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There's Nothing Wrong with Her
"Beautiful." —Sarah Jessica Parker
"Funny and painfully true. . . . The best thing you'll read this year." —Kiley Reid, author of Such a Fun Age
A raw, tenderly comic, and perfectly off-kilter novel about a woman with a mysterious illness who occasionally finds herself in "The Pit” — a delirious state of semi-consciousness — and the improbable, sometimes-imagined people who meet her there.
Vita Woods is on the brink. She produces a popular podcast and lives with her successful doctor boyfriend, Max, with whom the sex is great and the future promising. Her brilliant if unreliable sister Gracie is her best friend and sparring partner. And her steadfast goldfish, Whitney Houston, brightens even her dimmest days. Because the days are dark, as much as things are going right. Vita is not leaving the house. In fact, she can barely make it out of bed.
Instead, she spends long, blurred hours falling in and out of “The Pit,” dead to the world and to herself. For months, Vita has been sick with an illness that no doctor, not even Max, can diagnose. And recently, Luigi, a Renaissance poet nursing a 500-year-old heartbreak, has started showing up at her bedside, bringing snacks and unsolicited romantic advice. He says he’s come to release her. The issue he may be a ghost, an apparition of her sickly mind.
Then, when, an unexpected mix-up pushes her into the path of her upstairs neighbors, Vita finds friendship — and perhaps more — in the apartment above. But something about her “condition” keeps nagging at her. What if the problem is Vita herself? Because as far as anyone can prove...there’s nothing wrong with her.
"Funny and painfully true. . . . The best thing you'll read this year." —Kiley Reid, author of Such a Fun Age
A raw, tenderly comic, and perfectly off-kilter novel about a woman with a mysterious illness who occasionally finds herself in "The Pit” — a delirious state of semi-consciousness — and the improbable, sometimes-imagined people who meet her there.
Vita Woods is on the brink. She produces a popular podcast and lives with her successful doctor boyfriend, Max, with whom the sex is great and the future promising. Her brilliant if unreliable sister Gracie is her best friend and sparring partner. And her steadfast goldfish, Whitney Houston, brightens even her dimmest days. Because the days are dark, as much as things are going right. Vita is not leaving the house. In fact, she can barely make it out of bed.
Instead, she spends long, blurred hours falling in and out of “The Pit,” dead to the world and to herself. For months, Vita has been sick with an illness that no doctor, not even Max, can diagnose. And recently, Luigi, a Renaissance poet nursing a 500-year-old heartbreak, has started showing up at her bedside, bringing snacks and unsolicited romantic advice. He says he’s come to release her. The issue he may be a ghost, an apparition of her sickly mind.
Then, when, an unexpected mix-up pushes her into the path of her upstairs neighbors, Vita finds friendship — and perhaps more — in the apartment above. But something about her “condition” keeps nagging at her. What if the problem is Vita herself? Because as far as anyone can prove...there’s nothing wrong with her.
222 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 6, 2024
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November 18, 2024
𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲!
chronic illness is something we rarely see in literature, and it needs to be spoken about more, and this amazing piece does just that, a crackling, tender, and perfectly off-kilter novel about love, madness, illness, and recovery.
"𝘪 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘴"
a young woman named vita who struggles because as much as things are going right, the days are dark and brutal, vita is not leaving the house, in fact she rarely makes it out of bed, instead she spends long hours in “the pit” a place of deep exhaustion and semi-consciousness, dead to the world and to herself, she had a goldfish, whitney houston, a fantail who brightens even her darkest days
i loved the story right away and I'm so freakin glad i came across this book, i loved vita and most of all i ADORED Luigi.
"𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵."
Luigi has started showing up at her bedside bringing snacks, romantic advice, and the promise of release, the issue is that he may be a ghost, an apparition of her sickly mind, and for those who don't know who he is, a sixteenth-century Italian warrior poet Luigi da Porto better known as the author of the novella Historia novella mete ritrovata di due giovani amanti (newly found story of two noble lovers), with the story of Romeo and Juliet, later reprised by william shakespeare for his famous drama.
"𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺?"
i personally never knew there was an original story for romeo and juliet, and I find the fiction in the story mentioned in this book pretty fascinating, and i'd have loved it if she ended up with Jesse but it was a journey back to herself so I'm not mad at the ending, i absolutely loved Mrs. S Rothwell the piano teacher upstairs, her back story was as touching as vita's.
if romeo had lived, shakespeare would never have written his play at all
overall this is an odd depressing book I'm sure it's not for everyone but it was definitely for me! 📖
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱: reading this because, obviously, there are a lot of things wrong with ME
chronic illness is something we rarely see in literature, and it needs to be spoken about more, and this amazing piece does just that, a crackling, tender, and perfectly off-kilter novel about love, madness, illness, and recovery.
"𝘪 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘴"
a young woman named vita who struggles because as much as things are going right, the days are dark and brutal, vita is not leaving the house, in fact she rarely makes it out of bed, instead she spends long hours in “the pit” a place of deep exhaustion and semi-consciousness, dead to the world and to herself, she had a goldfish, whitney houston, a fantail who brightens even her darkest days
i loved the story right away and I'm so freakin glad i came across this book, i loved vita and most of all i ADORED Luigi.
"𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵."
Luigi has started showing up at her bedside bringing snacks, romantic advice, and the promise of release, the issue is that he may be a ghost, an apparition of her sickly mind, and for those who don't know who he is, a sixteenth-century Italian warrior poet Luigi da Porto better known as the author of the novella Historia novella mete ritrovata di due giovani amanti (newly found story of two noble lovers), with the story of Romeo and Juliet, later reprised by william shakespeare for his famous drama.
"𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺?"
i personally never knew there was an original story for romeo and juliet, and I find the fiction in the story mentioned in this book pretty fascinating, and i'd have loved it if she ended up with Jesse but it was a journey back to herself so I'm not mad at the ending, i absolutely loved Mrs. S Rothwell the piano teacher upstairs, her back story was as touching as vita's.
if romeo had lived, shakespeare would never have written his play at all
overall this is an odd depressing book I'm sure it's not for everyone but it was definitely for me! 📖
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱: reading this because, obviously, there are a lot of things wrong with ME
February 29, 2024
3.5 stars
TW: sexual assault, childhood trauma, death of a sibling, medical discussions, epilepsy.
Struggling with an illness that no medical professional is able to diagnose, we follow the internal monologue of Vita, who is bed bound and struggling with her past trauma. This book weaves together present tense and past tense, memories and fabrications, and the struggles that come along with mental illness.
The story didn’t go the way I expected, and this was both a little disappointing but also entertaining. I enjoyed reading from Vita’s point of view, although the other characters seemed a little one dimensional. There is no real answer to Vita’s illness, and the book ends rather vaguely, I was hoping for a more definitive ending. However, still a thought provoking and compelling commentary on identity, trauma and mental health.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #TheresNothingWrongWithHer #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
TW: sexual assault, childhood trauma, death of a sibling, medical discussions, epilepsy.
Struggling with an illness that no medical professional is able to diagnose, we follow the internal monologue of Vita, who is bed bound and struggling with her past trauma. This book weaves together present tense and past tense, memories and fabrications, and the struggles that come along with mental illness.
The story didn’t go the way I expected, and this was both a little disappointing but also entertaining. I enjoyed reading from Vita’s point of view, although the other characters seemed a little one dimensional. There is no real answer to Vita’s illness, and the book ends rather vaguely, I was hoping for a more definitive ending. However, still a thought provoking and compelling commentary on identity, trauma and mental health.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #TheresNothingWrongWithHer #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
August 6, 2024
This was such a hard book to rate!
I've been obsessed as soon as I saw the fantastic cover for this latest by new to me author, Kate Weinberg. It was a deeply imaginative look at chronic illness, childhood trauma and depression told from the perspective of a woman who finds herself falling in and out of "The pit" - a place in her mind where she finds herself during dark times.
I feel like this book won't be for everyone as it doesn't follow a linear narrative or have much of a distinct plot but if you enjoy literary fiction, relatable mental health rep or have ever struggled with an undiagnosed condition then I highly recommend it.
A quick read that was good on audio narrated by Louiza Patikaz and perfect for fans of character driven stories with tons of depth! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
I've been obsessed as soon as I saw the fantastic cover for this latest by new to me author, Kate Weinberg. It was a deeply imaginative look at chronic illness, childhood trauma and depression told from the perspective of a woman who finds herself falling in and out of "The pit" - a place in her mind where she finds herself during dark times.
