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A review by thekristinashow
Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Far from the “traditional” romance novel I thought I was picking up to read, this book is all about Adelaide’s journey through life, love, friendship, and her mental health. It is still a story of love too, but with highs and lows sprinkled throughout.
So many themes in this book hit home for me, especially the people-pleasing and I-can-fix-this-person themes that are a huge part of who Adelaide is. I’m thankful to see her work through her mental health though, discovering how to navigate life after heartbreak.
A couple of memorable quotes for me:
“Mental illness was a shape-shifter. It could appear in different forms, with different presentations, and still bear the same name.”
“It had become a joke of sorts among her friends. Adelaide was fun, sure, but she wasn’t the life of the party — that was Madison, Celeste. Adelaide was good at making friends in a Let’s contemplate our own mortality in the corner sort of way.”
TW: Grief, suicidal attempt, miscarriage, verbal and sexual abuse
So many themes in this book hit home for me, especially the people-pleasing and I-can-fix-this-person themes that are a huge part of who Adelaide is. I’m thankful to see her work through her mental health though, discovering how to navigate life after heartbreak.
A couple of memorable quotes for me:
“Mental illness was a shape-shifter. It could appear in different forms, with different presentations, and still bear the same name.”
“It had become a joke of sorts among her friends. Adelaide was fun, sure, but she wasn’t the life of the party — that was Madison, Celeste. Adelaide was good at making friends in a Let’s contemplate our own mortality in the corner sort of way.”
TW: Grief, suicidal attempt, miscarriage, verbal and sexual abuse
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Suicide attempt