps, even if that next step is just accepting that you aren't the weirdest/worst person in the world and that everyone makes similar mistakes as you - we're all only human after all.
“ ‘Are you okay?’ I ask.
‘Yes,’ she says. ‘I’m fine. I just wondered if you have any interesting facts about space?’ ”
Whenever Enid feels like she is doing something that would “betray” her mother, she calls her and tells her an interesting fact about space. Through this simple act, a window is opened into the depth of their relationship dynamic that feels bittersweet. While she seems incredibly close to her mom, there is a lot of guilt there that stems from having a suicidal parent and not knowing exactly what could set her off. Every happy moment we see between them is immediately juxtaposed with an incredibly sad moment or realization. There is a tenderness to the relationship that shows a genuine love, but there is also this distance created from Enid’s need to make sure that her mom never feels worried about her or feels like her issues impaired Enid’s development. There is one line she says about her and her friend Vin’s mothers that sums up ; “The reality of having mothers like ours is that the only possible reprieve from worrying about finding them dead is them dying.” There’s always that fear. If you lash out because of something negative that happened in your childhood or interact with someone they may not like, you immediately have to reign in those emotions and go into “take care of mom” because as soon as the door to her room slams you have no idea if what you said was enough to put her in a state that she’d try to do something to herself again. It’s terrifying, but it’s also exhausting. I found this aspect to be handled incredibly well here, allowing me to understand the trauma her mom put her through while still sympathizing and loving her mom.
“I will never understand how my dad could stand in the glow of my mom, as if an inch from a star, and be unmoved by her formidable light. It has been devastating to watch her fade in response to him.”
I love Enid’s mom and I especially love how Austin portrays her. There’s a lot of stuff done really well in this book, but the mother-daughter relationship takes the cake. Austin has a way of writing these incredibly nuanced and flawed characters in a way that really makes you feel for and understand them and their actions. There is a perfect (and very realistic) mix of heartbreaking and heartwarming moments with this relationship. I probably cried the most while reading about the mother-daughter relationship. It was probably my favorite relationship explored. I don’t know how to describe except as raw and real.
“I never want to cut myself open, though. In fact, I would rather be sealed shut. I’d rather be treated like a cursed tomb and have every orifice in my body cemented.”
I can’t call this the best book I’ve ever read, and maybe it’s a new favorite solely because of how much I was able to relate to Enid, but this book managed to make me feel anxious and comforted – often at the same time – and is so special in how raw it is. I already want to reread this because of the level of comfort I felt while reading it. This five-star rating feels a lot more personal than my others. The content isn’t necessarily five-star worthy, but the emotions it elicited from me are. Though they aren’t really similar, the two pieces of media I’ve ever really felt this way about are Dead Poets Society and It’s Only Life by the Shins so this automatically gets 5 stars for being the embodiment of a warm, comforting hug for me. Also, this is my Goodreads so I can just rate things however I want. Everything is arbitrary, nothing is real. I love this book so much. Please read it for me (please 💗).
“‘Enid?’
‘Yes?’
‘What else do you know about space?’
I clear my throat. ‘Well, space is how we could see back in time. If we could travel faster than light, and if Earth gave off enough of it, and we had some innovative telescope, that is how we could see our past. We could look back and see the dinosaurs. We could watch the meteor hit.’
‘That’s incredible, wow. Though I think I would rather watch the time when you were a little girl. I’d prefer not to see the dinosaurs die.’ ”
Since writing this review I have learned that this book was loosely inspired by Souvenir by boygenius. Another very good reason to read this book... I'm just sayin'.
“I want to be the type of frozen asteroid that is burned up by a star, and never creates crates in the moon or kills of the dinosaurs.”
After feeling relatively lukewarm about Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead (a book I thought I would fall in love with), I went into Interesting Facts About Space cautious yet hopeful. The first page feels like a bit of a bold start as I was dropped right into the true crime podcast that Enid was listening to while she ran her errands. Here is where you, my dear friends, learn something about me: I hate true crime. I had a phase when I was a kid way too young to be listening to it (I think that is partially why I’m so paranoid all the time) and I have a lot of issues concerning how true crime is handled in pretty much every form of media – with podcasts being the top offender for me. So yeah, rough start having to read a bunch of true crime stuff. All that to say I can’t exactly say I was hooked by page one, but let me tell you when page two came around so did I. (and if I’m giving a book where I have to read true crime stuff 5 stars, it deserves it).
“I spent a lot of time growing up trying to seem normal. Sometimes I worry I neglected doing the internal work most people do while they’re developing; I was too preoccupied camouflaging. I think I might be stunted because of it. I think I missed a step.”
Enid is a neurodivergent lesbian with rat tattoos, or rattoos (we are three for three for things we have in common so far) who works at the Canadian Space Agency, has a phobia of bald men, and is deaf in one ear, leading to quite a few unpleasant encounters with people yelling at her. All at once a dating app hookup has some serious consequences, she becomes convinced someone is breaking into her apartment, a coworker at work becomes a very big stressor, and her half-sisters and stepmom are making an effort to include her more as a family member. I would almost venture to call this a “slice of life” novel if that life includes a base level of paranoia, anxiety, and phobias of bald men. We follow Enid as she navigates new and old social situations, oftentimes overthinking. Emily Austin is really incredible at eliciting very strong emotions while writing about relatively simple things. In Interesting Facts About Space we don’t see much of a plot, but we see so much depth in these characters and their interactions. Everyone is flawed, but everyone is loveable. There are so many casually devastating insights on the people Enid is close to that my heart was genuinely just hurting too much for them to think negatively of them (well except one person who does suck, but they are homophobic so it’s a bit different). There are misunderstandings and miscommunications but there are happy nights where Enid can truly be relaxed with people she loves. (I am not going into the majority of these people because I think that they are best kept as surprises, but the love interest is one of my favorite characters in general. Despite her flaws, I was so in love with her.)
“I want to linger here in the in-between, half made, in some permanent adolescence, forever. I don’t ever want to become my full self.”