I feel like this book won't be for everyone as it doesn't follow a linear narrative or have much of a distinct plot but if you enjoy literary fiction, relatable mental health rep or have ever struggled with an undiagnosed condition then I highly recommend it.
A quick read that was good on audio narrated by Louiza Patikaz and perfect for fans of character driven stories with tons of depth! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
January 2, 2025
Maybe the strategy of revealing the smallest tidbits of information and insight every 3 chapters is meant to reflect the longing for answers that Vita feels about her illness, but I mostly found it frustrating.
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June 7, 2025Chronic illness is something that needs to be spoken about more in Literature. This novel does a wonderful job in doing so and portrays a compelling and authentic approach to coping!
December 4, 2024
Most criticism I see towards this book is that nothing happens and progress is wack, which I do not have any critique towards. I think it’s a cool way to showcase the kind of uncertainty that comes with chronic conditions and learning to live with never having clear markers for “progress” and “regression,” feeling your own condition ebb and flow with arbitrary fluctuations of your health.
Unfortunately, I could not stand literally anything else about this book.
The whole book has this underlying microaggressive attitude in its insistence on depicting non-white culture as an exotic accessory to the eccentric characters. The thing with Izabella having an exotic name was so, odd..? And unnecessary..?? I get that this is a first person narrative and the author does not have to directly portray their own morality when putting together a fictional character and their outlook on the world, but it felt so unnecessary to give the character such a pervasive outlook on non-white cultures, especially women of colour. The characters’ takeaways, especially within a first person narrative, ultimately becomes the book’s takeaway, and though the depictions of dissociation and disconnect from convention due to chronic conditions comes through, are the characters’ subconscious biases really something that the author also wants to get across? I get that the point is that Vita isn't able to face her past, let alone her present, leaving her to be deeply insensitive to her tendency to project her insecurities onto those around her and construct narratives for them that she then lashes out at them over. She is not a good person and her growth in the novel is found in finally recognizing that to move forward (mentally) to some degree, she would have to unpack her regret in regards to her relationship with her sister. I get all that, I just thought it was odd to make racial microaggressions a part of that depiction of her flaws, especially because it does not get adequately addressed like the other aspects of her flawed personhood.
I do not want to invalidate the prevalence of microaggressions and how, having experienced much doubt and patronization in medical settings, she finds herself particularly sensitive when similar sentiments, expressed or not, show up in her own relationships. But this kind of empathy that she expects from others does not extend back outwards from her. She has a possessive streak in regard to Max interacting with others, yet it’s completely ok for her to not only email her ex, but also emotionally (and physically) cheat on Max with Jesse? I get that this is another element of her finally admitting to Max that she isn't a good person and becoming honest in her vulnerability, but everything felt too one-sided. She would have expectations for others in relationships, construct narratives around what they felt about her based off of her own insecurities that she projects upon them, and then gets frustrated at others for the narratives that she herself had composed of them.
And I GET that this is part of the point. But it makes her a deeply unlikeable main character that I could not particularly care to root for.
I was also not a big fan of the tone of the novel. There's definitely a kind of power in proudly and explicitly stating what you want the reader to take away from the novel, especially when it comes from a marginalized perspective, where many often have to allude to takeaways via indirect allegories because openly admitting to them isn't necessarily celebrated by conventions. But I felt that this novel took it to the opposite extreme where they kept telling me exactly what they want me to take away, leaving no room to actually experience the novel. Not a big fan.
Unfortunately, I could not stand literally anything else about this book.
The whole book has this underlying microaggressive attitude in its insistence on depicting non-white culture as an exotic accessory to the eccentric characters. The thing with Izabella having an exotic name was so, odd..? And unnecessary..?? I get that this is a first person narrative and the author does not have to directly portray their own morality when putting together a fictional character and their outlook on the world, but it felt so unnecessary to give the character such a pervasive outlook on non-white cultures, especially women of colour. The characters’ takeaways, especially within a first person narrative, ultimately becomes the book’s takeaway, and though the depictions of dissociation and disconnect from convention due to chronic conditions comes through, are the characters’ subconscious biases really something that the author also wants to get across? I get that the point is that Vita isn't able to face her past, let alone her present, leaving her to be deeply insensitive to her tendency to project her insecurities onto those around her and construct narratives for them that she then lashes out at them over. She is not a good person and her growth in the novel is found in finally recognizing that to move forward (mentally) to some degree, she would have to unpack her regret in regards to her relationship with her sister. I get all that, I just thought it was odd to make racial microaggressions a part of that depiction of her flaws, especially because it does not get adequately addressed like the other aspects of her flawed personhood.
