reading this book felt like opening up with a best friend about a secret you both had shared but were both too ashamed to be the first one to broach the topic. it feels like a sigh of relief and the proof you couldn't get yourself to believe- that it really isn't just you. so many of the reasons why Levy let her drinking go too far are so deeply relatable on a human level- caring too much about what others think, feeling afraid and intimidated by others at work, wanting to escape intense grief- and it makes for an honest retelling of a life that readers who don't struggle with alcohol will get just as much out of. i appreciated the author being open in explaining how alcohol had affected multiple facets of her life and how difficult it can be to not simply replace the emptiness with things like work, social media, the wellness industry, etc. i think it's more relevant than ever to be discussing the phenomenon of replacing one addiction with another, or buying the right things to craft our perfect selves/fix ourselves with the increase in tiktok/instagram aesthetics peddling the latest microtrend under the guise of 'self care'. overall I believe and hope her honesty is going to help a lot of women in a similar position that haven't allowed themselves recovery yet.

i can understand where some other readers come from in terms of not loving the format/timeline of the stories; the journey through Sarah's life was very much nonlinear and often revisited certain ages more than once and revealed certain childhood elements later in the novel. i also agree with other reviewers that marketing this as a collection of essays would set readers up with a better idea of what's in store! ( )

A gripping memoir filled with just the right mix of vulnerability and humility. I do wish the author had unpacked her seeming inability to accept the possibility of a life without a husband, and at one point (I wish I had kept track of the page number) she makes a very insulting comment about how people who don't have families (yet) are irresponsible. ( )