At a certain point, the world will have no more room for autofictional narratives about creative writing professors juggling academia with their uncertain personal lives, but I can't say I didn't find it compelling. The narrator has a distinct voice that paints the people around her with interesting variations in clarity and realism: While the novel strikes an absurd tone, the interactions between characters call out that this is real life and that the absurdism comes from within. There's enough humor and surrealism to avoid stagnating into doom, and "Hana P" (not to be confused with the author, Hannah P) is just sympathetic enough for her aggravating decision making (or lack thereof -- she spends a lot of time just not taking action) to not sink the book. Nothing is really consequential by the end of the novel (maybe there's the slightest acquisition of raised self awareness), which I suppose is understandable if it's meant to be read as autofiction. Still, it could have ended with more than a whimper. It rushes a bit to the finish line.

The era of the “unhinged” narrator is still going strong and while I chuckle at the term, it is often used in place of “mentally struggling” and that's what is happening in this book. We essentially get an internal monologue from Hana, a middle aged woman, as she struggles to cope with the mundanity of life despite having success in her career as an author and college professor and being in a stable relationship after a previous divorce.

The following short quotes succinctly describe this book, and in going through my annotations it struck me that this is likely a work of autofiction: “The tone is all over the place. At times it is a dark and brooding meditation on girlhood interrupted; in other places it’s pure comedy.” “Smug. Narcissistic. Vaguely unhinged.”

There were many character elements that I could relate to, but I also found other aspects insufferable and selfish. I won’t spoil anything but one particular side quest involving a cat had me fuming and writhing. To me, it added nothing to the story except emphasizing her selfishness.

That said, certain parts of her inner monologue I found myself nodding along and feeling seen. Obviously, I don’t have to agree with everything for me to enjoy reading a book and the perspective it shares. If you enjoyed All Fours by Miranda July, this book comes pretty close to that with a greater emphasis on internal strings of thought on the tedium of life. I enjoyed some parts more than others, but going back on my highlighted quotes I find myself liking it even more in retrospect.

Thank you to NetGalley, Henry Holt & Company, and Hannah Pittard for a digital advance copy of this book! All opinions are my own.

The story goes in parts sounding like memoir along with fiction. Hana is on a journey with interesting characters, family and non-family, that keeps the story's pace strong. Kentucky is enough of a character to be a driving factor for the story. Then, the ending completely fell apart as Hana becomes lost in her story.

Thank you, NetGalley and Holt for an advanced copy of this book

I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would, given the brouhaha around the author and her friends in New York Magazine earlier in 2024. I enjoy literary gossip, but the ins and outs of this group's breakups and affairs left everyone looking worse for wear. Still, I had read We Are Too Many without knowing the backstory, and had enjoyed it, so I was eager to read Pittard again.

If You Love It, Let It Kill You is a fascinating work of autofiction wherein the author holds very little back. The writing is clear, concise, propulsive, and FUNNY; Pittard does not shy away from situations and descriptions that leave her looking unsympathetic or self-serving, especially when her behavior or meandering thoughts create the punchline to the joke. Instead, she wades straight into the cloudy waters of middle-aged life post-(very public) divorce--questions of fidelity and procreation and friendships and what the hell one is supposed to do with their birth family as everyone ages.

Although this is definitely written from a place of privilege (Chamonix, anyone?), it doesn't pretend not to be, unlike a lot of the deeply self-serious and pretentious entries into the autofiction canon. I found the book, in many ways, to be a more accurate picture of this weird, chaotic (read: perimenopausal) time in American women's lives than Miranda July's All Fours, to which it is compared. And one has to wonder if the author didn't walk into this comparison with open eyes; the talking cat, while an odd device, is a direct parallel to plot points in July's movie The Future. Regardless, I loved reading this, I saw myself (a white, unmarried-but-partnered-by-choice, middle-aged, southern-by-birth, divorced American woman with literary pretensions) in it, deeply empathized with it, and enjoyed that it offered lots of wacky situations--and lengthy musings on these situations--but very few answers.

Thank you NetGalley and Holt for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I am a mega-Hannah Pittard fan and this one was no exception. I loved this auto-fiction novel.... super inventive. Huge fan.

Ok, so. Hannah Pittard. I've been a fan of her work for a decade now and have read all her books. Her early work blew me away, but the her two recent books are... curious. A pioneer of autofiction (which I didn't realize until recently, but looking back makes sense), Pittard not so delicately balances her fictional life and her real life. She was married to a musician and author that she met at UVA and moved to Kentucky with in the mid 2010s. He ends up cheating on her with her best friend. Pittard writes a memoir about it, New York Magazine writes an article about it, the ex-husband writes a novel about it, and now we have this novel which is about her ex-husband writing a novel about it. It's a lot of content for a failed marriage but I guess that's what happens when you get a bunch of authors being dramatic with each other.

