Jane is Trying (W&N Essentials)

Product Information

Now she’s about to publish her debut novel, Jane Is Trying, about an anxiety sufferer’s struggles to get pregnant. I did enjoy the portrayal of mental health (mostly because I related quite a lot to the worrying and checking, ha), but it did feel a bit like it didn't really get much of a resolution, other than suddenly when the baby comes, everything is okay? Some of Jane's musings are so relatable you'll catch yourself laughing out loud, slightly alarmed by the accuracy .

Also shout out to the birthing scene, one of the few pieces of writing that's come close to making me actually laugh out loud. Jane is back in the sticks - having left London after a traumatic breakup with a boyfriend, prompted by their struggles to conceive and his infidelity. It did feel like a very privileged woman’s story about anxiety, relationships, pregnancy and self discovery (because it was) but it was pretty poignant at times and very funny. I was already a huge fan of Isy Suttie and can confirm I'm now at the raging, crying, teenager-obsessed-with-Harry-Styles level.

I also enjoyed the ending, and how it didn't exactly follow the predictable ending I was expecting, but instead felt like Jane making some 'happy compromises', which felt like quite a wholesome ending. This is a funny and sweet story about trying to start afresh when your past haunts you, and the realities of being an independent adult.

Seemingly every other line was the setup to a witticism or joke, and I didn't share the author's sense of humour at all. Some of the behaviour of others, especially her parents, was ridiculous to the point of hilarity at times. Suttie has created a charming world of oddballs (and their even odder parents) I miss them all already!Well, Isy Suttie has pretty much emptied an entire quarry on poor Jane, the suddenly adrift late-thirtysomething at the heart of her debut novel. Sorry it wasn’t for me, I didn’t enjoy it but there are plenty of people who did, it’s not a bad book, it’s just not what I thought it would be based upon the blurb. I also wanted to jump into the book and scream at how people were treating Jane and how she felt like she had to put up with other people inserting themselves into her life… maybe that’s a sign of a good book? By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file.

Her anger and unwillingness to forgive her cheating husband or her suffocating relatives was very real, and I was rooting for her to be able to take that step away from her almost-forced dependency on others. It's clear from the very detailed acknowledgements at the back that the author has worked hard to make it as authentic as possible by consulting people with more knowledge about specific elements.Suttie brightens the page with her eccentric characters and wonderful observations of small-town life.

Jane is Trying is about a woman in her late thirties, desperately trying to have a baby with her husband but struggling to conceive.I listened to the audiobook -- with Isy Suttie doing the narration -- and her voice just fits perfectly with the humour. Jane suffers from anxiety and intrusive thoughts that affect her constantly, and I felt the author dealt with this aspect in a particularly sensitive manner. The story didn't intrigue and the themes such as mental health etc were dealt with at a superficial level. There’s a very vulnerable humour in this, which I think is bolstered by the author being a public figure, and the book is all the better for it.