"Powerful, beautiful, and quirky, this unique novel about anxiety-ridden and death-obsessed Gilda is a dream of a read."
Our July 2021 Book Club Recommendation
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This deliciously quirky, amusing and sharply-pointed debut novel slowly wormed its way into my heart and soul. Anxiety is plaguing Gilda, who also has death on her mind, she unexpectedly finds herself in a new job, fending off unwanted attention from men while keeping her girlfriend secret, and investigating a suspicious death. Emily Austin writes with such honesty and empathy, I found her words burrowed their way into my mind before reaching beyond thought, to feelings. It took me a while to get to know and warm to Gilda, she borders on awkward as she tells her story. I gradually found myself getting closer and closer to this fragile yet thoughtful and beautiful woman. The plot weaves a unique magic as it ranges from mystery to family drama to relationship story. The humour is pithy and smart, the observations can sting yet are compassionate, and the descriptions simply sing. I really have fallen in love with this book, and can’t wait to see what comes next from Emily Austin, she is a writer I will be looking out for. Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead is a compelling, provocative, and beautiful LoveReading Star Book.
Emily Austin had me in stitches at Gilda’s predicaments one moment, then weeping the next. This insightful and poignant book is one I will never forget.
Emily Austin had me in stitches at Gilda’s predicaments one moment, then weeping the next. This insightful and poignant book is one I will never forget. As Gilda obsesses and overthinks her way through life, I could not help but feel her every emotion, be it dread, anxiety or fear. But it was her attempts to pass as a devout Catholic that had me roaring with laughter. This wonderful book took me into the mind of a woman struggling with her mental health and made me really feel everything she felt.... Read Full Review
Hold on to your seat! Here’s a quirky novel with a unique voice that will toss you around.
This novel takes a bit of getting into. At first I wasn’t sure I liked the tone of the writing, but once I got used to it, the book zipped along helter skelter and in all different directions. The author is clever in the way Gilda thinks – it’s much like every human who can’t concentrate on anything for a length of time and her thoughts lurch from one subject to another. If you can cope with that (and with her erratic behaviour) you’ll enjoy this book. And whilst the character on the outside is hard, flawed and slightly strange, in truth she cares deeply about the people who matter to her, she is just misunderstood. I think this will be a marmite book – you’ll either love it or hate it.... Read Full Review
Irreverent humour, on point observations and an endearing protagonist in the shape of twenty-seven-year-old mentally beleaguered Gilda combine in a heartfelt and impressive debut.
Irreverent humour, on point observations and an endearing protagonist in the shape of twenty-seven-year-old mentally beleaguered Gilda combine in a heartfelt and impressive debut. Riddled with anxiety and preoccupied by thoughts of death, Gilda is a frequent visitor to the emergency room but when she presents with a broken arm, and something other than her usual complaint of heart palpitations, she typically plays it down as the result of “a small car accident”. Having been sacked from the bookstore where she worked following multiple absences Gilda is only too aware that she needs to talk about her troubling thoughts. But when a flyer advertising mental health support takes her to the local Catholic Church she accidentally finds herself employed as their new receptionist.... Read Full Review