I just don't know what to say about this book. The opening seemed SO familiar to me, I even had to double-check that this indeed was being published this July. I don't know if it reminds me of her other work, or if it just reminded me of similar books I've read in the past by other authors. Pittard's voice is unique, but depressing. It can also be... annoying (truly can't think of a better word, perhaps whiny?) Her thingy veiled character makes bonkers decisions and isn't very kind to the people in her life. She is going through a midlife crisis, I think? She has a lovely boyfriend who she lives with, and helps to raise his 11 year old daughter. Her family all moved to be closer to her, her Dad is mentally unwell and her mom and sister are peripheral characters but play into her sadness. It's a lot for autofiction, and I'm ready for Pittard to delve into new territory. If you've also read this and her work, please chat with me about it because I need someone to help me figure all this out!

The description of this book sounded intriguing but the stream of consciousness writing style wasn't for me. I found it very hard to get into and struggled to finish. Although the protagonist was well developed and interesting there was no real direction to story.

Wild, charming, sharp, and entertaining. It is all at once funny and sad. I very much enjoyed being privy to Hana’s inner (and outer) thoughts as she navigates her life as part of a family of three. When a talking cat shows up at some point I thought, sure, why not!?

If you are already a fan of or curious about stories featuring women facing existential crises, give this a try. 4.5 stars.

Thank you to Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

Hannah Pittard has the unique talent of taking some deep, serious circumstances and presenting them light-heartedly. Her writing is refreshing, and so is her depiction of crazy, likable characters. I enjoyed the story; however, it may not be for everyone.

This is one long extended stream of conscience of a middle aged woman questioning everything in her life. Hana is a Kentucky college professor, who is also a published author. She's divorced, living with her boyfriend, and soon learns her ex-husband is about to come out with a book that paints her in an unflattering light. Her extended family are some funny, great characters, including her eccentric dad, continuously dating mother, and sister that lives across the street. Hana is searching for something in her life but we don't know what. She attends a writing workshop, then leaves early; she ponders having an affair with a man she calls 'The Irishman'; she rescues a talking cat. This is an accounting o f her emotional state as she wallows through life questioning all her decisions, including 'should she marry her boyfriend? So nothing really happens in this book, the writing is disjointed, but it's a fun ride since you'll be able to relate to many of the situations she finds herself embroiled in

"If You Love It, Let It Kill You" is a wild piece of autofiction that includes lots of zany scenarios, surreal details (cue the talking cat), and very dark and heartbreaking moments as well. This novel runs the emotional gamut and I enjoyed it so much that I researched the author while reading it and discovered a well-reviewed ' kind of' memoir which appeared to contain quite a bit of the content in this novel. I learned, as others may have already known, lots of backstory. That was cool to know but had little to do with how much I loved THIS book in and of itself.

I found the protagonist instantly relatable. "Hana P." is a Kentucky college professor who is describing her journey into depression. She is questioning her life choices as she navigates her daily world: her past marriage to her (writer) ex-husband who is actively using her and her (kind of) new "husband" as writing material.. Though she has expressly not wanted children, the latter has an 11 year old daughter who basically views her as a mother figure (another 'kind of' conflict). Relationships are complicated in this book -- including her poky and, at times, too intimate students and ever-present family of origin. Finally, there is her unresolved grief over a beloved dog, now gone, a mysterious and kinda creepy gentlemen with whom she had a romantic encounter, and her adventures in rescuing an injured cat (who happens to talk) and becomes a "throughline" in the novel. Whew!

Pittard's mind is a complicated container of experiences--hilarious and deeply painful thoughts--that seem to ping off the page. The novel captivated me from start to finish. Meeting her best friend, Jane, in the first few pages, I simply wanted to hang out with the two women and be the "other" friend from down the street! And speaking of down the street, it appeared that nearly her entire family had moved within a mile radius, minus her pretty "together" brother who maintains a sarcastic and endearing text relationship with Hana. The family has some "issues" -- drinking and codependency for sure -- and maybe some perfectionism (Hana's sister sends out an "amended" birthday invitation to include a bounce house...).

This novel is well written, vulnerable, and emotionally charged. And SO funny. With flashes of magical realism and stories within stories, the plot is absolutely wild - it glides from deep trauma to mundane daily events and past and present relationships--effortlessly. I look forward to reading her entire catalog.

