I actually listened to Strong Female Character by Fern Brady. I like autobiographies/memoir when it’s narrated by the person who actually wrote the book.

Fern is a well known comedian, and well deserved - I was lucky enough to see her at a small venue in Norwich when she was calling herself Fern from Bathgate. I grew up in Livingston, only a few miles from Bathgate, so we share a lot of the same cultural touchpoints.

The book is centred around Fern’s struggles with being neurodivergent without diagnosis, and without support. (I have a feeling she’d hate this description, sorry Fern, I can’t think of another way to describe it succinctly). I really appreciated the honesty, the vulnerability and the facts in this - about women not being diagnosed with Autism because they mask so well with the pressures of society, about misunderstanding that you can’t be autistic in a relationship when in actuality, you are vulnerable to being pressured, led or trapped in an intimate relationship because you miss social cues. The gentle correction and accountability from using Asperger’s to Autism is indicative of the rest of the book - direct, compassionate, insightful.

Of course, it is funny - anyone who’s seen any of her stand-up, appearances on panel shows and/or her taskmaster stint will know that already. Sometimes it’s a kind of comedy that hurts - she’s been through such difficult experiences, from family not supporting her to struggling in school, making it to Edinburgh university but basically hating every minute and not understanding why. I was frustrated frequently, with how little support she got and too many people still have to manage with. We’re not doing enough to help ND people in society, even though it’s a lot more than it was 10/20 years ago.

It also pinpointed for me why I don’t really like One Day, the smash hit book/TV show which starts in Edinburgh. There are no Scots featured. It may as well be London, or York - some posh English students, a couple of Yorkshire English and no hint that there are any Scottish students there tracks well with Fern’s account of how she felt at university. Maligned, bullied and made fun of because of her accent, in the capital city of her home country.

I recommend this for anyone who likes Fern Brady, learning about autism and diagnosis in women, and generally feeling like you and her would be besties if only you were properly introduced. (We both have cats! We’re both Scottish!)

Thanks to Netgalley for the DRC, which I read along with in part with the memoir.

Absolutely loved this book! I laughed out loud so many times, Fern is hilarious and as a late diagnosed autistic person I identified with a lot of her story.

There were some really sad parts too and definteky shows how an earlier diagnosis could have given those around her more understanding of her behaviours.

Loved this so much that I’m going to see her while she’s touring in the UK.

Wow. This is really like no other memoir I have ever read. Fern Brady holds back no punches in describing her incredibly colourful life. I found it fascinating as I kept reading thinking, surely things have peaked, but no - something else would happen which would be even more unbelievable. My favourite things about this memoir was that it wasn't preachy, it wasn't boring, and even though my life is completely different, I could still relate to the emotional rollercoaster that Fern goes through. Would highly recommend.

I truly enjoyed this memoir. Learning of Fern's diagnosis with autism as an adult, and watching her struggle with a world that comes so natural to me as an allistic person, was eye-opening. I also appreciated the depictions of Fern's school years and her time as a sex worker.

This book is phenomenal. I'm glad I read it.

I loved being able to read the author’s journey to discovering herself and her autism diagnosis. As I am autistic myself, I found certain aspects of her story incredibly relatable, but with other parts, I was interested in seeing the different ways the author navigated life. I loved her writing style and found the book incredibly interesting to read. I would recommend this to any autistic people or anyone looking for more insight into what an example of an autistic journey looks like.

Hilarious, insightful and ultimately optimistic - Fern's account of growing up with undiagnosed autism is brutal and inspiring in equal measure.

An absolutely brilliant memoir, would have been a great Women's Prize Non Fiction 1st winner. Can't understand why this wasn't longlisted.

One of the best memoirs have ever read...her experiences as a woman with unrecognised autism makes you laugh, cry and appreciate her bravery for putting this so searingly personal account into the world. A much needed inisight, to understand the lives of people with autism.

The download date was unfortunately missed, I would be happy to re-review if it became available again. I have awarded stars for the book cover and description as they both appeal to me. I would be more than happy to re-read and review if a download becomes available. If you would like me to re-review please feel free to contact me at thesecretbookreview@gmail.com or via social media The_secret_bookreview (Instagram) or Secret_bookblog (Twitter). Thank you.

Wow, just wow. This was such a strong book, and one that really made you stop and think about things. It opened your eyes and I really liked having the time to both enjoy the book and truly think about what it was saying. It is such a gr at book to read and one a lot of readers need to be sure to get.

4.25 stars on StoryGraph/Goodreads

An absolutely superb memoir - the experiences of autistic women are great to see in literature and really needed.
“The public perception of autistics is so heavily based on the stereotype of men who love trains or science that many women miss out on diagnosis and thought of as studious instead…”

This was such a personal story and such a needed story. Very glad that I found it funny too at times, so wasn't too heavy. I did sometimes struggle to get back into reading the book, hence the rating, it didn't always flow for me.

