Book 71 of 2022

I'm sorry you feel that way by Rebecca Wait

This book about an eccentric family didn't shy away from mental illness and difficult family dynamics.

Celia hasn't had an easy life and is painfully shy, never feeling confident making friends and struggling with her relationships with her popular older sister and her parents. The book follows what happens when has her own family, a son Michael, and the twins Alice and Hanna. The relationships were hard to read at points, I felt so sorry for each of the twins and for Celia herself. The writing really brought the characters to life and I was immersed in the story.

I will definitely be reading more by Rebecca Wait.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I chose this book based on the title and the cover, thinking it seemed interesting, maybe something modern about not conforming to what everyone wants you to be.
Later I read the plot description and it seems interesting – a family with more than difficult dynamics.
However I found it long, without major twists, and the writing – mostly in present tense despite going back generations – is long and winded, and not really my style.
The characters – maybe it was meant that way – didn’t seem believable or real, and certainly none of them were relatable.
It was a shame. Despite not enjoying it, I decided to finish it in the hope that something big was coming, It didn’t. It really was just a long-winded family story across two generations, with seemingly random focus put on certain events.

*4 Stars*

Copy kindly received via NetGalley for an honest review.

This was an interesting read with interesting character. Shows how families can be very mixed up.

This has to be one of my favorite books, I have read this year. Although it took me a little while to get into it, I enjoyed the development of the characters and their personalities and how their relationships grew. It was dark in places, humorous in places and overall just a good read.

I was going to say ‘If you loved Sorrow and Bliss, then you‘ll love this‘. Then I noticed on Amazon that Good Housekeeping magazine said the exact same thing!

I‘m still trying to decide if it‘s even better. In fact, I think it is, and Sorrow and Bliss was one of my favourite reads of last year. It has the same humour and covers the same difficult topics but, for me, it felt much closer to home.

I've gone away and ordered another of the author's books.

This book is a brilliant family study - Celia and her three children who all have very strong personalities, for better or worse. The characters, particularly Hanna, were so distinctive and there was no mistake as to whos voice belonged to who. A great take on a modern dysfunctional family dynamic, which also explores mental illness and relationships.

I found this book a slow burner, at first I thought it wasn’t going to be quite my cup of tea but I’m Gad I stuck with it. I loved the humour in this book, subtle and effective, and really added something extra to the trials and tribulations of a family

Told in dual timelines,l and multiple POVs, Rebecca Wait's 'Sorry You Feel That Way' weaves a narrative of hurt, heartbreak centering Celia and her 3 children, Michael, Alice and Hanna.

As I'm generally a fan of multiple perspectives I was very enthusiastic when I saw this novel followed the format. I thought I had seen the best the genre had to offer, but I can honestly say this was possibly my favourite example of how it can be utilised ever.
We go from a particular character being the vilian of the piece in one chapter to the sympathetic protagonist in the next. Combined with the flashing backwards and forwards in time Wait weaves a fantastic tale of family disfunction and the lasting impacts it can have.

A strong recommendation from me!

Thank you Netgalley, Rebecca Wait and Quercus Books for this Advance Reader Copy.

