Last year, I started reading more literary fiction and I want to more this year. Is This a Cry for Help? caught my eye and a great way to start reading more of this genre. Today I want to tell you more about this book and what I thought.
A big thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for providing me with an eARC to read and review. This doesn’t affect my opinion in any way.
Emily Austin, the bestselling “queen of darkly quirky, endearingly flawed heroines” (Sarah Haywood, author of The Cactus), returns with a luminous new novel following a librarian who comes back to work after a mental breakdown only to confront book-banning crusaders in an empowering story of grief, love, and the power of libraries.
Darcy’s life turned out better than she could have ever imagined. She is a librarian at the local branch, while her wife Joy runs a book binding service. Between the two of them, there is no more room on their shelves with their ample book collections, various knickknacks and bobbles, and dried bouquets. Rounding out their ideal life is two cats and a sun-soaked house by the lake.
But when Darcy receives the news that her ex-boyfriend, Ben, has passed away, she spirals into a pit of guilt and regret, resulting in a mental breakdown and medical leave from the library. When she returns to work, she is met by unrest in her community, and protests surrounding intellectual freedom, resulting in a call for book bans and a second look at the branch’s upcoming DEI programs.
Through the support of her community, colleagues, and the personal growth that results from examining her previous relationships, Darcy comes into her own agency and the truest version of herself. Is This a Cry for Help? not only offers a moving portrait of queer life after coming of age but also powerfully explores questions about sexuality, community, and the importance of libraries.
Review
Is This a Cry for Help? is an interesting story because it deals with so many different things. Just like it feels like nothing happens but everything happens at the same time. Emily Austin gave us such a genuine book that I still think about often after reading it.
Our main character Darcy is happily married to her wife Joy and is a librarian. When she learns that her ex, Ben, passed away it kind of sends her spiralling more than she expects. Therapy, medication, and a break from work were needed. We join Darcy when she heads back to work. This book deals with grief and how things can hit you harder than expected. The grief felt realistic and I really appreciated the moments Darcy was talking to her therapist. We get flashbacks of her relationship with him, but also the moments where she realized that she’s attracted to women.
Besides that aspect of the story, I also see this book as a love letter to libraries. Is This a Cry for Help? deals with protesting and book banning. How one small incident at the library blows up to many discussions on what should be found at a library and our right to information. It was interesting to see how the questions she got as a librarian and the protests all came together.
Is This a Cry for Help? is a raw, emotional, heart-warming story that left a lasting impression. I definitely see myself thinking of this book years later and rereading it in the future.
After Is This a Cry for Help? I really need to read more of Emily’s backlist! Have you read any amazing literary fiction books recently? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!
