Notes to Self

Emilie Pine is an Irish author and professor at UCD. Her collection of short stories are heartbreakingly poignant at times as it covers topics of miscarriage, alcoholism, the relationship to her own body and sexual violence which are all extremely heavy topics. Although readers may find these topics too big or too upsetting to tackle in a collection of short stories, Emilie's language is uplifting and comes from a place of true acceptance and understanding. I learned so much in just the few hundred pages of her book than that of any college course. Her words are utterly-brilliant and compelling. She reaches inside to the deepest recesses of what it means to be a woman. It made me think differently about the world and my part in it, which I find to be the most important feeling we can take away from a piece of writing.