I do not want to invalidate the prevalence of microaggressions and how, having experienced much doubt and patronization in medical settings, she finds herself particularly sensitive when similar sentiments, expressed or not, show up in her own relationships. But this kind of empathy that she expects from others does not extend back outwards from her. She has a possessive streak in regard to Max interacting with others, yet it’s completely ok for her to not only email her ex, but also emotionally (and physically) cheat on Max with Jesse? I get that this is another element of her finally admitting to Max that she isn't a good person and becoming honest in her vulnerability, but everything felt too one-sided. She would have expectations for others in relationships, construct narratives around what they felt about her based off of her own insecurities that she projects upon them, and then gets frustrated at others for the narratives that she herself had composed of them.
And I GET that this is part of the point. But it makes her a deeply unlikeable main character that I could not particularly care to root for.
I was also not a big fan of the tone of the novel. There's definitely a kind of power in proudly and explicitly stating what you want the reader to take away from the novel, especially when it comes from a marginalized perspective, where many often have to allude to takeaways via indirect allegories because openly admitting to them isn't necessarily celebrated by conventions. But I felt that this novel took it to the opposite extreme where they kept telling me exactly what they want me to take away, leaving no room to actually experience the novel. Not a big fan.
September 13, 2024
This was sweet, but not riveting. Vita’s experience with an invisible illness was relatable and validating, but I expected the book overall to be more profound. I did appreciate her character arc and where she wound up, but I wanted more insight into her illness to really stick it to her doubters. But at just over 200 pages, it could still be worth the read for you! Especially if you have experience with chronic illness.
July 5, 2025
i want to give this book a 4 but the idea was really better than the execution. it was a beautiful representation of undiagnosed chronic illness and its impact on ur relationships but it was too short and some of the revelations were too rushed and it just ended with her taking a walk????
March 19, 2024
Gosh, this hit hard. Chronic illness, love and lusting, loss and grief, mental health, and being a woman in pain fighting to be heard. Not an easy read, but one that resonated.
July 1, 2025
I read this book in one sitting! What might have been depressing for others made me relate to Vita so much more. She battles with a chronic illness, that hasn’t been diagnosed. Even though she had support around her no one truly knows how she feels and how her mind is working against her. Having an illness myself that has been diagnosed and having support around me is where it differs. But I completely understand the loneliness, that no one truly can understand your pain but you. Not a lot of people think of the damage to your mental health it can have and how hard it is to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Side note- I very much enjoyed the ghost in this story also!
February 6, 2024
In Kate Weinberg's novel "There's Nothing Wrong with Her," protagonist Vita Woods finds herself trapped in a pit of exhaustion and isolation, battling an undiagnosed illness that has left her bedridden and disconnected from the world. Despite having a seemingly perfect life—a successful career, a loving boyfriend, and a supportive sister—Vita's physical and mental health have deteriorated, leaving her questioning her own reality. The story delves into themes of identity, mental illness, and the complexities of relationships, as Vita navigates her journey to uncover the truth behind her condition. Weinberg's writing is raw and unflinching, capturing Vita's descent into darkness with poignant honesty. She skillfully weaves together Vita's internal struggles with her interactions with the outside world, creating a narrative that is both heartbreaking and hopeful. The supporting characters, particularly Vita's sister Gracie and upstairs neighbors, add depth and nuance to the story, providing both moments of connection and conflict. The novel's exploration of mental illness is particularly noteworthy. Weinberg does an excellent job of portraying Vita's experience of chronic fatigue and depression, capturing the isolating and debilitating effects of these conditions. She also delves into the complexities of diagnosis and treatment, highlighting the challenges faced by individuals struggling with invisible illnesses. The inclusion of Luigi, the enigmatic apparition who visits Vita, adds an element of mystery and ambiguity to the narrative, leaving readers questioning the boundaries between reality and illusion. "There's Nothing Wrong with Her" is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that explores the complexities of identity, mental illness, and human connection. Weinberg's writing is both insightful and compassionate, and she creates a protagonist in Vita who is both relatable and deeply affecting. This novel is a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary fiction that delves into the depths of the human experience.