I'm not too sure what I was expecting when I first picked up this book, but it's certainly wasn't what I expected.
For some reason, I had it in my head that this book was a non-fiction going in. I had no idea of the content and had not read anything about it including the bio, although I had seen it everywhere on booktok and bookstagram.
Within a few pages I was hooked.
This is a brutally honest memoir. It's so raw in places that it felt almost voyeuristic, and I doubted whether I should be privy to such personal information. However, the way Fern writes in so beautiful that the fear of being intrusive disappears, and instead you feel as though you are talking to an old friend over a cuppa.
A friend who has experienced such darkness that you want to give her a big hug even if she doesn't want one.
This book gave me not just an insight into autism, but also an insight into my own personal mental health struggles.
I have later come to learn that writing this book was incredibly stressful and triggering for fern, but I'm so glad from an entirely selfish point of view, that she did write this as I'm sure this book is going to help so many people.
I know it has definitely helped me.
Even though the subject matter is so personal and raw, this book is incredibly easy to read and I couldn't help picking it up outside of the recommended readalong pace and devouring it far quicker. To quote Lou Sanders she has a unique voice and even more unique story.'
I would highly recommend!!

An incredibly Insightful and moving memoir I completely understand the hype around this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in exchange for a review.

A refreshingly frank memoir, following Brady’s struggle to navigate a world as an undiagnosed autistic woman. A stark reminder that our medical system was created by and for men, meaning it took twenty years for a diagnosis after first raising her suspicions she was autistic to a doctor. I found this memoir to be well-paced and written with keen clarity, unlike so many memoirs which like to indulge in extensive naval gazing.
It is also written with a dry humour, unsurprising as Brady is a successful comic, the humour balances out some of the sadder aspects of the book. Importantly, I learned a lot about autism and how it can present differently in women and I think this book does an incredible job of raising awareness in a personal and often very funny way. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

A down to earth and at times hilarious account of life with undiagnosed autism until later in life.
Fern is a comedian and brings such warmth and laughter to such a tender and heartbreaking topic. Her tale of life growing up in rural Scotland, where she felt she didn’t fit in and was frequently misunderstood is told with such sincere honesty it’s hard not to fall in love with her….. Heartbreaking, essential, life changing earthy book. I loved it. Every page .

This book is EVERYWHERE right now. And rightfully so. It achieves the trick all memoirs attempt - telling the specific story of the author in such a relatable way that it feels universal.

This is an especially impressive feat when the author is sharing experiences that are statistically non-universal such as being autistic; being misdiagnosed with the wrong mental health issues; being put out of her parents’ home in her late teens; funding university by stripping; becoming a successful journalist and stand-up comedian.

Don’t get me wrong - there are other people who go through each of the situations Fern Brady describes. But the mix of them together in their particular proportions contributes to make Brady who she is today.

Like all good writing, there is space for us readers to empathise and see glimpses of our own histories in this book - even those of us who are allitistic (not autistic).

My point of connection was in being clever and female in a Scottish state secondary school and working class in a university dominated by wealthy, privately educated students (lovely as individuals but culturally unintentionally oppressive as a group). I’m not autistic, so I guess the levels of alienation I experienced were different, and I don’t want to minimise her experience by comparing my own to it. I just mean to point out a strength in her writing - that there was space for me (and presumably other readers) to find points of connection even if we lack her diagnosis. And that, in turn, must help her self-advocacy and advocacy for those with autism forced to navigate our allitistic systems.

I’ve worked alongside many people with diagnoses of autism. Each is individual. I wish that this book had been around and I’d read it before my first professional library job. It wouldn’t have made me the perfect colleague for the lovely autistic man who taught me how to catalogue rare books, but I’d have been a bit less clueless.

Also, this is a book by a professional comedian. Despite the seriousness of the overarching theme, it’s FUNNY. Of course.

Exploring class, mental health, societal pressures and individual ambition, Strong Female Character is a candid and groundbreaking memoir of neurodiversity, sexism and defying expectations.

I was lucky enough to be invited to join the Blog Tour for this book. This book was one that I was very excited to read so I was thrilled to be included.

The book did not disappoint. It was everything I love in a memoir, thoughtful, candid and with a strong sense of self. Fern’s personality shines through when reading this and it is also laugh-out-loud funny, as you would hope for from a comedian.

I also really admired Fern’s honesty, even when it didn’t paint her or her family in the best light. This is eye opening about the reality of living with autism, particularly as a woman.

I would massively recommend this to everyone, and wish everyone would read it to help raise awareness.

I loved this book so much. Insightful, inspired, infuriating sometimes, too. I've watched Fern's comedy before and her style definitely shone through in Strong Female Character - but this was also so much more. I hope doctors, teachers and parents read this - it's a totally necessary read for all.

It's hard to review a memoir or autobiography, however, I will say that this was such an eye-opening read. Rarely do we get women with Autism represented in media, and never in such a brutally honest approach. Seeing all the situations Fern found herself in which may never have happened if those around her and doctors had taken her worries seriously is so heartbreaking. I can only thank Fern's confidence in sharing her journey before, and after her diagnosis!

I thoroughly enjoyed this hilarious and moving memoir of late diagnosed autism. Being able to relate and identify with so much of what Fern wrote has been hugely helpful (I only realised in my forties that I was probably autistic). It's a tough journey and this book is wonderful and a must read.

An important, brilliant read. Brady's writing is phenomenal and I can't wait to read anything else she publishes.