Break in Case of Emergency

I didn't anticipate liking this book, or relating to this book, as much as I did. I actually picked it as a sort of light hearted break after having read some heavier books. It begins with a quote by Joan DIdion: “we flatter ourselves by thinking this compulsion to please others an attractive traits: a gift for imaginative empathy, evidence of our willingness to give.” That quote is a good summary of what the book's central themes were: self-respect and what that means within the context of relationships, working, and one's mental health.

I really enjoyed the frenetic, neurotic narration of the main character. While much of the main character's surroundings were satirized and dramatized, I think it was nonetheless a very well done take on the modern workplace and the concessions one makes in order to seem okay in front of everyone else.

I also like that the author didn't attempt to tie things up in a happy ending, which makes it even more relatable. There is no attempt at trying to portray a moral to the story or redeem any of these characters. We can assume that the main character and her husband sort of ride off into the sunset, but that ride is still as bumpy and marked with horrors as it had been the majority of the book. I'd recommend it those who are okay with your chick lit having a dash of cynicism and realism. I will say I had steered my way from this sort of fiction in recent years, but this gave me some motivation to dive back in.