Stalkery but in like a fun way! I liked Elsa and her finding herself. Elsa feels real and relatable in a way that her and I would be peers but not really friends because we are both bad at texting back BUT when we do text to make plans, it's THE BEST! 4 stars.

Obsessive, interesting read that touches upon the darkness of a quarter life crisis mess.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

I wish I would have liked this book but in reality, it was a nightmare. This was like one of those author and celebrity fan fictions that one reads when they're bored and killing time and frankly, the fact that we don't see any character development or the fact that we get an excruciatingly long scene of the MC at Sephora was driving me crazy.

The premise drew me in but I fear the text didn’t deliver. Very slow - 50% vibes, 0% plot. Unfortunately the characters were all pretty flat and I just couldn’t get invested in what was happening.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the review copy.

What’s a better cure for self-loathing than an obsession with a celebrity?
After a heart-wrenching break-up with a couple in NYC, Elsa moves back to her hometown to have a mental breakdown/ bisexual crisis in peace. She’s lost her sense of self, she’s confused about her gender and sexuality after dating a man and a woman simultaneously, and she has no idea what to do next. Her only lifeline is the internet, where she falls into an obsession with a pretty boy celebrity (that most readers will recognize through heavy allusions). But when this celebrity comes to town for the summer, he brings his hot androgynous friend and Elsa catches a newfound wave of motivation.
I enjoyed Misrecognition. Though the protagonist was utterly unlikable, I found myself drawn in by her erratic behavior. Elsa is a dumpster fire of a human who has no clue who she is, which most adults can relate to in some way. On theme with modern times, she searches for identity through the internet and ends up clinging to the idea of a celebrity. As a society, we are often drawn to celebrities as a means of finding some semblance to our own experiences. In a way, celebrities can give us the illusion that we are not alone. Elsa further grapples with her perceptions when this figure she’s venerated through a screen becomes a real, physical presence in her life. In Misrecognition, Madison Newbound ably addresses the cultural loneliness caused by our obsession with the internet but also how it connects us to each other and even ourselves.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a summer read that was overall fun but dark at many points. I enjoyed the setting, which I felt gave a lot of to the book. I also liked the prose. One thing I didn't love about the book is how it was too obvious who the 'actor-character' was.

Misrecognition puts us down next to Elsa, where she is reeling from an intense breakup in her childhood bedroom. In her rumination, she lands on obsessing over a celebrity and their entourage - who happens to be in her hometown for a performance.

I love an obsessed woman and just existing in her mind, but I don't think much was revealed here, nor do I think it was absurd or making a cutting comment. The narrative batted around the feeling of longing during acute loneliness, but never dug in as deeply and explored as I hoped. There was a brief moment of Elsa uncovering a truth about who she is drawn to, but it was left near the end without much expansion. I do think Newbound nailed the ending. It gave you a direction for where Elsa was heading after the reader leaves her and stayed consistent with the overall attitude.

All in all, I enjoyed the premise and more than enough of the execution to decide I liked this book and would recommend it to fans of The Guest by Emma Cline, I'm A Fan by Sheena Patel, What We So In The Dark by Michelle Hart, or Green Dot by Madeline Cline.

I fully believe that this is not a book for everyone, but it is absolutely a book for me. I love queer people, even (maybe especially) in their messiness. Every queer person has/had a friend exactly like Elsa. You love her and you also want to choke her out the tiniest bit. The book is a bit longer than it needs to be, as the prose can run on for a bit. I do also wish there had been some sort of resolution at the end, even if it wasn't positive. This is very much a passage of time as opposed to plot driven.

I wonder if I would have liked this more had I read it at a different time. I wove back and forth between finding it utterly beautiful and utterly boring. Elsa was an intriguing character to me, but at times I felt like I didn't know her at all. I did think that Newbound portrayed Elsa's experiences on the periphery of life very well. As someone stuck in their small hometown after tragedy, I had hoped I'd connect with this more, but it just didn't work very well for me.

Misrecognition is a literary fiction following Elsa, a young woman who recently moved back to her childhood home after a devastating breakup with a couple.

Elsa is directionless and depressed aimlessly scrolling social media and stalking her former lovers. After watching a movie featuring a gay love story, she begins to obsess over the young lead actor and coincidently sees him and his entourage in person.

