I’ve always been an avid reader, but this is definitely a hard hobby to maintain when I have so much reading to do for university. One of my goals for the year was to read more books that I actually want to try opposed to being compulsory for my degree, and so I decided to pick up Dolly Alderton’s Everything I Know About Love. I’ve heard tons about this memoir and it’s been an incredibly popular one in my work, so I knew that I had to read it. After racing through it and loving every minute, I simply had to share my thoughts, so keep reading to find out more!
"A spot-on, wildly funny and sometimes heart-breaking book about growing up, growing older and navigating all kinds of love along the way.
When it comes to the trials and triumphs of becoming a grown up, journalist and former Sunday Times dating columnist Dolly Alderton has not only seen it all and tried it all but written about it too. In her intimate memoir, she vividly recounts falling in love, wrestling with self-sabotage, finding a job, throwing a socially disastrous Rod-Stewart themed house party, getting drunk, getting dumped, realising that Ivan from the corner shop is the only man you've ever been able to rely on, and finding that that your mates are always there at the end of every messy night out.
It's a book about bad dates, good friends and - above all else - about recognising that you and you alone are enough."
First things first, this book is extremely addictive. I just couldn’t put this gripping memoir down and found myself reading in every spare 5 minutes that I had. It’s not a difficult read and you can definitely enjoy reading it leisurely without struggling to understand what’s happening – in fact, it feels like you’re living Dolly Alderton’s life alongside her. I finished this book in less than two days as the entire time I was dying for more; trust me, if you pick this book up then you’ll really struggle to put it down!
Alderton’s memoir is beautifully written and springs to life on the page – I felt as though I’d been transported to her adolescent world of disparate bars, unruly flings and unique friendships. The language isn’t overly descriptive or flowery, yet she still manages to capture the essence of this world, in fact her memoir almost reads like fiction. These beautiful and tragic life experiences are shared in their true rawness, stripped back to create a personal atmosphere. You really feel as though you’re being spoken to directly, joining her on this wild journey.
Young girls and women alike will all find something to relate to within this story, from disastrous dates, lifelong friendships, the struggles of establishing yourself and everything in between – basically a culmination of womanhood in a novel. The mentions of MSN and social media were a huge throwback to my childhood and I felt like I was sat in Dolly’s shoes reliving it, and I can guarantee that every reader will see glimpses of their own life within this memoir.
Everything I Know About Love is both relatable and insightful in an unexpected way and watching Dolly’s understanding grow and mature throughout her life was an eye-opening experience. I was laughing and crying along the entire time; this memoir does a perfect job at gaining your identification and then tugging on your heartstrings. It really is the perfect portrayal of how life can be messy and beautiful, yet ultimately precious.
I hope you enjoyed this review of Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton, and I'd really like to know your thoughts and opinions down in the comments if you've also read it. If you haven't, it's a definite must and I'd highly urge you to give it a read!
Love from Daisy x
1 comment
Such a brilliant review Daisy!! I've seen this book here and there and was always intrigued but your reviews sold it for me, in to my shopping cart it goes. All the love xx
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