Pub Date 7.15.2025 📖🖊️✨

If You Love It, Let It Kill You knocks you off your feet with its irreverent look at the life of the character of Hana P. through themes of art, desire, and modern life. Her ex-husband’s novel is coming out and the possibility of an unflattering image of her and her behavior in the past has Hana in a bit of a spiral. As she spirals, we discover what it means to go through a crisis in life as Hana, and how it affects those around her. The writing style took a little bit to get warmed up to, but once I did, I realized it was funny, weird, and empathetic in ways I didn't expect and really appreciated. It has both satirical and heartfelt bits as well as deeper looks as academia, family, and identity. The voice feels completely honest, but at the same time, we know that the perspective is biased, as all are. As Hana comes to terms with herself and the chaos that is surrounding her, I found I was asking questions about how life confronts you in its own way with the consequences of your choices. I love the mix of comedy and tragedy, and I will be looking to read more from Hannah Pittard in the future!

Thank you so much to the author, Hannah Pittard, Henry Holt & Company, and NetGalley for the privilege of being able to read this arc. I will share my review to Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes & Noble upon release.

The voice is 100% what makes this book. I whipped through the first half before I realized it wasn't going anywhere, and even then I was happy enough to keep reading just to hang out with the narrator. There's very little of what could be called "growth" or "narrative thrust," but that's OK.

Ballsy of the author to lead with, "What follows is pure fantasy," and then conclude by saying that this is a work of nonfiction.

This is a fun ride through the mind of one human woman. I don't think it lives up to its killer title, but I enjoyed it.

I had a hard time getting into this novel as it borders on fantasy with the woman having conversations with a cat. Hana lives with boyfriend, Bruce and both are academics. His 11-year-old daughter spends time with them and Hana likes her but doesn't want children of her own. A random man begins texting her, calling her "Hot Stuff" and she's curious but isn't sure how to react. The novel vacillates between her creative writing class--where her students are curious but often confused about her suggestions--and her private life and spying on her neighbors. The conversations with the cat became tedious but of course they mirror the tediousness of her own life as she aches to find meaning in it.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Messy in the best way possible. Felt like I was reading a diary entry of a persons thoughts and feelings. Loved this book. Thanks NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co.

What a refreshing read! This novel zips along with great lines, fabulous scenes, and a wonderful look at how our author shows us her flawed self with great humor and her love for life with zany intensity. The author reminds the readers that this is auto fiction, and she tells us she doesn't particularly writing nonfiction, but one get the feeling much of what she reveals in this book borders on some form of truth, and we are much better off because of that glimpse into her real life, as she camoflagues those that are a part of her life with a cloak of curiosity and intimacy. If you are looking for a novel where we have engaging conversations with a cat, unbelievable maddening experiences with a creative writing class, and intriguing batter between a woman and her partner, this is an uplifting novel that is exciting to pick up and see what happens next.

This was such a unique and fun read. The characters are a riot---definitely quirky, but in the best way. I read Pittard's last book, We Are Too Many, which is a memoir. This one is classified as fiction, but she makes several references to it being "autofiction," which is super interesting. I liked that she was playing with reality vs fantasy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt for the advanced reader copy

I generally like Hannah Pittard; her work is funny and engaging. But I couldn't get into this one. It felt as though it was trying a little too hard to be irreverent and overshot the mark to being somewhat grating. Maybe next book.

Hana P., with her carefully constructed life and seemingly unshakeable contentment, is thrown into chaos when her ex-husband’s upcoming novel promises to expose an unflattering version of her past. What follows is not your typical midlife crisis but a wonderfully bizarre journey filled with moments of surreal humor—a talking cat, a mysterious shadowy figure—and biting social commentary.

The novel’s strength lies in its ability to weave the absurd with the relatable. Hana’s encounters with her students, skeptical navigation of familial dynamics, and unraveling self-perception are rendered with sharp satire and genuine vulnerability. The game of Dead Body, a metaphor for Hana’s growing sense of irrelevance, and the Greek chorus of students critiquing her life choices add a layer of meta-commentary on personal narrative and public perception.

This novel is about the stories we tell ourselves and those we fear others might know about us. It’s a delightful, thought-provoking read for anyone who has ever questioned their choices—or loves a well-crafted, idiosyncratic character study—a must-read for fans of literary fiction with a satirical edge.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved If You Love It, Let It Kill You—it was quirky, unpredictable, and an all-around wild ride. The way Hannah Pittard crafted the story to feel like we were diving into the personal diary of the protagonist, Hana, was brilliant. I found myself laughing out loud one moment and cringing in the best possible way the next. There wasn't a single point where I had any idea where the story was headed, and that's what made it so exciting. I’ve seen comparisons to Miranda July, and I totally agree! This was my first book by Pittard, and I’m already eager to explore more of her work.