A sad, contemplative read. Myerson makes some interesting prose choices that I think lend themselves well to the subject matter -- they slowed me down, in a way that felt helpful if not necessary. I don't know if I would go so far as to say that I enjoyed this, but I do think it was a good, worthwhile read.

This is well written novel about addiction. The only thing that irked about this book was the writing structure. The story feels more like a diary entry than a novel. The author did a good job creating a mood though. This book is stressful and intense to read, which is intentional. If you want a hard-hitting novel about a family dealing with addiction, then this book might be a winner for you. I liked this book, but I wanted more character development.

An emotional cluster of generational trauma and its impacts. Mothers and daughters. Writers and drugs. The whole book is told by a narrator that provides very fluid timelines. This was confusing in parts attempting to understand what happened to who and when. Ultimately, the reader experiences the uncertainty of how to keep those we love safe and cared for.

Thank you NetGalley, Tin House, and author Julie Myerson for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is not a book for everyone. It's a raw, unflinching and immersive look at being the parent of a child with addiction told in an unconventional way, and I couldn't get enough of it.

This epistolary novel is addressed to "you," the narrator's drug-addicted daughter. Because it's written in a non-linear timeline without using names, the reader experiences the frustration and disorientation the narrator does while trying to navigate her new and maddening existence. Everything, even events that are clearly in the past, is told in present tense, which lends to the chaos and confusion.

Myerson previously published a memoir about her teenage son's drug addiction and how it affected their relationship, and although this book is titled 𝗡𝗢𝗡𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡, it clearly has autobiographical elements, making it that much more harrowing to read. The narrator, also a writer, comments at one point "...not everything in the novel is real, of course. She wouldn’t want anyone to think that. Most of what she’s written is pure fiction. Or perhaps it’s more accurate to say that it’s a kind of fiction which could not possibly have been written were it not for the real things that have happened to her in her real life. But then isn’t that true of almost all novels at the end of the day?"

Thanks to Tin House for the copy to review.

I love this title because while it is fiction, it very much feels like nonfiction. Anyone woman who has ever had a mother will find a whole lot to resonate with here. This book highlights all things maternal love - the good, the bad, and the sad, and I am grateful I read this book. I will always think of my mom with a little more compassion after finishing.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book!

Dnf'ing at 40%.

Unfortunately, I'm just not feeling this book right now. While I love lit-fic novels exploring concepts of motherhood, grief, etc, this feels like a book I've read before. The narrator isn't particularly compelling and much of the rumination in the first 40% is similar to what I've read in the past. Not a fault of the book, it's just not aligning with me, personally.

The review copy was also a bit difficult to read as there weren't breaks between sections so it was a bit confusing at times--unsure if it's the same in the physical copy.

My ARC is messed up so I’m just going to add this to my TBR. Weird random letters were capitalized and I’m guessing that wasn’t intentional. It doesn’t make sense to read it in a manner that’s frustrating at this point.

I loved the blending of fiction and Nonfiction in this one and how the lines were blurred. I loved that it was difficult to see what was real and what wasn't.

Nonfiction is a novel about a mother whose teenage daughter has been struggling with drug abuse. The mother feels a deep sense of guilt over her daughter’s struggles, suspecting that some bad behavior on her part has led her daughter into addiction, and much of the novel is the mother tracing memories of her worst moments, as well as her relationship with her own mother, trying to find answers for her daughter’s struggles.

There isn’t much in this novel that follows any sort of traditional structure – the timeline is scattered without any sort of recognizable pattern, so there is no reliability in terms of forward movement, and there is no indication other than context to determine the order of the events. Throughout most of the book, I found myself trying to trace the plot, often unsure when the affair happens in relation to the daughter’s struggles with addiction, and precisely how long we follow the daughter’s journey, whether she is still a teenager or if we’re seeing her get older. There are points of reference, of course, and this is a book that rewards readers who are patient. I think that some of the disorder of the structure helps pull the reader into the moment: instead of worrying about what comes before and after, I was forced to take the story as it was given to me and accept the conclusions the narrator feeds me, rather than trying to come up with my own understanding of cause and effect.

We don’t get much formal description of the characters, either, and we rarely get names for them, though I do feel that we come to know their personalities quite well. I absolutely loved how subtle the author was with her character development. We are never told how to feel about a character, or explicitly given character traits. Instead, each character is allowed to reveal themselves through their words and actions. In the rare moment when one character comments on another, it makes those comments feel all the more judgmental precisely because the narrator never does seem to reach any conclusions about how she is behaving or being treated.

