*spoiler-free*
Dolly Alderton’s memoir Everything I Know About Love is a warm, witty, and emotional journey through her teens and twenties, exploring the highs and lows of growing up, falling in and out of love, and learning who you are along the way.
Alderton gives us an unfiltered glimpse into her younger years, from her awkward teenage days spent obsessing over boys and navigating MSN chats (the nostalgia hit hard here!), to the chaos, heartbreak, and grief she experienced in her twenties. Even though Alderton is about ten years older than me, I felt a lot of the emotions she went through and how everyday life can be difficult.
What stands out most is how Alderton explores love in all its forms. Romantic relationships are a big focus, but it’s her deep, enduring friendships and her bonds with family that form the heart of the book. Her writing celebrates female friendship in particular, showing how these relationships often shape us more than any fleeting romance.
Despite being a memoir, it often felt like I was reading fiction due to the sheer drama of some of Alderton’s party antics. Yet beneath this were raw confrontations of her behaviour and explorations of deeper topics like death and grief. This was extremely vulnerable of Alderton, and I think what makes the book stand out to a lot of readers.
This book had good pacing as there are lots of short, punchy sentences, making it easy to read and follow, even when the themes turn heavier. It is an emotional book, but not one I found too overwhelming. Even though I didn’t relate to everything she experienced, I still found it a thoroughly enjoyable read.
4/5 stars
Soph's Library 