“I managed to overcome aspiring to appear normal but never really figured out what I should aspire to be.”
Reading this book consisted of a lot of me thinking “damn, I’ve never had an original thought in my life” which is honestly quite comforting, especially when it comes to thoughts about how you wish you could shed away your layers of rot and become anyone else. Enid stifles herself continually, preventing any growth, because of this deep-rooted fear that nothing she will output into the world will ever be good. This makes her incredibly avoidant in every single type of relationship imaginable because she is so scared of being too weird or actually being evil and tricking everyone into liking her. She is such a realistic and painful character, and you can really tell that Austin is writing from experience.
There’s one point where Enid reflects; “I wish I could have one nice interaction with everyone and then disappear.” and oh my god I just wanted to scream “Yes! Exactly!” Austin nails writing about how absolutely terrifying interactions are and how somehow they manage to be worse the more you know someone because the stakes seem to get higher if you do the wrong thing. And who is to say what the wrong thing is? Not me nor Enid, but we'll be overthinking about it in a corner somewhere probably. It is such a pleasure to be able to see someone else have similar thoughts to you. One of my favorite parts of the book was seeing how learning about other people’s experiences and seeing how discussing shared experiences can help shift the perspective a bit and lessen the load. Seeing solidarity in someone else can allow someone to gain the courage to take next steps, even if that next step is just accepting that you aren't the weirdest/worst person in the world and that everyone makes similar mistakes as you - we're all only human after all.
“ ‘Are you okay?’ I ask.
‘Yes,’ she says. ‘I’m fine. I just wondered if you have any interesting facts about space?’ ”
Whenever Enid feels like she is doing something that would “betray” her mother, she calls her and tells her an interesting fact about space. Through this simple act, a window is opened into the depth of their relationship dynamic that feels bittersweet. While she seems incredibly close to her mom, there is a lot of guilt there that stems from having a suicidal parent and not knowing exactly what could set her off. Every happy moment we see between them is immediately juxtaposed with an incredibly sad moment or realization. There is a tenderness to the relationship that shows a genuine love, but there is also this distance created from Enid’s need to make sure that her mom never feels worried about her or feels like her issues impaired Enid’s development. There is one line she says about her and her friend Vin’s mothers that sums up ; “The reality of having mothers like ours is that the only possible reprieve from worrying about finding them dead is them dying.” There’s always that fear. If you lash out because of something negative that happened in your childhood or interact with someone they may not like, you immediately have to reign in those emotions and go into “take care of mom” because as soon as the door to her room slams you have no idea if what you said was enough to put her in a state that she’d try to do something to herself again. It’s terrifying, but it’s also exhausting. I found this aspect to be handled incredibly well here, allowing me to understand the trauma her mom put her through while still sympathizing and loving her mom.
“I will never understand how my dad could stand in the glow of my mom, as if an inch from a star, and be unmoved by her formidable light. It has been devastating to watch her fade in response to him.”
I love Enid’s mom and I especially love how Austin portrays her. There’s a lot of stuff done really well in this book, but the mother-daughter relationship takes the cake. Austin has a way of writing these incredibly nuanced and flawed characters in a way that really makes you feel for and understand them and their actions. There is a perfect (and very realistic) mix of heartbreaking and heartwarming moments with this relationship. I probably cried the most while reading about the mother-daughter relationship. It was probably my favorite relationship explored. I don’t know how to describe except as raw and real.
“I never want to cut myself open, though. In fact, I would rather be sealed shut. I’d rather be treated like a cursed tomb and have every orifice in my body cemented.”
I can’t call this the best book I’ve ever read, and maybe it’s a new favorite solely because of how much I was able to relate to Enid, but this book managed to make me feel anxious and comforted – often at the same time – and is so special in how raw it is. I already want to reread this because of the level of comfort I felt while reading it. This five-star rating feels a lot more personal than my others. The content isn’t necessarily five-star worthy, but the emotions it elicited from me are. Though they aren’t really similar, the two pieces of media I’ve ever really felt this way about are Dead Poets Society and It’s Only Life by the Shins so this automatically gets 5 stars for being the embodiment of a warm, comforting hug for me. Also, this is my Goodreads so I can just rate things however I want. Everything is arbitrary, nothing is real. I love this book so much. Please read it for me (please 💗).
“‘Enid?’
‘Yes?’
‘What else do you know about space?’
I clear my throat. ‘Well, space is how we could see back in time. If we could travel faster than light, and if Earth gave off enough of it, and we had some innovative telescope, that is how we could see our past. We could look back and see the dinosaurs. We could watch the meteor hit.’
‘That’s incredible, wow. Though I think I would rather watch the time when you were a little girl. I’d prefer not to see the dinosaurs die.’ ”
Since writing this review I have learned that this book was loosely inspired by Souvenir by boygenius. Another very good reason to read this book... I'm just sayin'.
February 22, 2024
i was willing to lose a minor part of the body in exchange for this book. a pinkie toe, or an appendix. something like that.
i didn't have to do that, ultimately, but it would have been worth it.
i could read this author's books about crazy weird damaged people healing and being happy exclusively for the rest of my life and be content.
this was heady and intense and very truly bizarre, and at many points i felt anxious reading it, and it really reminded me why i hate true crime (which is honestly a pro), but all of those ended up being good things. i connected to this story and this protagonist, and this book is very strange and very real and very dark and very fun all at once. while being somewhat less so than the book by this author that i truly love.
but i like all of those things.
bottom line: so weird and that's so good.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
i didn't have to do that, ultimately, but it would have been worth it.
i could read this author's books about crazy weird damaged people healing and being happy exclusively for the rest of my life and be content.
this was heady and intense and very truly bizarre, and at many points i felt anxious reading it, and it really reminded me why i hate true crime (which is honestly a pro), but all of those ended up being good things. i connected to this story and this protagonist, and this book is very strange and very real and very dark and very fun all at once. while being somewhat less so than the book by this author that i truly love.
but i like all of those things.
bottom line: so weird and that's so good.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
July 13, 2023
Emily Austin may be my new favourite author! I truly adored Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead, so when I heard about IFAS, I was so excited. I guess I read IFAS in a day or two because I really gobbled it up. Enid is a Hard of Hearing (HoH) lesbian who works at a space centre and enjoys interesting facts about space. She was raised by a single mother and has reconnected with her two now-adult half sisters with whom she shares a father, with whom she was estranged. Every time she interacts with her half-sisters, she texts her mother with some interesting facts about space.