This is a novel about the quest for human connection and coming to understand one's place in the world, including grappling with queerness. It is about the intricacies of love and relationships in our modern world.

The book is somewhat slow-paced, which I normally don't care for, but I was so engaged in the story I didn't care. I enjoyed the imperfections in Elsa, and her character felt very real to me. The book actually had me reflecting on my early 20s and the relationships I had been in through that decade of my life. I think many millennials would be able to see their past selves in Elsa as I did.

The writing was witty and engaging. It's a character-based novel, so if you're looking for a lot of plot, this may not be the book for you. The ending felt a little abrupt, but I actually think it worked. The novel isn't about figuring everything out or having this neatly wrapped happily ever after. It feels too real for that.

Overall, I really really enjoyed Misrecognition, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves character-based literary fiction about the complexities of love, queer identity, and young adulthood.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for access to this ARC. As always, all opinions are my own.

Madison Newbound's debut novel, "Misrecognition," offers a sharp, witty, and insightful exploration of modern queer identity, the pervasive influence of the internet, and the complexities of post-postmodern adulthood. Drawing comparisons to Rachel Cusk and Patricia Lockwood, Newbound crafts a narrative that is both emotionally raw and darkly humorous.

The story centers on Elsa, who finds herself adrift and directionless after the abrupt end of a significant and unconventional relationship with a couple who were not only her lovers but also her bosses and cultural influencers. Thrust back into her childhood bedroom, Elsa's life seems to have hit a standstill as she spirals into depression. She turns to the internet in search of meaning, where she becomes captivated by a young actor starring in a gay love story that eerily mirrors her own internal turmoil.

As fate would have it, Elsa encounters the actor in real life when he, along with a troupe of actors, writers, and directors, arrives in her hometown for an annual theater festival. Taking a job as a hostess at the town's upscale restaurant, Elsa's world becomes intertwined with the actor and his entourage. However, her fascination soon shifts from the actor to his enigmatic dinner companion, Sam, whose androgynous allure captivates her.

Through her evolving connection with Sam, Elsa confronts her sexuality and revisits the painful truths of her past relationship. She is compelled to recognize the recurring patterns in her life and grapple with the uncomfortable realities of her desires and dependencies.

"Misrecognition" excels in its portrayal of contemporary queer experiences and the search for identity in a digital age. Newbound’s prose is unflinchingly honest, capturing Elsa’s internal struggles with a blend of humor and poignancy. The novel's strength lies in its nuanced character development and its ability to weave complex themes of love, loss, and self-discovery into a compelling narrative.

Elsa’s journey is both relatable and uniquely her own, reflecting the broader challenges faced by many in navigating relationships and identity in a rapidly changing world. The supporting characters, particularly Sam, add depth and intrigue to the story, highlighting the diverse experiences and identities within the queer community.

Overall, "Misrecognition" is a thought-provoking and engaging read that will resonate with fans of literary fiction and those interested in exploring the intersections of queer identity, modern relationships, and the pervasive influence of the internet. Madison Newbound has crafted a debut that is both timely and timeless, offering readers a fresh perspective on the complexities of contemporary life.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book. This review reflects my honest opinion.

This cover is 5 stars but it took me awhile to get into this story. I wanted to love the story as much as the cover!

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for an early copy of this book. I really appreciate it! The novel is about a late 20s woman, Elsa, who has just been dumped by a polyamorous couple she's been involved with personally and professionally. She returns to her small hometown to live with her parents with whom she has nothing in common to figure out what's next. Using her friendly dog, she manages to meet a man she calls actor-character who she has seen online and who happens to be in her hometown for the summer. She finds herself more intrigued by his colleague, a nonbinary person named Sam that she calls a person named Sam. Much of the books is Elsa's depression which comes across as slow and apathetic. Maybe that was on purpose because that is surely how Elsa felt but I wanted it to be more interesting. We get way too much detail on shopping excursions to Sephora and other mundane events but really don't get to know Elsa or the other characters. The publisher called this book hilarious and I don't see that at all. It's possible I'm not the right audience. 2.5 stars rounding up to 3

I would like to preface my review by thanking Simon and Schuster for an ARC of Misrecognition in exchange for my honest review.

