Scan barcode
A review by siobhanward
Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
I tend to like the majority of Irby's work and have a lot of fun reading it, but for some reason every one of her books has some long list chapter about something I don't care about. This tends to be a trend in essay books: at least one chapter is just a long list that starts off funny and then goes on way too long. In this case, an entire chapter devoted to theoretical Sex and the City re-writes just doesn't work for me. I don't care about the show, and even if I did, the chapter went on for way too long.
Apart from that, this was a solid read. Considering it was written during the pandemic, it was balanced and didn't feel totally rushed or entirely about the pandemic. It feels a lot like Irby has hit her stride and really knows how to write herself in a way that manages to be endearing, despite how self-deprecating (and sometimes gross) it is. I laughed out loud at the chapter where she retold her story of having a severe allergic reaction. If I'm laughing at someone's near-death medical experience, it probably means they're a solid writer.
Apart from that, this was a solid read. Considering it was written during the pandemic, it was balanced and didn't feel totally rushed or entirely about the pandemic. It feels a lot like Irby has hit her stride and really knows how to write herself in a way that manages to be endearing, despite how self-deprecating (and sometimes gross) it is. I laughed out loud at the chapter where she retold her story of having a severe allergic reaction. If I'm laughing at someone's near-death medical experience, it probably means they're a solid writer.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content