Enid is also terrified of being stalked by her bald neighbour (she has a phobia of bald men) thus becoming extremely paranoid in her daily life. It doesn't help that she listens to true crime podcasts constantly. I enjoyed the commentary on the true crime obsession and how it can be problematic while also being something that many people (particularly women) find comfort in listening to for a many reasons. This book really has it all and more: Laughs! Lesbians! Deaf/HoH representation! Space! Friendship! Mommy/Daddy issues!
This book has six more months (from when this review is posted) to be born, and it is an Aquarius book baby which is so fitting because the Aquarius’ are gonna LOVE this one (and so will everyone else because it rules). Out January 30, 2024! Thanks to @atria for sending me this one in exchange for an honest review.
Enid is also terrified of being stalked by her bald neighbour (she has a phobia of bald men) thus becoming extremely paranoid in her daily life. It doesn't help that she listens to true crime podcasts constantly. I enjoyed the commentary on the true crime obsession and how it can be problematic while also being something that many people (particularly women) find comfort in listening to for a many reasons. This book really has it all and more: Laughs! Lesbians! Deaf/HoH representation! Space! Friendship! Mommy/Daddy issues!
This book has six more months (from when this review is posted) to be born, and it is an Aquarius book baby which is so fitting because the Aquarius’ are gonna LOVE this one (and so will everyone else because it rules). Out January 30, 2024! Thanks to @atria for sending me this one in exchange for an honest review.
February 11, 2024
PTSD and autism momenttttt
January 22, 2024
I wish there was a return option for BOTM. This was so, so, so terrible. I can’t even put into words - I still don’t even know what the plot was. It was so disjointed and all over the place, trying to be quirky but never quite hitting the mark. I kept waiting for something to happen…and it just didn’t. Awful.
April 9, 2024
It is important to note that most of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the book's subject matters & those detailed in my review overwhelming. I suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters that contain reflections on self-harm, attempted suicide, parental neglect, grief, parental abandonment, mental illness, & others.
There is a particular aspect of fanaticism that renders the make-believe frightful. There is no looming monster under our bed, nor any perched ghoul on the roof. The part of our brain that engages with the imagery of these tales utilizes its power to remind us that the scales & oozing secretions could be present; they could become real threats, if, at any point, the brain decides upon a narrative shift. In a world where there are no fantastic beasts, we rely on the sharpened edges of stories, crafted from the sedentary troubles of terrible humans to rivulet the dark of night & send us tormented under folded sheets.
The experiences of those around us shape the world in which we live, without our realizing that the craftsman’s hands are ailed. When the reader is introduced to Enid she is painted with crusted colours. The main character of this book is insecure; she has no fixture; she is on the precipice of snapping; she is uncertain. Like in many of the books I have enjoyed reading, the author has offered a morsel of time for the reader to masticate. Enid’s insecurity is an Everest, making her person fragile porcelain where once she was a stone.
When Enid was young her life became a secret. It is never very pleasant to speak on things that hurt us & for Enid, her quotidian was filled with gelatinous beasts salivating in every corner. Her father, a man she hardly knew, had a short stint relationship with her mother; they became pregnant; Enid’s existence in the world knew him only as a shadow.
Her father chose to invest his time with a woman who became a mother to two (2) daughters. As the story goes, what was first is now last & by the time it mattered, Enid’s father was dead in the ground & the cacophony of women left behind, responsible for healing the wounds he inflicted.
While reading this book, I was reminded of what it promised me; a story that would comfort readers—the worst thing they had ever done wasn’t so bad. Perhaps it was pessimistic to believe that this story couldn’t achieve what it set out to do. I have been in the world too long to fall prey to the eagerness of what is promised; we are not always so lucky as to see our hopes transform into concrete reality. Rather than take my apprehension personally, this story continued on its course. I am glad that I was allowed along for the ride.
Enid’s life is a strange one & that is not because it is unusual. Rather, Enid’s life is strange because it is palpably tangible. In Enid, I found much of myself & if readers allow for the discomfort of personal recognition, they might too. I can imagine that for Enid, living life in a house that was never a home was difficult, especially because her mother attempted to make it into a place of safety. Yet, both became enshrined by despair; her mother was no match for her mania & Enid, was left alone in the hallways awaiting the latch of the lock holding the bedroom door separating them, in place.
This story deals primarily with mental illness & disorders. Nearly each of the characters is plagued by some form of torment. In this way, Austin has allowed her story to be real. The reality is that many people experience the repercussions of intergenerational trauma; what the reader is faced with in this book is the beginning of what might surely become a long series of pains.
It was admirable to see each woman within this mangled family tree attempt to prevent what they felt could happen. The daughters brought into the world by loving mothers & an angry absent father, offered to each other the promise of comradely. Their efforts were wrought with distress but, most of all, hope.
I was perhaps enamoured with Enid because she experienced much of what I have. Her paranoia & distressing anxiety were home to me in my childhood body & as I grew I became aware that the world was perhaps filled with colours in a palette I could not see with my eyes.
How the author incorporates horrible things into her characters is earnest & I applaud her for that. I am hopeful that that Austin did not live these experiences firsthand hand though, the delicate nature of her storytelling slithers with the possibility that she sees in the dark too. Regardless, her ability to present eager or apprehensive readers will Enid & her life make her an author I will revisit until she decides to write no more; with shelves settled from the stories she held inside.
