Presented as a collection of essays rather than a strictly linear memoir, this book explores the author's experiences with neurodivergence and obsession, dealing with the ways in which disorders have impacted on her life. The style is thoughtful and considered and extremely detailed – I found myself a little bogged down in places, but the author writes so well that she does a brilliant job of inviting you in and sharing her experiences. I found myself reading it essay by essay rather than in one go so that I had time to absorb it, and I think it would be valuable reading for anyone who has experience of similar obsessive thinking or just wants to learn more about it.

This book was an eye opener for me. Marianne describes her OCD and autism eloquently, and at times, it’s quite funny. Not the sort of book I would normally read, but glad I did. I’d recommend to someone who is challenged by their place on the spectrum, as well as those who would like to learn more. It certainly resonated with me. Recommend.

LOVED this book. It was so well-written and the way places, and interiority combined was truly magical. The different chapters felt so perfectly formed. The book also prompted me to read some of the authors journalism which I also really enjoyed. I felt like I gained an understanding of OCD that was so interesting.

I've been a fan (if that's the right word) of Marianne Eloise for a while - I feel like she was one of the first women my age I was aware of speaking about being autistic in a way I felt engaged with (as in aesthetically, on Instagram, and without it seeming like something that was a deeply distressing thing to be), so needless to say I was very excited to find out she'd written a collection of essays primarily centred around being neurodiverse and the good and the bad that comes with it.

The book didn't disappoint - it follows her obsessions (LA, the sea, Disneyland), her fears (fire, Medusa) and the ways in which autism, OCD and ADHD have affected her over the course of her life. I recognised a lot of myself in these essays - a deep commitment to vegetarianism, a grocery list of sensory issues, a brain that tells you you are responsible for everything around you and should you stop doing or not doing things Bad Things Will Happen. I too would have slapped another kid for mocking me about my dog dying! I too used to collect all my most prized belongings together certain if I didn't something terrible would befall my house! It's truly a joy to be able to read something like this and know other people also have weird brains and what that looks like for them.

Even if you don't deeply identify with the content of the essays, they're a really good portrayal of neurodiversity in an entertaining and enjoyable way, especially considering how much autism and OCD are misunderstood by neurotypical people. I'll definitely be picking this book up in physical form when it's out, and also the cover is gorgeous.

I thought I’d give this a go as I do get a bit like myself with different things. Glad I read it. Well done.

That was really good. Marianne Eloise's essays focus on various aspects of her OCD disorder: her fear of death, her fear of a fire burning her house, her fear of the ocean (despite also craving the idea of the ocean), her obsession with Disneyland, her obsession with LA. I liked the fact that she doesn't only explain how her OCD diagnosis (and her autism, but the essays focus more on the obsessive compulsive thoughts) affects her, she also shares her obsessions, lovingly writing about her favourite rides and her favourite parts of LA, her regular trips to California. I enjoyed the fact it wasn't all gloomy - her obsessions make her incredibly anxious, but they also make her very focused and determined to follow the healthier ones. It was well-written, it could have been more structured at times (it is biographical and I found some elements confusing at times, getting mixed up between boyfriends for example). It was less comedic than 'Pure', the only other OCD-focused memoir I have read; but I really enjoyed the tone and the author's personality through her words.