Scan barcode
stellahadz's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
This book is equal parts memoir and self-help; if you go in expecting exclusively one or the other you'll likely be disappointed. In some aspects, How To Fail isn't particularly groundbreaking - it expresses ideas that have been expressed before in other media, including Day's own podcast, but that is not to say that it is badly written or not worth the read. Some parts resonated deeply with me - for instance, the chapter in which she talked about failing her driving test and feeling like a fish out of water after finishing school because "[i]n adulthood, no one gives you marks for getting the answer right." Other parts made me roll my eyes a bit - not all of us have the means to go on a yoga retreat in Morocco to cope with a bad breakup - but then again, it's not the author's job to be relatable to every single reader, it's her job to share what she's learned from her own experiences. Day isn't afraid to discuss her experiences with infertility, sexual harassment, and divorce, and I commend her for her willingness to address these topics from her own perspective.
Not all of it was for me, but I can see this book being helpful to people dealing with similar issues as Day, and more generally to younger adults wanting to start engaging with self-help literature.
Not all of it was for me, but I can see this book being helpful to people dealing with similar issues as Day, and more generally to younger adults wanting to start engaging with self-help literature.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, and Medical content
Moderate: Bullying and Sexual harassment
Minor: Domestic abuse