I *really* wanted to engage with this book - I have mental health issues that overlap with the author, and though I did understand what she was talking about, theoretically at least, I really had an issue connecting emotionally.
I'm still going to rate the book highly - it made me think, and while I'm not where I can connect with this yet, I gained a lot of knowledge from it, and feel if I were in a different place it may have landed differently.

Realised this is not my cup of tea but that’s okay. This could be really impactful to some people but because I didn’t know the author, I felt it difficult to connect with her story.

Marianne Eloise’s “Obsessive, Intrusive, Magical Thinking” is a candid and introspective collection that delves into the author’s experiences with mental health, relationships, and self-discovery. With its raw honesty, relatable insights, and potential as a valuable resource, this book leaves a lasting impact that justifies its four-star rating.

The collection of essays invites readers into Marianne Eloise’s world, where she fearlessly explores her own struggles with mental health and the complexities of navigating relationships. Eloise’s writing style is both vulnerable and engaging, drawing readers into her thoughts and emotions with authenticity and clarity.

“Obsessive, Intrusive, Magical Thinking” tackles topics that are often stigmatized or overlooked in mainstream discourse, such as anxiety, OCD, and self-doubt. Eloise’s willingness to share her experiences and inner thoughts creates a sense of connection and understanding, fostering empathy and encouraging open conversations about mental health.

The book’s value as a resource lies in its relatability and the potential to provide comfort and validation to those who may be navigating similar challenges. Eloise’s candid portrayal of her own struggles and coping mechanisms offers insights that can resonate with readers seeking a sense of solidarity and understanding.

The essays are skillfully structured, with a balance of personal anecdotes, reflections, and observations. While the writing is accessible and engaging, the book’s structure and narrative coherence may vary slightly from essay to essay. This stylistic choice contributes to the authentic nature of the collection but may also result in moments of uneven pacing or thematic transitions.

In conclusion, “Obsessive, Intrusive, Magical Thinking” by Marianne Eloise is a powerful and candid exploration of mental health, relationships, and the journey to self-discovery. Eloise’s raw honesty and relatable insights make this book a valuable resource for those seeking to better understand their own experiences or those of loved ones. While the collection may have moments of uneven pacing or thematic shifts, its potential to foster empathy and open dialogue about mental health justifies its four-star rating. If you’re looking for a thought-provoking and impactful read that provides solace and validation in the realm of mental health, “Obsessive, Intrusive, Magical Thinking” is a valuable choice that you’ll likely return to as a resource and source of comfort.

As someone with OCD, this book was exactly what I needed. Not didactic but rather a raw road through what it’s like to not be able to control your thoughts. Recommend to everyone with ASD or OCD diagnosis

Thank you netgalley for the arc copy in exchange for a review
A self explanatory self help book for those who suffer from intrusive thoughts. Unique and effective strategies and excellent explanations!
Interesting at times if you have conditions like OCD, or adhd and the like.
I found it interesting but some points a bit too much.

Personal essay collections exploring neurodivergence and mental health are an area of non-fiction I have read little of, but one that I am keen to explore more of. This was a really insightful account of various anecdotes of the author's experience with OCD and anxiety, though admittedly at times the content was repetitive and not as sharply explored as in other essays in the collection.

I’ve been a fan of Marianne Eloise’s journalism for a while, so I looked forward to reading her essay collection. It didn’t disappoint! Obsessive Intrusive Magical Thinking brilliantly explores the intersection of Eloise’s experience with obsession, neurodivergence and disorder. Marianne is autistic, has ADHD, and was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The standout essays were; Yesterday, Tomorrow and Fantasy, Everything is on Fire, City of Angels, Too Much Memento Mori, Do I Believe in Magic? Sort Of, and Help! The Gorgon Medusa Lives Behind My Fish Tank.

This was a little too much for me.

It was interesting but I really did find it a little too much. Sorry.

This is a personal memoir of OCD, autism and ADHD, in the form of a series of short, unconnected essays on subjects like time, death, Disney (special interests… if you know, you know!) and LA.

Everything revealed within these pages is very personal, raw and honest. There is not much that could be considered widely applicable, even to those with the same conditions, as the author is telling specific anecdotes and exploring her own feelings rather than speaking in generalities. As the saying goes, if you know one person with autism, you know one person with autism! That said, I still recognised much of myself and some of my loved ones within her experiences and thought processes.

I was particularly interested in the distinction between healthy and unhealthy obsessions and their differing effects on the author’s life and health. This is definitely a battle I am familiar with and Marianne Eloise explains it brilliantly.

The anecdotes aren’t in any sort of chronological order, so there is sometimes some overlap between the content in different essays, and while each essay is very well-written, the book as a whole lacks a cohesive flow from one chapter to the next, so it works better to dip in and out of it rather than sitting down to read it all in one go.

I would definitely recommend this as an insight into a neurodivergent mind and as a series of interesting essays in their own right.

Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog

An interesting and personal read. The reader quickly gets to know the other and get real insight to the authors experiences.

An excellent self help book for those who suffer from intrusive thoughts. Unique and effective strategies and excellent explanations!

This was such a well-written, explorative and relatable memoir. I appreciate Marianne Eloise telling her story is all it's honesty and vulnerability. I really think that even if you don't have first-hand experience with neurodivergence or mental illness, you can get something out of reading this; whether it be relatability, insight or new found understanding. Eloise's story and insight is an important one; it could help a number of people, as well as raise awareness and desire to learn more for others.

Thank you to NetGalley and Icon Books for a copy of this eARc.