September 11, 2024
Nope. Not for me. This book is kind of weird, almost nothing happens. The main character has one of those invisible illnesses. She sees ghosts, etc. not much of a story, sadly
August 23, 2025
To all the reviewers who are complaining that it doesn't wrap up satisfactorily and that Vita's illness makes no sense, there is no tidy "recovery narrative" for chronic illness and that is clearly not what this book is meant to be about. As someone with an invisible illness this hit hard (although tragically I have yet to receive any visit from ghostly Italian poets)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2025
This was a very solid 3.5 for me until the last quarter of the book which I loved, and therefore I’m bumping it to a 4! This book is short and sweet with only a couple characters who turn out to be quite complex. This book made me feel quite emotional and there’s a lot of lessons mixed in with the sweetness 🥰
October 23, 2024
"Does it ever occur to you that medicine may still be in the black-and-white era waiting for technicolour to come along?... And medicine, your medicine, can't begin to untangle it, let alone measure it or heal it. So it dismisses it and it diminishes it. It tries to make it all our fault."
There's Nothing Wrong With Her is a brilliant depiction of what it is like being chronically ill, both in terms of Vita's experience being sick, but also how those around her react to it. This book doesn't have a very strong plot but is still a great read, for both chronically ill people and anyone who wants to learn more about chronic illness.
There's Nothing Wrong With Her is a brilliant depiction of what it is like being chronically ill, both in terms of Vita's experience being sick, but also how those around her react to it. This book doesn't have a very strong plot but is still a great read, for both chronically ill people and anyone who wants to learn more about chronic illness.
May 11, 2024
Where to start? This book was a little hard to get into at first, I really didn't understand what was going on, but I carried on, I was intrigued as to what was going to happen. I have to say, that even after reading it I'm not totally sure that I understand it. What I thought was real may not have been real. Was everything all in her mind? was it all mental health and her break down over her sister's death and their childhood trauma?
However, it as a really interesting read on a take on how it feels to suffer for health issue that can't be easily diagnosed, an issue that medically displays nothing wrong with you, yet each day you feel stuck under a weight of nothing and struggle to do basic every day things. 'The Pit' was an interesting concept, and all sense of time disappears. The warning signs and the pain that Vita suffered were interesting and she came to recognise them as warning signs that she was about to spiral and needed to get somewhere safe. Her mind certainly liked to conjure up things to entertain her, and the links to her past friends and adventures was interesting as it could be seen as her body and mind trying to do a total reset and to show her that she still had things worth living for and she just needed to look at things from a different perspective. However, I could be totally wrong, as I feel I was just as confused at the end as I was at the beginning only now I had more to think about. Maybe this is a book that should be read more than once, or even better discussed at a book club.
However, it as a really interesting read on a take on how it feels to suffer for health issue that can't be easily diagnosed, an issue that medically displays nothing wrong with you, yet each day you feel stuck under a weight of nothing and struggle to do basic every day things. 'The Pit' was an interesting concept, and all sense of time disappears. The warning signs and the pain that Vita suffered were interesting and she came to recognise them as warning signs that she was about to spiral and needed to get somewhere safe. Her mind certainly liked to conjure up things to entertain her, and the links to her past friends and adventures was interesting as it could be seen as her body and mind trying to do a total reset and to show her that she still had things worth living for and she just needed to look at things from a different perspective. However, I could be totally wrong, as I feel I was just as confused at the end as I was at the beginning only now I had more to think about. Maybe this is a book that should be read more than once, or even better discussed at a book club.
September 4, 2024
Shocker! Medical professionals treat women horribly, especially when they are experiencing pain.
If I sound flippant about the focus of this book it’s because I’ve experienced so much of this and spoken to so many people who have also experienced so much of this that it doesn’t resonate much to hear about it beyond basic empathy and the “yup, that’s how it goes.”
This is a really short novel and I think appropriately so, and the writing is lovely. I remember now after reading this why Kate Weinberg‘s The Truants stood out in a sea of similarly themed Dark Academia. But I’m not sure I got much out of this aside from some empathy for the protagonist and the reminder that Weinberg is a gifted writer.
The most interesting piece of this is the protagonist’s interactions with her upstairs neighbors. The fever dream aspects of this feel real and certainly inform the characters feelings, but I find things like this to be tough to engage with meaningfully in fiction.
