Girl in Pieces : a review

TRIGGER WARNING: self- harm, suicide

Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow has been a favorite book of mine for a long time now. It was a sign from the universe that I needed to take this book in my hands to find comfort, connection, and strength. During my senior year of college, I was walking through a mall with a generic gift card, and after browsing many stores, I found myself in a bookstore. Searching through many books, I couldn’t find one that intrigued me until I stumbled upon Girl in Pieces. I knew from the moment I picked it up that I would be able to relate in some way, not just because of the front cover, but also after reading the summary on the back cover, with one quote sticking out to me: “It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge.” I sat in my room for hours over several days, reading each page intensely and absorbing every word.

Charlotte (Charlie) Davis’ life was broken, cruel, and haunted at only 17 years old. Living through homelessness, abuse, and ambiguous losses, Charlie is lost in the world, finding herself alone in an unfair world that has caused her so much pain. Her attempt at a new life in Tucson, Arizona ends up as a rollercoaster of a journey filled with false hope, relapse, and heartbreaking love. As the last pages of this novel are in sight, Charlie accepts a new job and identity, pledging sobriety while leaving behind her self-destructive habits.

This novel covers many dark topics, but putting these subject matters into perspective, these experiences can be relatable and real for more people than you think. Self-injurious behaviors are a serious concern and something that should not be taken lightly. People who suffer from these destructive coping mechanisms deserve support and compassion, not romanticization of their actions. One character, Louisa, leaves her notebooks with Charlie, one quote being, “People should know about us. Girls who write their pain on their bodies” (364).

Self-harm can be extremely lonely and isolating, also causing feelings of extreme self-consciousness and guilt. Glasgow writes about Charlie seeing others who can understand the torture of being addicted to something such as self-harm, writing, “I wasn’t scared. I’d just never seen a girl with skin like mine” (5).

You might be asking, “Kylie, why the hell is this your favorite book?” I have had my fair share of psychological dysphoria, self-destructive behaviors, and treatments. Reading this novel helps me realize that there are others with similar experiences to mine, and there is a comfort in knowing you are not alone. However, my thought is not a romanticization. It is merely a statement of knowing that empathy, often mistaken for sympathy, from others is a powerful thing and can provide hope and a light at the end of the tunnel.

I want to thank Kathleen Glasgow for writing this novel. She has given me a character that I am connected to in more ways than one and a story showing me that even if you hit rock bottom and cannot see a way out, you can break down the damn house and create a new life for yourself, an existence carved from courage after the fullness of despair.