The exploration of trauma & the denigration of brain matter as a consequence of illness is no easy feat to present. Readers might find themselves utterly upset by the story. It would be entirely acceptable for them to place the book aside, never to weave their hands across its back, ever again.
That is to say; this story is upsetting. Enid is suffering & unable to find her way but, at the same time, she is strong & dangerously forceful in keeping her place in this world. The fact that she climbs through her window to avoid someone, or that she refuses to speak frankly with her mother about her feelings does not dismiss her essence; Enid is a force.
I have written some points relating to Enid’s experiences & the story itself circles these in ways that feel rather trite to recount in a review. I have sat with my thoughts as they relate to this story for some time; what do I think, how do I feel, what is there to say? There are few stories among the thousands that I would simply pass on to others, wanting them rather to read what is written than hear what I have to say.
Austin has a strangely melodramatic way of writing. Her characters are unlikeable & mean; sometimes altogether annoying. Yet, page after page, I could not loosen my grip, because they were human beings too.
The romantic entanglements that took place as a backdrop to the main plot added a layer of dimension that felt authentic. One might relinquish their fear that Austin has simply added lettering for the sake of checking boxes or shades of blue to confuse the sky. Every aspect of this story made sense in that it was relevant.
When Enid sent templated text messages; when she sat in the shower with the person who turned out to be the love of her life; when her mother wore lipstick; & when she thought about space & time; she was Enid & the reader grew to know her as one might any other important person in their life.
Though I have added many sentences of praise, I would not advocate for this book for all readers. I will not shy away from saying that a handful of readers will miss the beauty in this book entirely. I admit that it is not my place to decide for them what is worth their time & what moral they should take away from careful writing. However, it is my place to state that this is a beautiful book. The facet that renders it lovely is the innate & intricate care that the author has brought forth. Readers are lucky to grasp the bind that holds love; the likes of which never disappear for it is in ink & stone.
Where does this leave me & how might I conclude a review that is certainly lacking? While reading this book, I knew that I would not be able to compile all that is of value from this book into a single review. I found Enid’s earnest & tender recollections about special & interesting facts about space familiar & nostalgic.
I wanted to whisper through the pages that life would not be unkind to her forever; tomorrow she would meet the reprieve she surely needed, as I saw it coming down the lines of chapters formatted just for me. Somehow, this experience has left a part of me within the pages.
Humanity is a harsh critic, I will never lie & say that all of my reviews are kind; I have been harsh—nearly cruel in my comparisons & analogies. Words are very important to me. In the silence of hours, the twinkle of the eyes or the breath of a syllable can bring me back to the life I am leading. I have always found books to be among my most precious possessions; the discoveries I cherish like gemstones. When a reader meets a character like Enid whose life is torn apart by what she cannot describe & she is faced with people who cannot see her, the days of existence are very long; I say this from experience.
Austin’s talent for truth & terrible honesty will have readers giggling & gruesomely sad. Enid is an innocent child; an innocent adult; she is an innocent person who placates herself by behaving as a phantom in her life. I cannot fault her for this. She is intelligent & hopeful; she is thoughtful & eager; she tries her best & sometimes, she doesn’t even do that. But above all the mistakes & her horrible incomprehension of existence, Enid remembers the stars & the galaxies & she thinks of them when she wants the people she loves to know that, she is thinking of them too.
The most beautiful thing we have while alive is the knowledge that the entire universe is of its own; we are within it like a beating heart. Enid’s social claustrophobia & transferred revulsion stemming from the shadows in her memory are not cancer to her cells; she has healed in the only way she knows how.
Therefore, I must ask; Who is this story for? Which reader will read the tale of a woman sick from the dark confines inside? Who among us will be eager to know Enid & her flaws? Me.
Ultimately, this is a story about a woman who was once a child in a home where she was scared. Her fear manifested itself into paranoia & a demented sense of self. The loathing murmur of certainty has eaten her alive; no one is seated at the table to witness her cannibalistic demise.
The reader has arrived at what is possibly the most ideal time. The reader will walk through the halls of a silent home, where behind the doors people are crying; terror brooding; rouge wasting; babies growing; the sky darkening; laundry sagging; dishes moulding; & a clock ticking the time passing as though counting down to the final moment when Enid remembers who she is.
Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada, & Emily Austin for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
There is a particular aspect of fanaticism that renders the make-believe frightful. There is no looming monster under our bed, nor any perched ghoul on the roof. The part of our brain that engages with the imagery of these tales utilizes its power to remind us that the scales & oozing secretions could be present; they could become real threats, if, at any point, the brain decides upon a narrative shift. In a world where there are no fantastic beasts, we rely on the sharpened edges of stories, crafted from the sedentary troubles of terrible humans to rivulet the dark of night & send us tormented under folded sheets.
The experiences of those around us shape the world in which we live, without our realizing that the craftsman’s hands are ailed. When the reader is introduced to Enid she is painted with crusted colours. The main character of this book is insecure; she has no fixture; she is on the precipice of snapping; she is uncertain. Like in many of the books I have enjoyed reading, the author has offered a morsel of time for the reader to masticate. Enid’s insecurity is an Everest, making her person fragile porcelain where once she was a stone.
When Enid was young her life became a secret. It is never very pleasant to speak on things that hurt us & for Enid, her quotidian was filled with gelatinous beasts salivating in every corner. Her father, a man she hardly knew, had a short stint relationship with her mother; they became pregnant; Enid’s existence in the world knew him only as a shadow.
Her father chose to invest his time with a woman who became a mother to two (2) daughters. As the story goes, what was first is now last & by the time it mattered, Enid’s father was dead in the ground & the cacophony of women left behind, responsible for healing the wounds he inflicted.
While reading this book, I was reminded of what it promised me; a story that would comfort readers—the worst thing they had ever done wasn’t so bad. Perhaps it was pessimistic to believe that this story couldn’t achieve what it set out to do. I have been in the world too long to fall prey to the eagerness of what is promised; we are not always so lucky as to see our hopes transform into concrete reality. Rather than take my apprehension personally, this story continued on its course. I am glad that I was allowed along for the ride.