There’s also a lot of past trauma here (TW for sexual assault)that is tough to get through with little reward and a lot of “your doctor husband is really a jerk” that is certainly a sympathetic situation but not especially novel worthy.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
If I sound flippant about the focus of this book it’s because I’ve experienced so much of this and spoken to so many people who have also experienced so much of this that it doesn’t resonate much to hear about it beyond basic empathy and the “yup, that’s how it goes.”
This is a really short novel and I think appropriately so, and the writing is lovely. I remember now after reading this why Kate Weinberg‘s The Truants stood out in a sea of similarly themed Dark Academia. But I’m not sure I got much out of this aside from some empathy for the protagonist and the reminder that Weinberg is a gifted writer.
The most interesting piece of this is the protagonist’s interactions with her upstairs neighbors. The fever dream aspects of this feel real and certainly inform the characters feelings, but I find things like this to be tough to engage with meaningfully in fiction.
There’s also a lot of past trauma here (TW for sexual assault)that is tough to get through with little reward and a lot of “your doctor husband is really a jerk” that is certainly a sympathetic situation but not especially novel worthy.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
January 10, 2025
I had such high hopes for this book.
Pros:
Her description of “The Pit”…the overwhelming pain and exhaustion. The disassociation.
Referring to climbing a flight of stairs as reaching the summit of a mountain.
___________________________
Cons:
The ending:
It just…stopped. Like *poof* she was cured after only a few months. No real explanation is ever given to what Vita actually had, what caused it, or how she overcame it.
Suddenly she has the energy to break up with her boyfriend, pack up all her belongings (on her own) and leave without any idea where she’s going…implying maybe there really WAS nothing wrong with her as the title suggests, which is insulting to those with long term chronic illness.
OR was it all in her head as the result of her sister’s death?
Or maybe it was the ghost who promised to “release her”? I have no idea. 🤷🏼♀️
So disappointing.
Pros:
Her description of “The Pit”…the overwhelming pain and exhaustion. The disassociation.
Referring to climbing a flight of stairs as reaching the summit of a mountain.
___________________________
Cons:
The ending:
It just…stopped. Like *poof* she was cured after only a few months. No real explanation is ever given to what Vita actually had, what caused it, or how she overcame it.
Suddenly she has the energy to break up with her boyfriend, pack up all her belongings (on her own) and leave without any idea where she’s going…implying maybe there really WAS nothing wrong with her as the title suggests, which is insulting to those with long term chronic illness.
OR was it all in her head as the result of her sister’s death?
Or maybe it was the ghost who promised to “release her”? I have no idea. 🤷🏼♀️
So disappointing.
January 18, 2025
I wanted to love this one. There were a number of great passages and I loved the idea of centering chronic illness—but I was left feeling like the author was making a statement about chronic illness (in this case) most likely being psychological and trauma-related. The way Vita describes The Pit makes it appear that it’s a deeply depressive episode, and the fact that she’s talking to a man who died hundreds of years ago suggests that mental illness may be involved. Of all the takes we could be having on chronic illness, disability, invisible illness, and mystery ailments, this really is not what I was hoping for.
June 9, 2024
I DNF’d this book. Reading the summary, I had high hopes for this book. Since it’s not what I typically read. I couldn’t get past 13%. Maybe it’s my headspace - I’ll try again in the future. But for now, it’s just not doing it for me. I thought the storyline was a bit scattered and rushed at parts - that I got to.
Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for this arc - I hope to pick it up again and change my review
Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for this arc - I hope to pick it up again and change my review
October 8, 2024
This review is for Taylor haha - all I gotta say is justice for my boy Max!! Also it took me 2 months to read this book and it’s less than 200 pages so I think that speaks for itself. I only finished it because it was $30 lol but Kate was nice at her book reading so it’s ok.
March 20, 2025
I kept waiting for it to get better… and it never did. Thankfully it was only 200 pages.
April 27, 2025
I think this book has a unique way of handling a story about chronic illness and/or depression and I liked it quite a bit.
I love that they tackled the idea of chronic illness and depression in a way that was pretty realistic in make ways . One was how some people react to people who have these conditions, particularly when they haven't experienced anything like it before and don't know what to do or say. People want to "fix it" and when they don't know what it is, can't understand it and can't fix it, they tend to back off because that's easier for them. And how nice it is when someone will just listen and even ask questions about what you're going through.