I read another ARC review of this which was angry that it wasn't an OCD handbook. I can confirm that this is not an OCD handbook. It IS a very moving, often wryly funny memoir about living with obsessive, intrusive (as the title might suggest) thoughts, told through a series of essays on disparate but loosely linked themes, so if that sounds up your street, then you'll like this. I did notice a few errors in consistency, where things were referenced in earlier chapters as though we'd already been introduced to them, and conversely quite a few things were introduced to us 'for the first time' in different sections, but I think that's mosly an issue with the book starting as separate essays.

Also, big up to the Medusa chapter, because yes.

An insight into a truly unique mind. In a less skilled writers hands this memoir could easily be muddled but Marianne Eloise brings a laserlike precision to every sentence. Highly recommended if your idea of a good read is to set up camp in someone else's head.

Brought back many memories of my own past obsessions and intrusive thoughts. Reminded me of times where I cared less and pretended more, and times when I cared too much. Just fabulous and would reread time and time again

I've been staring at a blank page for over a month since I finished this book, struggling with how to review it. I tried writing something witty and deeply personal like Marianne has but I don't think I've done it justice so I'll start by saying this...
This is one of the few books I've ever read and seen myself in. Hell, I knew I'd love it even before I'd finished the introduction!

The author is Autistic and also has both OCD & ADHD—although most of the book is about the intersection of life with the first two.
As someone whos lived with Autism & OCD for as long as I can remember (although I didn't always have the words for it!) my favourite chapters were the ones that explored the, at times, contrary fuckery that is living with both disorders. I lovingly refer to this as my 'Schrodinger's Brain'

The talk about how obsession and routine almost try to cancel each other out with ASD & OCD, being afraid that losing bad obsessions will rob you of the good ones, or how when you live with both all your life it can be SO hard to tell which is which was one of the most relatable things I've ever read!

I also really enjoyed the parts discussing OCD and its correlations to things like astrology and religion.
Looking at how we all participate in magical thinking (lucky numbers, superstitions etc) and how at the end of the day we're all just searching for answers and solutions but we don't all let it rule our lives to the point it manifests itself into mental illness.

I think she manages to perfectly toe the line of informative and funny as hell. Which is hard to do especially with such a sensitive subject!
I loved it so much I had to buy a physical copy to force on all my loved ones 😂

My favourite chapters were Do I Believe In Magic? Sort of, Grown-Ups Don't Have Nightmares, I Am Old Now But I Wasn't Then.

I'd recommend the book both to the ones who will see themselves in these pages and to those who want to gain more insight and understanding!

Marianne Eloise was born neurodivergent and obsessive. Her obsessions change regularly and last varying lengths of time while her thoughts are often a mixture of intense fears and certain words or ideas that won’t go away. Bringing together the struggles of OCD, ADHD and hypersensitivity, this book explores the intersection of these things and what that might mean for the individual. It’s a highly insightful look into a neurodivergent, sensitive mind. It looks at the triggers and comforts for overstimulation and how relationships are navigated with a mind like this. I found it very thought-provoking and relatable, so it will definitely be a book that I recommend to anyone on the autism spectrum and/or OCD warriors.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eBook in exchange for an honest review.

Content warnings: HP references, suicidal thoughts, mentions of self-harm, and food restriction.

This book was brilliant and honest. Marianne tells their story of how they grew up and learned about themselves along the way. How their experiences as a child foretold the challenges of adulthood and the signs and symptoms of their Anxiety, OCD and ASD effected them on a daily basis. I really connected to elements of this personal story. As someone who has only discovered that their challenges throughout life are partially explained by their recent OCD diagnosis, I appreciated the honest and thorough detailing of Marianne's life and the frank discussion of these challenges and how they were overcome. I think this is a book I will come back to in times where I need words to describe what I'm experiencing when no one seems to understand (least of all, me.)

Favourite quotes:
"I have spent the last several years trying to untangle the parts of my brain that are obsessive and the ones that are me, ultimately finding that there is no separating them."

"All I wanted was control and counting gave me some, if not over time, then over my own distraction." (As someone who has always counted steps between cracks in the pavement, counted paces down the hallway when I'm stressed, counted hours and minutes as they pass....I feel this)

"My awareness, to a point, is a gift - setting arbitrary deadlines for myself and being aware that everything good will end means that, within my capabilities, I make the most of everything, that I feel unable to settle for anything less than exactly what I want."

"Routine is essential. Unexpected changes and the variables of life blindside me, leading to meltdowns."

"I'm a grown up, for all intents and purposes, with the fidgetiness of a toddler."

"Diagnosis is a lifeline. It empowers me to live the way I need to, to ask for help and space."

An interesting read for the neurodivergent brains out there, this book definitely highlights how our brains manifest and how the impact of our experiences help to shape us into the people we become as adults, which is a super interesting way of looking at ourselves.

The insight about the way the author, Marianne Eloise lives and copes with her OCD and autism is very refreshing especially as she is a woman as well. The writing style was very helpful and allowed me to be able to process each part slowly rather than writing as a combined book.

I can definitely relate to what she said about her diagnosis and it actually has helped me see from anothers perspective the way they have dealt with the challenges of what's been said from a medical point of view to someone who has been possibly been living with their neurodivergent condition all their life, like me. Whilst there isn't a cure in diagnosis, I can totally relate to what the author responds with and I find it a great source of comfort.

I really connected with this book and enjoyed it completely, mostly because I could relate to it but also because I think it's a pretty bold move to open up oneself to the world about neurodivergent challenges and mental health in one go.

I received a FREE ARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

this is one of those books that almost hit too close to home, one of those bright lights that you shouldn't look directly at. it's a collection of essays across marianne eloise's life, from disneyland to relationships to anxiety to horoscopes and so so many things in between. the writing is raw and clever and painful and so funny and so sad at times. really recommend!!