Enid’s life is a strange one & that is not because it is unusual. Rather, Enid’s life is strange because it is palpably tangible. In Enid, I found much of myself & if readers allow for the discomfort of personal recognition, they might too. I can imagine that for Enid, living life in a house that was never a home was difficult, especially because her mother attempted to make it into a place of safety. Yet, both became enshrined by despair; her mother was no match for her mania & Enid, was left alone in the hallways awaiting the latch of the lock holding the bedroom door separating them, in place.
This story deals primarily with mental illness & disorders. Nearly each of the characters is plagued by some form of torment. In this way, Austin has allowed her story to be real. The reality is that many people experience the repercussions of intergenerational trauma; what the reader is faced with in this book is the beginning of what might surely become a long series of pains.
It was admirable to see each woman within this mangled family tree attempt to prevent what they felt could happen. The daughters brought into the world by loving mothers & an angry absent father, offered to each other the promise of comradely. Their efforts were wrought with distress but, most of all, hope.
I was perhaps enamoured with Enid because she experienced much of what I have. Her paranoia & distressing anxiety were home to me in my childhood body & as I grew I became aware that the world was perhaps filled with colours in a palette I could not see with my eyes.
How the author incorporates horrible things into her characters is earnest & I applaud her for that. I am hopeful that that Austin did not live these experiences firsthand hand though, the delicate nature of her storytelling slithers with the possibility that she sees in the dark too. Regardless, her ability to present eager or apprehensive readers will Enid & her life make her an author I will revisit until she decides to write no more; with shelves settled from the stories she held inside.
The exploration of trauma & the denigration of brain matter as a consequence of illness is no easy feat to present. Readers might find themselves utterly upset by the story. It would be entirely acceptable for them to place the book aside, never to weave their hands across its back, ever again.
That is to say; this story is upsetting. Enid is suffering & unable to find her way but, at the same time, she is strong & dangerously forceful in keeping her place in this world. The fact that she climbs through her window to avoid someone, or that she refuses to speak frankly with her mother about her feelings does not dismiss her essence; Enid is a force.
I have written some points relating to Enid’s experiences & the story itself circles these in ways that feel rather trite to recount in a review. I have sat with my thoughts as they relate to this story for some time; what do I think, how do I feel, what is there to say? There are few stories among the thousands that I would simply pass on to others, wanting them rather to read what is written than hear what I have to say.
Austin has a strangely melodramatic way of writing. Her characters are unlikeable & mean; sometimes altogether annoying. Yet, page after page, I could not loosen my grip, because they were human beings too.
The romantic entanglements that took place as a backdrop to the main plot added a layer of dimension that felt authentic. One might relinquish their fear that Austin has simply added lettering for the sake of checking boxes or shades of blue to confuse the sky. Every aspect of this story made sense in that it was relevant.
When Enid sent templated text messages; when she sat in the shower with the person who turned out to be the love of her life; when her mother wore lipstick; & when she thought about space & time; she was Enid & the reader grew to know her as one might any other important person in their life.
Though I have added many sentences of praise, I would not advocate for this book for all readers. I will not shy away from saying that a handful of readers will miss the beauty in this book entirely. I admit that it is not my place to decide for them what is worth their time & what moral they should take away from careful writing. However, it is my place to state that this is a beautiful book. The facet that renders it lovely is the innate & intricate care that the author has brought forth. Readers are lucky to grasp the bind that holds love; the likes of which never disappear for it is in ink & stone.
Where does this leave me & how might I conclude a review that is certainly lacking? While reading this book, I knew that I would not be able to compile all that is of value from this book into a single review. I found Enid’s earnest & tender recollections about special & interesting facts about space familiar & nostalgic.
I wanted to whisper through the pages that life would not be unkind to her forever; tomorrow she would meet the reprieve she surely needed, as I saw it coming down the lines of chapters formatted just for me. Somehow, this experience has left a part of me within the pages.
Humanity is a harsh critic, I will never lie & say that all of my reviews are kind; I have been harsh—nearly cruel in my comparisons & analogies. Words are very important to me. In the silence of hours, the twinkle of the eyes or the breath of a syllable can bring me back to the life I am leading. I have always found books to be among my most precious possessions; the discoveries I cherish like gemstones. When a reader meets a character like Enid whose life is torn apart by what she cannot describe & she is faced with people who cannot see her, the days of existence are very long; I say this from experience.
Austin’s talent for truth & terrible honesty will have readers giggling & gruesomely sad. Enid is an innocent child; an innocent adult; she is an innocent person who placates herself by behaving as a phantom in her life. I cannot fault her for this. She is intelligent & hopeful; she is thoughtful & eager; she tries her best & sometimes, she doesn’t even do that. But above all the mistakes & her horrible incomprehension of existence, Enid remembers the stars & the galaxies & she thinks of them when she wants the people she loves to know that, she is thinking of them too.
The most beautiful thing we have while alive is the knowledge that the entire universe is of its own; we are within it like a beating heart. Enid’s social claustrophobia & transferred revulsion stemming from the shadows in her memory are not cancer to her cells; she has healed in the only way she knows how.
Therefore, I must ask; Who is this story for? Which reader will read the tale of a woman sick from the dark confines inside? Who among us will be eager to know Enid & her flaws? Me.
Ultimately, this is a story about a woman who was once a child in a home where she was scared. Her fear manifested itself into paranoia & a demented sense of self. The loathing murmur of certainty has eaten her alive; no one is seated at the table to witness her cannibalistic demise.
The reader has arrived at what is possibly the most ideal time. The reader will walk through the halls of a silent home, where behind the doors people are crying; terror brooding; rouge wasting; babies growing; the sky darkening; laundry sagging; dishes moulding; & a clock ticking the time passing as though counting down to the final moment when Enid remembers who she is.
Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada, & Emily Austin for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2024
This ended up being sooooooo much better than I initially expected. At first, not much at all happened. Our main character, Enid, went to work, went on a couple of dates, talked to her mom on the phone—all very ordinary happenings. I kept reading, though, because I began to enjoy watching Enid develop relationships with others. Also, it was one of my Book of the Month selections (iykyk 😅). At one point, Enid found herself regularly seeing a therapist, and this reader and Enid simultaneously gained an answer to the question ‘Who is Enid?’ While there was a plot to the story, the main focus of this novel was character development. I’m so glad I didn’t give up!
Side note: I loved Polly. I mean, she called a stranger a bitch to her face. What’s not to love?
Side note: I loved Polly. I mean, she called a stranger a bitch to her face. What’s not to love?
January 12, 2024
Gutted me. An intense little novel about mental illness, dysfunctional family relationships, queer dating, and coming into one's own as a flawed human being: the push-pull of trying to change while realizing that who you are is who you are. Some of the passages in this are haunting and so fully realized I wanted to give myself a wellness check after reading them.
December 20, 2023
Honestly through a good chunk of this book I kept thinking wtf?? It all comes together in the end however.
Enid comes across as a very mentally unwell person. She’s trying to protect her depressive mother, still healing from her father abandoning them to have a whole new family, figuring out how to have a relationship with her half sisters, paranoia, fear of bald men and a whole lot of relationship drama.
It all comes together when she FINALLY goes to therapy (thank God) cause yeah that was a lot.
Tbh this was such heavy lifting and Enid comes across as so unlikable I’m not sure I’d recommend this one unless you enjoy the mess of someone in the midst of a healing journey.
Enid comes across as a very mentally unwell person. She’s trying to protect her depressive mother, still healing from her father abandoning them to have a whole new family, figuring out how to have a relationship with her half sisters, paranoia, fear of bald men and a whole lot of relationship drama.
It all comes together when she FINALLY goes to therapy (thank God) cause yeah that was a lot.
Tbh this was such heavy lifting and Enid comes across as so unlikable I’m not sure I’d recommend this one unless you enjoy the mess of someone in the midst of a healing journey.
February 10, 2024
I did not finish at page 100. Although I loved the author's first book, this one was not for me.
June 25, 2023
This is honestly everything I want in a book. it’s very funny, compulsively readable, a little mysterious, well-written, features real-feeling relationships, and a paranoid woman on the brink of mental collapse—my favorite <3. It’s a book for the hypervigilant girlies who like to obsess over *~everything~* 4ever. Interesting Facts about Space also grapples with true crime (a theme lately in the media I'm consuming) and explores why people are so drawn to it, even with its moral dilemmas. I loved Emily’s previous novel, Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead. It was a five-star read for me, for its comedy and relatability. If you liked Miss Austin's first, you will love her second. This being one of my most anticipated books, it didn’t disappoint and completely lived up to the Emily Austin standard. It had me laughing and in my feelings till the end.
Thank you Edelweiss and Atria Books for the ARC, Interesting Facts about Space comes out on January 30, 2024.
Thank you Edelweiss and Atria Books for the ARC, Interesting Facts about Space comes out on January 30, 2024.
Shelved as 'dnf'
February 23, 2024dnf 25%
i guess this one is for the true crime podcast girlies.
look, despite not having enjoyed Austin's previous novel, i approached Interesting Facts about Space with the best intentions. i really wanted to like it because i too am a neurodivergent lesbian loser with questionable tattoos who as a child was afraid that flushing the toilet would awake some sort of monster (when i came across that particular tidbit from enid's past i felt very seen). still, i could not get behind Austin's prosaic style, which consists in short chunks of text that amount to either whimsical one-note characters saying quirky things or clinical descriptions about, i don't know, washing up a plate, blinking, or whatever ("I try to scrub caked-on food off a fork. I apply a large squirt of dish soap directly to the utensil."). while i can sometimes can get behind this type of functional storytelling, Austin's prose lacks that edge that makes this detached style work (for me) in say Brandon Taylor's books. the mc, Enid, is yet another (tired) reiteration of the twenty-something mess that has become the standard in much of contemporary fiction (there are so many examples that they deserve their own subgenre:
she is not feeling good at all). and Edin just reminds me far too much of the mc from Austin's previous, just swap in that one's obsession with death for a fixation on space. i'm sure that there is an audience for this book, i'm just not it. i hope this book will find its way to readers who'll be able to enjoy it in all of the ways i wasn't able to.
i guess this one is for the true crime podcast girlies.
look, despite not having enjoyed Austin's previous novel, i approached Interesting Facts about Space with the best intentions. i really wanted to like it because i too am a neurodivergent lesbian
she is not feeling good at all). and Edin just reminds me far too much of the mc from Austin's previous, just swap in that one's obsession with death for a fixation on space. i'm sure that there is an audience for this book, i'm just not it. i hope this book will find its way to readers who'll be able to enjoy it in all of the ways i wasn't able to.
February 26, 2024
*࿐ 5 ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ ✰
˗ˏˋ*⋆ ❝𝙸 𝚍𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝙸 𝚊𝚖. 𝙸 𝚍𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎. 𝙸 𝚠𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝙸 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝.❞ ⋆*´ˎ˗
╰┈➤ I went in blind reading this book & I did not expect to like it as much as I did. I kept thinking to myself how much it reminded me of Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead, which was another 5 star read for me, & whaddaya know it’s by the same author. After reading this, I wanted to drive over to my mom’s house & give her a big hug. It was that kind of book. Full of love, humor, crime podcasts, bald men, & space.
• Let’s talk about the FMC, Enid. I just loved her. But who doesn’t love a paranoid woman narrator on the brink of a mental breakdown? Because same, gf! I was rooting for her the entire time & became invested in her journey of self discovery & navigating through life. I connected with her in so many ways; sometimes it felt like I was reading excerpts out of my own journal that’s how much I could relate to her.
• I loved that the author touched on autism, PTSD, coping with mental illnesses, disabilities. So many topics that people are afraid to identify with, but that need to be more openly embraced & talked about.