These are a few quotes from the book that I liked:
"The living, passing by the invisible sick. Every day, everywhere. Because that’s what we all do".
So true! Another reminder to be kind, because we don't always know what's going on in someone's life.
"Death is unimaginable and your brain stalls at the concept. Whereas long-term sickness is claustrophobic and terrifying, but somehow familiar".
This one really hit me! My Mom had a chronic illness and depression and I've had depression and anxiety for as long as I can remember and this rings true to me. Luckily, I've been able to get help, but it still likes to rear it's ugly head at times. It really never goes away, similar to other chronic illnesses.
Finally this: "I realized that I needed to stop using all my energy to fight my body and use it instead to fight for something".
It's hard to get to that point, and I think you have to keep getting to it over and over again, but it's a good place to be.
I love that they tackled the idea of chronic illness and depression in a way that was pretty realistic in make ways . One was how some people react to people who have these conditions, particularly when they haven't experienced anything like it before and don't know what to do or say. People want to "fix it" and when they don't know what it is, can't understand it and can't fix it, they tend to back off because that's easier for them. And how nice it is when someone will just listen and even ask questions about what you're going through.
These are a few quotes from the book that I liked:
"The living, passing by the invisible sick. Every day, everywhere. Because that’s what we all do".
So true! Another reminder to be kind, because we don't always know what's going on in someone's life.
"Death is unimaginable and your brain stalls at the concept. Whereas long-term sickness is claustrophobic and terrifying, but somehow familiar".
This one really hit me! My Mom had a chronic illness and depression and I've had depression and anxiety for as long as I can remember and this rings true to me. Luckily, I've been able to get help, but it still likes to rear it's ugly head at times. It really never goes away, similar to other chronic illnesses.
Finally this: "I realized that I needed to stop using all my energy to fight my body and use it instead to fight for something".
It's hard to get to that point, and I think you have to keep getting to it over and over again, but it's a good place to be.
August 6, 2024
There’s Nothing Wrong with Her
By Kate Weinberg
Narrated by Louiza Patikaz
Thank you so much partner @putnambooks @prhaudio for the gifted copy and audiobook. #prhpartner #putnampartner
Blurb:
A raw, tenderly comic, and perfectly off-kilter novel about a woman who occasionally finds herself in "The Pit”—a delirious state of semiconsciousness—and the improbable, sometimes imagined people who meet her there.
🐟 My thoughts:
I super fast read that you can read or listen to in one sitting! Far from an easy read, but it’ll hold your attention. It definitely made me feel a lot of things as it touches on both physical and mental health, along with feeling and being isolated. I found the narrator to tell this story wonderfully and the author did an amazing job getting me to really empathize with Vita. I had a hard time rating this story however, I believe this book with have a specific audience to truly appreciate it. It’s a character driven story that will bring out many emotions from its readers. If this sounds like your cup of tea, it’s your lucky day because it is out TODAY 8/6/24!
Happy reading 📖 🐟
By Kate Weinberg
Narrated by Louiza Patikaz
Thank you so much partner @putnambooks @prhaudio for the gifted copy and audiobook. #prhpartner #putnampartner
Blurb:
A raw, tenderly comic, and perfectly off-kilter novel about a woman who occasionally finds herself in "The Pit”—a delirious state of semiconsciousness—and the improbable, sometimes imagined people who meet her there.
🐟 My thoughts:
I super fast read that you can read or listen to in one sitting! Far from an easy read, but it’ll hold your attention. It definitely made me feel a lot of things as it touches on both physical and mental health, along with feeling and being isolated. I found the narrator to tell this story wonderfully and the author did an amazing job getting me to really empathize with Vita. I had a hard time rating this story however, I believe this book with have a specific audience to truly appreciate it. It’s a character driven story that will bring out many emotions from its readers. If this sounds like your cup of tea, it’s your lucky day because it is out TODAY 8/6/24!
Happy reading 📖 🐟
June 26, 2025
I have a different edition to this one. It's green with a goldfish at the centre of the cover. This one didn't take me too long to get through however I was really hoping for something cool to happen and it never did. I felt as though I read 250 pages for no reason whatsoever but to be able to write a review, contribute towards my reading goal, and make a youtube video. I didn't really learn anything but for the fact that this guy called Luigi Da Porto was inspired to write Romeo and Juliet before Shakespeare and he's hardly known by anyone. This story deals with a woman who honestly just comes across as lazy, apathetic, and depressed but has some chronic illness which no doctor can diagnose. There's nothing wrong with her should have been enough to put me off reading this one since I didn't particularly enjoy the writing style, found the characters to be annoying, and the plot itself to be pointless. It's not as though it raised awareness about such matters and I suppose the Pit she keeps referring to are just her subconscious and creativity at work. If anything, I found this to be relatable and I'm not sure as to whether that's a good thing or not.