My first impression upon finishing the book was a slight bafflement, and little conviction about my impressions. I think a lot of that is because it strays so far from the novels I am used to reading. This book, though literally titled Nonfiction, claims to be fiction. And yet it is written about an author, from that author’s perspective, and commonly circles back around to whether authors (and female authors in general) write from experience, based on their own lives, or if their fiction is in fact invented. That of course leads the reader to wonder whether this is in fact fiction, or if parts of it are based on the author’s life. It shouldn’t matter – a well-told story is a well-told story, and this one is extremely well-told. But as a reader, of course I get invested in the narrative and the characters, and I find myself wanting to know whether it’s true. The desire to know more almost feels like a part of the reading experience.

In all, I’ll give Nonfiction a 9 out of 10. This book is extremely well written, with an interesting, dynamic plot and memorable, highly relatable characters. I’m sure that it won’t appeal to everyone, but I think anyone willing to take it on will get something out of it.

I usually pair strange and beguiling, but this book was more the former. There was a chilly remove with the narrator, perhaps because none of the characters were named. She falls into an affair despite little seeming desire, maybe to deal with her daughter’s drug addiction. My favorite parts were about writing.

A mother writing to her daughter trying to contend with her daughter’s behavior while also dealing with her relationship with her own mom.

I liked the idea that this was the mother actually writing to her daughter and thus in second person. I thought that worked well. However, besides that, I thought it was a bit slow and too stream of consciousness at times for me.

Nonfiction is an unnamed narrator’s reflection on her life and relationships, focusing largely on her fraught relationships with her daughter and mother. The book’s exploration of addiction, trauma, intimacy, guilt, and family legacies are all bound to resonate with readers.

Myerson uses some stylistic choices to great effect here. The nonlinear and stream-of-consciousness writing style highlights parallels in the story and demonstrates the ripple effects one relationship can have on others. The use of an unobjective narrator who writes for a living also adds depth to the narrative. And if you know Myerson’s past work, there are even more layers to consider.

There’s a lot to process with this one, and it is definitely one that will stay with you for a while after reading it.

*Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!*

I am so thankful to Tin House Books, Netgalley, and Julie Myerson for granting me advanced digital access to this fun and bold literary fiction read before its pub date of January 2, 2024.

This is an absolutely heartbreaking and fascinating novel. The unnamed narrator is a novelist, and through her writing she works through her relationships with all the other unnamed characters: her mother, her husband, her daughter, her affair partner, and her mentee. The book explores relationships and how they change over time, addiction, and trauma as it is passed down through families. It was beautifully written and so compelling to read.

Nonfiction is a very intense book which I am sure many of our patrons will enjoy. The subject matter of an addicted child and a mother with issues of her own is very well written about and will leave the reader with plenty to think about.

WOW. I'm so glad I read this, probably will make my top 10 books of 2023. Something about this character (author?) really resonated with me as a writer - listening to her struggle and project and reckon and wrestle with everything that she was dealing with was just an astounding experience I don't think I'll ever forget. THANK YOU Tin House for publishing this and letting me read it early - 5 stars all around!

I found this book to be a compelling and raw portrayal of the challenges one faces while living with a drug-addicted daughter. The author provides a genuine and unfiltered glimpse into this difficult reality, making it both interesting and heart-wrenchingly sad. The book offers a poignant exploration of a topic many can't fathom, leaving a lasting impact on the reader.

Horrific, tragic and brutal mother daughter relationship drama. This is not an easy or light read.

I would proceed with caution and not recommend for anyone going though any sort of issues with their mother, but it's an excellently written book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

A novel that some will find extremely difficult to read. An unnamed narrator, an author, tells her story and that of her drug addicted daughter in a way that feels like one long confession of doubt and generational trauma. The narrator had a fraught relationship with her own mother and over the years has questioned how she deals with her child. Myerson, who previously wrote about her son's addition, has turned the situation on its head to proclaim that this is fiction and then titled it Nonfiction. Except the details are so real. Thanks to netgalley for the arc. A painful one.

I didn’t care for the style of writing here. It was too broken up and didn’t seem to flow well throughout. Making for a tough read despite the topic. Having gone through a similar time I thought I would be able to relate, but the parents here were insufferable.