• My favorite part of this book has to be the relationship Enid has with her mom. Enid has a difficult time expressing her feelings, especially with her mom, so instead she rambles off an interesting fact about space instead of saying what she really wants to say & her mom just goes right along with it. Their relationship squeezed my heart. It was tricky at times, I mean whose relationship with their mom isn’t? But I like to think that in the end her mom was finally “wearing her lipstick” again.
˗ˏˋ*⋆ ❝𝙰𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚘𝚔𝚊𝚢?” 𝙸 𝚊𝚜𝚔. “𝚈𝚎𝚜,” 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚢𝚜. “𝙸’𝚖 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚎.
𝙸 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚜𝚙𝚊𝚌𝚎?❞ ⋆*´ˎ˗
˗ˏˋ*⋆ ❝𝙸 𝚍𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝙸 𝚊𝚖. 𝙸 𝚍𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎. 𝙸 𝚠𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝙸 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝.❞ ⋆*´ˎ˗
╰┈➤ I went in blind reading this book & I did not expect to like it as much as I did. I kept thinking to myself how much it reminded me of Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead, which was another 5 star read for me, & whaddaya know it’s by the same author. After reading this, I wanted to drive over to my mom’s house & give her a big hug. It was that kind of book. Full of love, humor, crime podcasts, bald men, & space.
• Let’s talk about the FMC, Enid. I just loved her. But who doesn’t love a paranoid woman narrator on the brink of a mental breakdown? Because same, gf! I was rooting for her the entire time & became invested in her journey of self discovery & navigating through life. I connected with her in so many ways; sometimes it felt like I was reading excerpts out of my own journal that’s how much I could relate to her.
• I loved that the author touched on autism, PTSD, coping with mental illnesses, disabilities. So many topics that people are afraid to identify with, but that need to be more openly embraced & talked about.
• My favorite part of this book has to be the relationship Enid has with her mom. Enid has a difficult time expressing her feelings, especially with her mom, so instead she rambles off an interesting fact about space instead of saying what she really wants to say & her mom just goes right along with it. Their relationship squeezed my heart. It was tricky at times, I mean whose relationship with their mom isn’t? But I like to think that in the end her mom was finally “wearing her lipstick” again.
˗ˏˋ*⋆ ❝𝙰𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚘𝚔𝚊𝚢?” 𝙸 𝚊𝚜𝚔. “𝚈𝚎𝚜,” 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚢𝚜. “𝙸’𝚖 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚎.
𝙸 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚜𝚙𝚊𝚌𝚎?❞ ⋆*´ˎ˗
January 28, 2024
I sadly think the awful cover might deter people from picking this up but it was absolutely fantastic. After loving Emily Austin’s previous novel, I was a little anxious to see if her second novel would be just as good and I can confirm it was. I felt so attached and connected to Enid.
January 17, 2024
dnf because it’s written like a thirteen year old’s wattpad story 🫡
March 14, 2024
Interesting Facts about Space is the new release by Emily R. Austin, author of Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead. It is funny and entertaining, reminiscent of Graeme Simison's The Rosie Project, but with a queer young female narrator. Enid finds true crime podcasts soothing, is deaf in one ear, has a phobia of bald men, and is an expert on space. Her social interactions are limited to brief hookups from the fourteen dating apps she has installed on her phone, one gay guy from work who gets her, and her depressed mother whom she communicates with largely through relating facts about space. When someone breaks into her apartment, her fears escalate to paranoia. Her way of seeing and interacting with the world will keep you chuckling while you turn the pages.
April 21, 2024
as a half deaf girl the half deaf life representation was immaculate
September 23, 2023
Can Emily Austin write every book I read? That would be great
January 25, 2024
Emily Austin is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I absolutely LOVED her novella, "Oh Honey", and her first novel, "Everyone in this Room will be Dead Someday", and boy, her upcoming novel, "Interesting Facts About Space" has delivered the goods yet again. There's something so addicting and relatable about her writing style. I was completely hooked from the beginning. Every night, I couldn't to read another chapter. Her books always make me happy which is surprising since her characters are very complexed and riddled with debilitating anxiety. Emily Austin was born to write. Her storytelling is quirky, poignant, and deeply personal. Enid is another fantastic and interesting character. Enid is struggling with depression and anxiety and trying to build a relationship with her 2 half-sisters. She also has a phobia of bald men, and she also believes someone is trailing her every move. I was rooting for her the whole way, and I truly wanted her to find inner peace and closure. Thank you, Emily Austin for writing stories that perfectly balance humor and heart. It's not an easy thing to do, but you do it VERY well. Highly recommended!
Thank you, Netgalley and Atria for the digital ARC.
Thank you, Netgalley and Atria for the digital ARC.
February 10, 2024
This was an interesting "sad girl" kind of book. Your main character is space-obsessed, lesbian, bald-man-fearing, half-deaf, true-crime-podcast-listener Enid who is struggling with dating woes and extreme anxiety and paranoia.
She's just live laugh loving and setting up grapes behind her door to catch the bald man who's maybe breaking into her apartment?? And sharing interesting facts about space with her mother when she doesn't know what else to say. She's quirky and extremely relatable and human. There were laugh-out-loud moments, and heartbreaking moments, with a weird almost-twist at the end. I enjoyed spending time with Enid. It had a "can't look away" quality to it even though it didn't have much plot to uncover.
Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions remain my own.
She's just live laugh loving and setting up grapes behind her door to catch the bald man who's maybe breaking into her apartment?? And sharing interesting facts about space with her mother when she doesn't know what else to say. She's quirky and extremely relatable and human. There were laugh-out-loud moments, and heartbreaking moments, with a weird almost-twist at the end. I enjoyed spending time with Enid. It had a "can't look away" quality to it even though it didn't have much plot to uncover.
Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions remain my own.
March 14, 2024
3.5 stars
Interesting Facts about Space is a little bit different but that’s part of its charm. Wanting to find out where the author was going with the main character is what drove my interest. Enid is obsessed with space and loves sharing her encyclopedia knowledge about it with her mother. While Enid goes on dates with women frequently, flings are all she wants rather than seeking a long term relationship.