Vita is an ironic name to give a character who embodies death all day long considering that it means life in Italian. I suppose that this is what a person is reduced to when they don't seem to have a purpose in life. I'm not sure whether I missed anything or not but I found this read to be underwhelming at best but hey I suppose Luigi came through for Vita in the end and I would even go as far as to say that he was probably one of the best written characters in the book considering that he's but a figment of Vita's imagination. Would not recommend this one especially since I was more concerned when I thought that the goldfish would die rather than the main characters themselves. This is not solely because I tend to lack empathy when I'm not immersed or invested but also because of how mind-numbingly boring the characters are. I'm just going to ignore how sexual abuse is a theme because it is weaved into the narrative so subtly that it hardly matters especially when considering how the characters are so poorly developed.
Vita is an ironic name to give a character who embodies death all day long considering that it means life in Italian. I suppose that this is what a person is reduced to when they don't seem to have a purpose in life. I'm not sure whether I missed anything or not but I found this read to be underwhelming at best but hey I suppose Luigi came through for Vita in the end and I would even go as far as to say that he was probably one of the best written characters in the book considering that he's but a figment of Vita's imagination. Would not recommend this one especially since I was more concerned when I thought that the goldfish would die rather than the main characters themselves. This is not solely because I tend to lack empathy when I'm not immersed or invested but also because of how mind-numbingly boring the characters are. I'm just going to ignore how sexual abuse is a theme because it is weaved into the narrative so subtly that it hardly matters especially when considering how the characters are so poorly developed.
July 14, 2025
This is quite a complex book that I think won't be for everyone, it certainly went off in a style that I wasn't expecting from the blurb.
I was very interested in the chronic illness side of things and this wasn't ever really concluded which I understand and actually admire in the book because for so many this is exactly the truth, there aren't answers or solutions. The mental health aspects again were written beautifully, though through the appearance of her ghostly confidante it was a bit bizarre, I listened to this on audiobook so maybe that added something to it.
Overall I think this is a brave book that really aims to put across the difficulties and hopelessness felt by chronically ill people and how their loved ones struggle to relate to exactly how it feels.
I was very interested in the chronic illness side of things and this wasn't ever really concluded which I understand and actually admire in the book because for so many this is exactly the truth, there aren't answers or solutions. The mental health aspects again were written beautifully, though through the appearance of her ghostly confidante it was a bit bizarre, I listened to this on audiobook so maybe that added something to it.
Overall I think this is a brave book that really aims to put across the difficulties and hopelessness felt by chronically ill people and how their loved ones struggle to relate to exactly how it feels.
May 30, 2025
Most of the time, I had no idea what was going on while I was reading this book.
Vita has a lot going on, by herself. It's like she's running from herself, and her comforts are her fish, Whitney Houston & a ghost. Vita found life again, once she made a few unexpected friends. Standing on her own and rebuilding herself while living with her invisible illness. One that has kept her bedridden for days, weeks and months of a time.
It was an interesting story.
Vita has a lot going on, by herself. It's like she's running from herself, and her comforts are her fish, Whitney Houston & a ghost. Vita found life again, once she made a few unexpected friends. Standing on her own and rebuilding herself while living with her invisible illness. One that has kept her bedridden for days, weeks and months of a time.
It was an interesting story.
January 19, 2025
For such a short book, this packed a big emotional punch. I appreciated the description of living with an undiagnosed chronic illness, I grieved with Vita and Mrs Davenport and Jesse, and I thought the ending (though not tied up) was the best way to end this particular story. However, I get why this book is divisive in ratings, you definitely have to be in the mood for uncertainty.
January 9, 2025
Struggling to understand the poor reviews. Really loved this book. Has similar vibes to Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. People who say the ending isn’t “final” enough, completely missed the point of the book.
August 15, 2024
I understand why this is popular, but I just didn't connect with it at all - the characters didn't feel real, and I didn't really feel anything about any of them or the plot.
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