I went into this book feeling excited and hopeful but finished feeling unsatisfied. I was immediately drawn by the unreliable narrator. I found her to be insufferable at first but as you learn more about her, she becomes more likable. Elsa reminded me a lot of the main character in "My Year of Rest and Relaxation", but more charming. But, what fell short for me was the abrupt ending. I think this book had a lot of potential and the ending just kind of killed it for me. I liked the queer representation and the mundaneness of this book, hence my rating, but I've sat here feeling like this was missing something. I guess I just wanted more from this book than I actually got.

I still recommend this for fans of Otessa Moshfegh and Sally Rooney who are looking for a quick and sultry read to complete their reading challenge this year!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

Misrecognition follows Elsa, a newly single woman who has a crisis of identity following the end of her polyamorous relationship.

Misrecognition is one of those books I almost don't know what to do with. Elsa's story is strange and sad, shrouded in this air of the same melancholic numbness I think most modern people in their 20s are familiar with. For that, I think this book excels. Still, I also found it difficult to feel engaged in the end, partly because it felt like the book was doing a bit of posturing, trying to look like the kind of book it desperately wants to be, and partly because the journey that Elsa goes on ends up being one of almost stagnation. Maybe there's something to be said about that, about the way the book never quite becomes what it thinks it ought to be, but it did make for a frustrating reading experience in the end.

I'm ultimately glad I read this book, and I think there are plenty of readers who will find something to like, especially with the Timothee Chalamet-fanfic of it all, but I do think it didn't really live up to the full breadth its potential.

Despondent Girl Novel – Again

It’s not so shocking anymore to read a novel about a young woman/girl who has not “found’ herself. This debut introduces us to Elsa who recently was discarded by a modish older couple. They were her employers and lovers (!) and being abandoned, she initially moves back with her parents. She discovers a young, handsome actor while watching a film on TV. The author uses his real name: Timothee Chalamet. She becomes obsessed with him, and by coincidence, she sees him at her local coffee shop.

She stalks him to encourage a meeting while watching his other hangers-on and her attention turns to an androgynous friend of the actor, Sam. Elsa’s attentions are now going in a different direction, and the reader is included as she ponders these confusing emotions.

The nonbinary love interest is rather unique; the obsession with a celebrity is not. It’s a story of a dejected young woman once again.

My gratitude to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this pre-published book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was okay, the premise reminded me of Writers and Lovers by Lily King but unfortunately it didn’t hold my attention. It was a bit slow and slower paced books aren’t really my thing. I finished it and was left wanting more. It lacked in substance for me.

Things I like about this book:
- the matter-of-fact writing style;
- the nuance;
- the longing, the loneliness, and the depressing adulthood.

Things I don't like:
- the Timothée Chalamet fantasy;
- endlessly mentioning him;
- constantly reminds me of Haruki Murakami's work

A melancholic exploration of coping, parasocial relationships, what it means to move on, and a comparison between healthy and unhealthy polyamorous relationships.

Elsa is lost. Her relationship with a couple recently ended and it also meant the loss of her job. After being under their thumb as much as in their embrace, Elsa has moved home with her parents and is trying to figure out what to do with her life. Being the thing that fixed their marriage gave her purpose, and she's now purposeless.

Then she watches a movie about a boy's first love with a man and gets obsessed with a certain famous dark haired gangly actor who is never named; then he appears in her town for a theater festival. While she still finds reassurance from his existence, she's drawn to a member of his entourage - a non-binary person named Sam. Sam is in a relationship with a co-star of the actor, but they are ethically and healthily open. It's through this relationship that Elsa begins to see how harmful her previous relationship was, and the betrayal she experienced, as well as her immaturity, is unveiled to us.

If you're looking for a clear resolution, you won't find one, but I did feel as if a weight lifted off my chest by the end, and I feel hopeful for Elsa.

I got 23 pages in and I couldn’t take it anymore. The part where she’s like “it was impossible for Timothee Chalamet to have not fallen in love with his costar I can TELL” is like, girl…even if I didn’t know who that costar is, it just makes me cringe. Granted, I already think he’s deeply overhyped as an actor, so I know I won’t be able to be objective on that front, but putting that aside, I just know the second-hand embarrassment is going to kill me and I had to DNF.

Thanks to NetGalley and Anna at Summit Books for the digital ARC, all opinions are my own. Tbh, I should have done more research before accepting the ARC, but I got excited because it was the first time I actually got offered one instead of requesting it myself, but if I had looked at reviews, I probably wouldn’t have even tried to read it.