I enjoyed the humor in this book but there’s also this undercurrent of sadness. Obviously Enid has a backstory and you get bits and pieces of it along the way. While I wouldn’t rate it as my favorite contemporary fiction read this year, it brought something unique to the table which I appreciate.
Thank you Book Club Favorite Insiders for sending a free copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
Interesting Facts about Space is a little bit different but that’s part of its charm. Wanting to find out where the author was going with the main character is what drove my interest. Enid is obsessed with space and loves sharing her encyclopedia knowledge about it with her mother. While Enid goes on dates with women frequently, flings are all she wants rather than seeking a long term relationship.
I enjoyed the humor in this book but there’s also this undercurrent of sadness. Obviously Enid has a backstory and you get bits and pieces of it along the way. While I wouldn’t rate it as my favorite contemporary fiction read this year, it brought something unique to the table which I appreciate.
Thank you Book Club Favorite Insiders for sending a free copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
Want to read
June 16, 2023screaming crying throwing up ive never been more excited about a book
Want to read
November 7, 2023i, too, have a pathological fear of bald men
March 16, 2024
I was surprised as to how much I enjoyed this book. The main character has quite a few traits and flaws like I do, so I could relate in ways.
February 7, 2024
A rather strange but surprisingly touching read!
So I won't lie, I found parts of this book to be really weird and a little cringey, but some of that became wrapped up in our main character, Enid, a well-written neurodivergent soul, who struggles with a variety of phobias and some issues caused by being born deaf in one ear. Enid copes by focusing on space facts and listening to true crime podcasts. She's a serial dater (and is a lesbian, which makes this book wonderfully queer) who has never had a serious relationship.
We find Enid struggling to develop a relationship with her half sisters, whom she's never really known, as her father abandoned her and her mom when she was just a kid. As a result, she grew up dealing with her mom's depression and mood swings. Enid slowly realizes that some of her fears (such as being terrified of bald men) might relate to her difficult childhood. She starts to think someone is breaking into her apartment. This all sounds serious, but much of this book is witty and quirky. It's told in very short snippets from Enid's point of view, with flashbacks going all the way back to her childhood.
Some of these snippets are definitely odd (Enid had a YouTube channel as a kid, for instance, and she recorded some weird stuff). But overall, as we get to know Enid and watch her trying to form bonds with her half sisters, struggle to be a good daughter to her mom, attempt to actually form a real relationship with a woman named Polly (whom she meets in quite an interesting way), and maintain her closest friendship with her co-worker Vin... well, she grows on you! There are some very touching moments, some bizarre ones, some sweet ones. You have to really give this book a chance and truly experience it--it's hard to describe. It's different and character-driven, and I think it's worth a read.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Atria Books in return for an unbiased review.
So I won't lie, I found parts of this book to be really weird and a little cringey, but some of that became wrapped up in our main character, Enid, a well-written neurodivergent soul, who struggles with a variety of phobias and some issues caused by being born deaf in one ear. Enid copes by focusing on space facts and listening to true crime podcasts. She's a serial dater (and is a lesbian, which makes this book wonderfully queer) who has never had a serious relationship.
We find Enid struggling to develop a relationship with her half sisters, whom she's never really known, as her father abandoned her and her mom when she was just a kid. As a result, she grew up dealing with her mom's depression and mood swings. Enid slowly realizes that some of her fears (such as being terrified of bald men) might relate to her difficult childhood. She starts to think someone is breaking into her apartment. This all sounds serious, but much of this book is witty and quirky. It's told in very short snippets from Enid's point of view, with flashbacks going all the way back to her childhood.
Some of these snippets are definitely odd (Enid had a YouTube channel as a kid, for instance, and she recorded some weird stuff). But overall, as we get to know Enid and watch her trying to form bonds with her half sisters, struggle to be a good daughter to her mom, attempt to actually form a real relationship with a woman named Polly (whom she meets in quite an interesting way), and maintain her closest friendship with her co-worker Vin... well, she grows on you! There are some very touching moments, some bizarre ones, some sweet ones. You have to really give this book a chance and truly experience it--it's hard to describe. It's different and character-driven, and I think it's worth a read.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Atria Books in return for an unbiased review.
February 19, 2024
i loved this! ifas follows Enid, a deaf, neurodivergent, true-crime and space obsessed lesbian. do i even need to say more? she has daddy issues, is a serial dater, and thinks shes getting stalked. she is forced to confront all of these things about her, especially her phobia of bald men.
i devoured this. one thing about emily austin is she's gonna write about dark lesbians and do it right every time. i related so much to Enid, and loved the touch of a "who did it" mystery. i loveddd the lesbian romance aspect of this as well! this had so much going on and was so fun to read. following "everyone in this room will someday be dead" was a huge task for emily austin, and i guess this is not for everyone, but i personally think it was just as great, if not better
i devoured this. one thing about emily austin is she's gonna write about dark lesbians and do it right every time. i related so much to Enid, and loved the touch of a "who did it" mystery. i loveddd the lesbian romance aspect of this as well! this had so much going on and was so fun to read. following "everyone in this room will someday be dead" was a huge task for emily austin, and i guess this is not for everyone, but i personally think it was just as great, if not better
January 15, 2024
I want to demand a trigger warning be put on books where sUpEr qUiRkY Millennials or Zoomers are the main characters. I truly could not stand Enid—I HATED her. Her creepy tattoos of rats in Victorian garb. Her bizarre phobia of bald men that caused her to scream in their presence (can a 26-year-old really get away with that ridiculous behavior?), and the way she dumped every chick she dated with the exact same note…uggghhhh. She was HORRIBLE. The book read fast though and I finished it, so 2 stars.
January 15, 2024
I expected a lot more from this novel based on the high praise and ratings. It was fast paced and there are certainly very funny lines, but this is not a “hilarious book.” There is a lot of darkness and trauma. It was not always easy being on Enid’s journey but I loved the end and am hopeful for her future.
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