Review: Glitterland by Alexis Hall
SYNOPSIS:
In the past, the universe is a glitterball I hold in the palm of my hand.
In the past, I am brilliant and I am happy and my every tomorrow is madness.
In the past, I am soaring, and falling, and breaking, and lost.
And now, there is only this.
Once the golden boy of the English literary scene, now a clinically depressed writer of pulp crime fiction, Ash Winters has given up on hope, happiness, and―most of all―himself. He lives his life between the cycles of his illness, haunted by the ghosts of other people’s expectations.
Then a chance encounter throws him into the path of Essex-born Darian Taylor. Flashy and loud, radiant and full of life, Darian couldn’t be more different…and yet he makes Ash laugh, reminding him of what it’s like to step beyond the boundaries of his anxiety. But Ash has been living in his own shadow for so long that he can no longer see a way out. Can a man who doesn’t trust himself ever trust in happiness? And how can someone who doesn’t believe in happiness ever fight for his own?
REVIEW:
I knew this book was going to tear me apart before putting me back together and I think for that reason it sat unread on my shelf for so long. But I was finally in the right mood and headspace to dive into this story and it did not disappoint. Then again, does Alexis Hall ever disappoint?
Beautifully poetic, I have never had an author capture the depths and despair of depression so well. While Ash struggles with bipolar disorder, anxiety, and self-harm…I found him to be real. He was gritty, honest, and dark. Alexis didn’t breeze past his struggles, instead we dived head first into them. For as much of a romance as this story is, it is also a journey in how to navigate life when you suffer from ‘unseen’ illnesses. And yet I found myself resonating with Ash’s pain and anguish, because as much as I wanted to wrap him in a hug and tell him it would be okay, we all know that’s not how it works.
Then their was Darian, I was positively charmed by the Essex accents and trying to decipher what the heck he was trying to say. He is a ray of sunshine and sass when Ash needs it most. The balance and banter had me positively enchanted and I couldn’t put the book down. Even when Ash tried to set fire and burn all his bridges down, I couldn’t look away. My only complaint is the ending left me wanted more, but I guess that’s what Aftermath is for.
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