A review by displacedcactus
Self-Portrait with Nothing by Aimee Pokwatka

emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

This was such a weird book. I honestly had no idea what to expect from it, but it ended up being an emotional mystery dealing with alternate universes and family and art. It has a very literary feel in terms of how it handles the characters and the emotional content, so this could be an ideal read for anyone looking to dip their toes into "genre fiction", or for anyone who likes genre-bending stories.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Violence, and Death of parent

Pepper's mothers are vets and there is a scene that takes place at their clinic where Pepper assists with euthanizing a dog. It is not bloody or graphic, but I found it very emotional as someone who has had several pets euthanized.