Title: Finding Audrey
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Publisher: Doubleday
‘Audrey can’t leave the house. she can’t even take off her dark glasses inside the house.
Then her brother’s friend Linus stumbles into her life. With his friendly, orange-slice smile and his funny notes, he starts to entice Audrey out again – well, Starbucks is a start.And with Linus at her side, Audrey feels like she can do the things she’d thought were too scary. Suddenly, finding her way back to the real world seems achievable.
Be prepared to laugh, dream and hope with Audrey as she learns that even when you feel like you have lost yourself, love can still find you . . .’
First impressions are very important aren’t they? So much so that I am convinced that if I read anything else by this author that I may not like it, because quite frankly this was not the first impression I was hoping for. I do, in no way doubt that she is a great author, it is just this particular book wasn’t my cup of tea, and I love my tea so I should know.
I know a few people will not exactly agree with me, but that’s ok. However, having faced anxiety, I know how it feels to be in Audrey’s shoes, not as much, but just enough to have felt a recurrence of memories. It made me feel very vulnerable during reading this book. Not fun at all.
I felt as though the topic was not dealt with in the way that I would have liked for it to be. At a few points I thought that it was being treated as a bit of a joke. I know it’s good to laugh, but this just didn’t feel right to me.
Audrey’s mother, as well as a few other characters were extremely pushy and insensitive towards Audrey and her anxiety. Maybe it is just me, or perhaps it was supposed to be some sort of a message to people, but I tell you now, it’s not great to feel as though you have to just snap out of it and automatically change who you are. This is not the message we want to give to people about mental health. Sure, it’s nice to help with a slight push to help the person, but this was too much.
Phew! I am glad that part is over. Now onto what was actually good about it.
Audrey’s brother just made this book for me. He was such a comical character and did this without coming across like other characters did. I genuinely loved his relationship with Audrey. He acts like a usual brother, but also shows signs of someone who really cares. He also had an intelligence and wit which added so much depth to his persona. Anytime he and Audrey were together, the book was ok.
Sorry to anyone who may have enjoyed it.
Having suffered with social anxiety at the time of reading the book didn’t make me feel vulnerable, it made me learn more about social anxiety despite feeling the same as Audrey. Interesting to know if I’d read it now I’ve recovered that I’d probably feel ‘vulnerable’ like you did. For example I hadn’t heard of the lizard analogy before and I liked the parts with her therapist and her. I agree though, it wasn’t great. The ending was silly and I don’t like the message that she needed a boyfriend to bring her out of her shell.
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Yeah like I said it was probably just me feeling this way. I still deal with anxiety a lot so I was already in a moment where I wasn’t feeling too good anyway so I guess that didn’t help me! I understand what you’re saying though.
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Amazing review! And BTW, I’ve just finished reading the first book of the year! Yay! #TeamAwesome is making progress!!! XD Great post!!
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Thanks! Wooooo! Yay! So proud haha 😉
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Hahaha yeah, and I’m starting the second one! 😛 And Ur welcome!! XD
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What was the first book you read? Oh and what is the next haha!
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The first is called “Did Mrs. Gertrud die?” and the next one is called I think (maybe the English title isn’t this one) “The Princess of Ice and Fire”.
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Oh ok! Who is the author of that one because I have a feeling I know which one you are talking about?
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The author is Svend Morthens.
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Ahh ok! I just looked at what you meant, and that has one creepy cover
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Yeah, is the title in English the same?
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No haha! I hope it’s been translated to English.
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haha XD and what’s the title?
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To be honest I don’t know! I thought you meant A Song Of Ice And Fire but that is the Game Of Thrones series haha xD
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Yeah, I also looked for the title in google to see the title in english, but I also found game of thrones! LOL, what coincidence! hahaha XD
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Exactly! That’s why I got a bit confused haha
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hahaha XD
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xD
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XD
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I have a reading project coming up at all so might have to read this book for that!
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You might as well try it! What is this project
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We have to read 10 books in 1-2 months and write lots of essays
😱😱😱😱😱
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Oh that actually sounds pretty good. Good luck with that 🙂
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It will end so badly
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Why is that?
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Stress + Georgie = 👎🏻
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I understand what you mean but you have me as a support system 😉 HAHA!!!
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Thx!
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I literally had a breakdown doing this sort of project last year!!!
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Oh ok! Well if you need help at any point, I am here 🙂
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Thx!
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Lol ik I’m gonna die 😖🔫
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You have to do it as well?
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Yup 😩😩😩 Unfortunately
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Same!
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I read this book. I finished it in one sitting. Then I turned it back to the front cover and read it again. I just…wow, I could connect so much with Audrey and to finally found a book that made me realise I wasn’t the only one, made me feel so fricking good 🙂
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Oh! I am glad you enjoyed it! For me it was literally the opposite. I didn’t mind Audrey, it was more the people around her and their attitudes towards things 🙂
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Hahaha, as you know your cup of tea :P! Nice review and well written. Not much of a fan of this kind of literature myself.
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Tea is my specialty 😉 Thanks! 🙂
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I’ve read books in the past where the main character is really struggling with something and this is the subject of the humour and it always makes me cringe. I remember watching Some Mothers Do Av’ ‘Em (the physical comedy was genius to be fair) and there’d be scenes were the main character Frank was really struggling with social interactions and getting very anxious and making little moaning noises as he couldn’t cope (it was thought the character might have Aspergers) and I just couldn’t understand why that was supposed to be funny :o/
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Exactly! I don’t get how people can perceive something like anxiety, or anything along those lines, to be some sort of joke. I am sure the author didn’t mean for it to be seen in that way, but it was just so uncomfortable to read.
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