A beautiful exploration of family life, and the complexities of it. The book is told through Celia the mother and her three children, particularly her twin daughters Hanna and Alice.
The book opens with the family at their aunt Katy's funeral (mother's sister). The family has not been together in months from everyone living in different areas of England, and it brings them back together for the first time in months. As the reader we are made aware that there is a lot of unsaid business between the family, particularly between Hanna and Alice who have a complex relationship.
The book then looks at Celia and how she met the girls father. Celia is a not very likable character she is incredibly needy and clings dreadfully to her daughter Alice for emotional support. She is pretty overbearing and controlling over her daughters behaviour, this is all a cry for help as she is lonely and never had the relationship she wanted and feels like a failed mother. She had a difficult upbringing with her sister Katy being ill and subsequently diagnosed with Schizophrenia, which lead to Celia being overlooked by her parents, she tried to seek relationships outside of the house at school but struggled deeply. At university she sees it as a fresh starts and there meets her husband who is a buyer for a toy company. They then get married and have Matthew the oldest of their children and then the twin girls.
We get a tiny segment about the oldest child Matthew. He is pretty boring as things go, and is in a relationship with Olivia. Matthew typically stays out of the family drama and comes in to deal very unhelpful advice and push people into investing which is part of his day job.
Hanna is one of the most interesting characters throughout the book. Her mothers describes her as difficult and high spirited but she really is just a girl who is independent and knows what she wants. Throughout her early years she has a strained relationship with her mother, and seeks validation from her father, who is fairly absent during her childhood. She doesn't struggle at school, but things change once she gets to university. She gets into Oxbridge where the change in the pace of work and the lack of academic validation causes her to spiral. Hanna starts spiralling quickly with her mental health and ends up being hospitalised which scares her mother after seeing her sister be ill. Her mother looks after while she is ill and getting back on her feet. She decides once more stable to move out. She meets Harry who she quickly falls in love with, and they move in together. Their relationship is intense and they argue a lot. They eventually break it off and she moves out to Kuala Lumpur for work. Hanna's relationship with her twin sister Alice is complex she is fiercely protective of her but struggles to be open with her about her mental health, and detests Alice's need to run everything past their mother and side with her.
The bulk of the book, is told from Alice's point of view. Alice is very much her mother's daughter and doesn't care much for her father; probably from him being absent a lot due to work. she struggles in secondary school with friendships, but that changes once she gets to university where she finds her feet and makes friends; the polar opposite of Hanna. She ends up after university working for the local council and living with a group of Brazilian girls which she gets on well with. Alice doesn't really do relationships potentially due to the strained relationship her mother and father had, and the failed relationships she witnesses going on around her. She is quite content with her life and friendship circle, but struggles to get away from her mother's grasp and amend her relationship with her sister. When Hanna comes back from Kuala Lumpur Alice decides to throw her a welcome home party; this is a main focus throughout the book.
This book focuses heavily on family dynamics and how upbringing can shape people definitely through the perspective of twins. It shows beautifully that no family is perfect and that every family has it's struggles, and that everyone isn't always going to get along. I would be cautious going into this book if you have struggled with depression or psychosis as the descriptions are graphic and could definitely be triggering.

I loved this tragicomedy family saga which deals with mental health and familial relationships in a very real and raw way. I became fully immersed in the story, and although at times I wanted to give both Alice and Hanna a bit of a shake, I was bereft when I finished it and can't wait to read more from this author.

Well, this was a gem. A gorgeous story about a dysfunctional family and the thread of mental illness running through it, this book is warm, funny and unflinching.

Celia and Paul have three children, Alice, who lacks self-confidence but is ceaselessly kind and wants to do right by everyone; her twin Hanna, who is strong-willed and fiercely bright; and their older brother Michael, who is fixated on owning property and disapproves of the girls failing to get their shit together, for want of a better expression 🙃. Their mother Celia is a fascinating character and a victim of her own upbringing.

The book explores the fractured relationships between the family and how they go about trying to repair them, and the ways in which the baggage of a difficult childhood stays with you for life.

I loved this one. A really well-written story that I wanted to return to, characters that were so well-drawn and leapt off the page, and dialogue that made me laugh throughout (Hanna is a brilliant character with impeccable comic timing).

It’s a moving one too and the comparisons to Sorrow and Bliss are fully justified. Fans of Meg Mason will enjoy it. A big thumbs up from me - I’m off to find Wait’s three earlier novels to add them to my TBR. A lovely 4/5⭐️ from me. Recommended.

I didn't think at the start of reading this book that I would be giving it 4*, but there was definitely something about this book that just got to me and I fully connected with.
The book starts slow, and overall is pretty slow and steady - but there is something about this that is just so beautiful. The narrative structure is so unique, I don't think I have read anything like this before. Its so unique and original - and so poignant too.
I'm finding it hard to review as it's just so different.
Definitely recommend.

