In a book that reads like a well-written diary, Alderton lets the reader into the raw, brilliant and broken corners of her life. Beginning in her teens and travelling through to her thirties, Alderton covers love, grief, self-discovery, the perils of MSN Messenger, realities of online dating, and the love of romantic partners and lifelong friends. Through a humorous yet authentic account of her life, the reader gets to know a seemingly unfiltered Dolly and are swept along through her roaring teens and twenties, meeting the people who influenced and shaped them along the way.
Dolly lived a life in her twenties that I did not: a wild life, a boisterous life, a spontaneous life, a life that I marvelled at while observing from a safe distance. It’s the life of the confident extrovert that feels so unattainable to some, and yet Dolly examines it for what it is: a party, a disaster, an accumulated trove of memories, a phase of life. Written in a conversational yet powerful tone, I loved learning about Dolly’s life through the years and what she gleaned from friendships, from therapy, and from love.
For all of her stories that left me reeling with “I would never”, there were just as many self-reflections and voiced fears that left me thinking, “oh, me too”. Her memoir was funny, a collection of stories, lists, recipes and other mediums through which she portrays her fundamental years of growth through satire, self-awareness and sweet stories of relationships. I only wish I had read it sooner.
2% Rating: 8/10
Recommend? Definitely
Re-Read? Probably, yeah
Time: 1:25