I found this book both deeply affecting and gimmicky in turns. The book starts with the breakup of a ten year relationship and its chapters are structured by the couple’s shared shopping list (e.g. ‘dates’ reveals infidelity in a flashback), some of which contain hard to read text/messenger history - it’s not a gamble that seems worth the effort or particularly pays off. Where the book excels is at portraying the destabilising brutality and abruptness of a breakup, the cloaks and daggers in a relationship, and the humiliating way that women make themselves small and vanish into their partners.

I really struggled with how to rate this one - I hate leaving negative reviews, but I also hate to be dishonest. I just don't think this book was for me. The premise was clever and original, but the delivery fell a little flat. Lots of people have compared this to Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - and I can see why, because the main character Ruth shares a lot of the same traits as Eleanor. However, I just didn't feel that same level of engagement with Ruth. In fact, I didn't really enjoy or engage with any of the characters in this book, and I think that was the key problem for me.

The ingredients were all there but I just couldn’t quite enjoy the taste of this novel. I loved the concept - follow the story of a relationship breaking down through the couple’s shared shopping list - but the details weren’t there for me. I didn’t enjoy Neil’s first-person narrative (nor Alanna’s/The Girls’ but they weren’t quite as bad) as it just felt like he was too much of a creep. I would have preferred to hear solely from Ruth, the main character, and have her ex-boyfriend’s flaws be more naturally realised, rather than laid out so plainly. Maybe I just crave unreliable narrators. I also felt that one of the sex scenes was basically described as non-consensual (there was too much alcohol involved and a flickering in and out of consciousness) but this wasn’t addressed at all (or not obviously enough), and rather laughed off, which I think is bordering on dangerous. The socially awkward protagonist brought to mind Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, another novel I wasn’t incredibly keen on, so if you enjoyed that you’ll enjoy this.

Intriguing and curious, this book is like a more somber Eleanor Oliphant . I really enjoyed the inclusion of the text messages and emails, but I do wonder if it ended a little too abruptly.

A novel about a young woman called Ruth and the breakdown of her relationship and her experience of friendship dramas and problems.