I’d describe this book as realistic fiction. The author has done an amazing job at creating imaginary characters and situations that depict the world and society. The characters focus on themes of growing, self-discovery and confronting personal and social problems. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

This book is about a dysfunctional family and how cold, critical mothers pass their own abuses onto the next generation. In the family are divorced parents, but the mother is the most demanding of her children, a son and non-identical twin daughters. There is also an aunt, who was the most-loved child but developed schizophrenia; this has also coloured the mother's attitude. She treats the daughters as if they were herself and her aunt, making one feel ugly and guilty like she did, and controlling the other's behaviour as if she were her sister. This daughter also has a breakdown and spends time in a psychiatric hospital so it's like the mother is driving history to repeat itself, and not giving the girls the opportunity to be themselves. I've seen reports that this book is funny, but I found it quite depressing. The only nice person is Kemi. The others all seem self-absorbed and miserable.

An excellent read. I'm Sorry You Feel That Way is a story of a family which at best can be described as dysfunctional.

The book's main focus is the relationship between Hannah & Alice who are non identical twin sisters. In the present day the girls are not talking although we will not learn why for some time.

The book is well written and kept me wanting to know more.

Thank you Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book

Absolutely spot on with family dynamics and characterisation. Unfortunately I identified too strongly with Alice so absolutely cheered when she grew a backbone finally. Mental health is dealt with in a very real and illuminating way and also the aftermath of a serious illness that has impacted on others. Just when will they trust you to be in control of your own life? It’s a family story in all its difficulties and love and cruelty. Terrific read.

A brilliant novel about a dysfunctional family as they navigate mental health breakdowns, emotional coldness and difficult relationships. The characters are so well drawn and there’s both tragedy and humour in their lives. The novel begins at Aunt Katy’s funeral where it emerges there’s a rift between Hanna and her sister and their neurotic mum Celia. Each chapter delves into the family’s past exploring what has led to their fractious relationships.

I finished I’m Sorry You Feel That Way two days ago and am left with two distinct thoughts.
I wish it wasn’t over
I wish I had read it with someone

I’m Sorry You Feel That Way is a detailed look into the complicated dynamics between siblings Hannah and Alice, and their parents. As we journey with them from childhood to adulthood, we learn of the role and impact of both childhood trauma and mental illness on familial relationships.

The characters are very well written and Wait has done a careful job in crafting flawed adult characters that have been shaped so very clearly by the way they were treated as children by their calculating and manipulative mother. Whether you are a reader who craves a satisfying plot line or one who appreciates acute characterization, there will be something in this fine work of art for you.

Sad, moving and humorous, I’m Sorry You Feel That Way has filled the Sorrow and Bliss shaped hole in my heart but now I’m just left here feeling crap about the fact that I’ve finished it and that I didn’t buddy read this with anyone because honestly, this book has a lot of potential for some excellent conversations.

An endearing book covering issues and aspects of mental health and the impact within a family. It does jump about a bit, especially at the beginning when I had to check I wasn't reading a collection of short stories. Interesting, slightly eccentric characters who developed along the way but not completely unrecognisable. Interesting family dynamics. Also there were some really quite hilarious passages, particularly that of a party which developed into a good old fashioned farce. Quite a quirky but enjoyable read.

I absolutely loved this book. I’m even struggling to come up with a review, because it’s one of those times where literature just blows you away. I’ve met so many people like the characters in this novel, I’ve been in similar situations and I never read something that encapsulated my experiences with people in a fictional setting like this before. I feel like I actually now Alice, Celia and Hannah, they feel so real, it’s a brilliant example of character writing. I really hope a lot of people read this novel and meet these very flawed characters and experience the interesting structure. I love the style of narration where we are being told the story by an all-knowing entity, where past, present and future all seem to happen at once, much like sometimes real life does. I can’t recommend it enough. Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with this arc, I’m so thrilled that I got to read it before publishing date.