From the outset, this book was mesmerizing. I was surprised to drop into a world that looked so familiar, but also very different from my own life.

My only complaint is that because of the cover design, I kept thinking the title of the book was "Daphne will Boast," not "Daphne" by Will Boast, and I like the first one better.

I found the characters to be really strong and believable, from tenure-shy Miranda to Italy-happy Alden. Even though we don't get to know a lot about them, we are meeting them through Daphne's eyes. She sees more truth than she can feel, and it is heartbreaking.

By the end, especially at Sherman's funeral and when Ollie was kneeling on the sidewalk, I was feeling intense grief-like emotions and relating them to the numbness that Daphne and the rest of the support group have to survive by. I was drawn in to the paradox of Daphne's frustration and strength, and happy for the open ending, a moment of hope for her.

What Boast has done with his words is remarkable - to show us, the readers, what Daphne can't see about herself, from her own experiences. Every moment and feeling is so layered. I am not familiar with the inspiration story of Daphne and Apollo, but I feel that I could easily read this one again and get new things out of it. Especially because I didn't give myself time to reflect on this reading - I couldn't put it down. I look forward to a slow digestion of the book sometime in the future. Well done, Will!

An interesting read that was well paced about a girl with a chronic illness.

Told from her perspective and how she tries to keep her emotions in check to try and overcome her illness or live her life.

An emotional and interesting book

I liked the concept of this book a lot. There were some really profound lines about "having to feel" things that were a thoughtful reminder of the implications of one's action.

However, for me, the plot was weak and very little happened to drive the story forward. While the exploration of relationships was interesting, it was slow and lacked depth. The episodes of Daphne freezing were fascinating at first but became repetitive.

I liked the writing style but felt more action was needed to make this book exceptional.

Wow. Will Boast has perfectly captured how it feels to be chronically ill. Daphne is a fighter. She is determined to live a life outside her apartment. She tries so hard to keep her emotions under control and to try and be able to work and have friendships and relationships. Her strength and her desperation are all captured perfectly here. I think that the writing style fits in with and enhances the subject matter. Daphne's narrative and thoughts are not going to be flowing continuously. The book is written from her perspective. There are times when she can speak and notice the world around her and there are times when she is fighting to stay conscious. This book made me emotional. I can empathise with Daphne on so many levels. I feel that the book has perfectly captured her struggle. And her fight with her illness.