4.5 stars. Emily Austin is one of my favourite contemporary writers because she is just absolutely brilliant. I didn't think that she would be able to follow up her debut with something just as good but she really delivered. Enid is a lesbian who works administration at a space agency, and frequently calls or texts her Mom to give her interesting facts about space. Whilst she is dating various women, she meets Polly through a bit of an awkward encounter and becomes closer to her than she becomes comfortable with. Enid also tackles her irrational phobia of bald men and rewatches old videos of her teenage self on YouTube to help coast through her identity crisis and breakdown.

There were loads of hilarious moments in this book and a lot of the one-liners had a really Fleabag type humour to them which I thoroughly enjoyed. I don't usually laugh at books but the tone that Austin uses in her writing is executed with wit and timeliness. The comparisons to Fleabag are valid in how it also looks at female trauma and intense but unstable relationships. The family dynamics in the novel were really great as well.

I felt the book slightly waning at around 80% but then it massively picks itself back up again. I wasn't prepared for how emotional the ending was going to be and Austin tackles some really hard and deeply traumatic subjects in this book. It is less existential than her first book and more of an inward look into the disintegration of the self and how to piece oneself back together when everything seems to be going wrong in your life. I also found it kind of annoying how everyone just seemed to run into each other during the book, like every other scene would be Enid in a public place and then accidentally running into one of the other characters. But these were the only slight criticisms I had and they didn't really detract from my immense enjoyment of this book. If you were a fan of her first novel then you need to read this one as soon as it comes out because it's brilliant.

I loved Emily Austin's first book, Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead, and was thrilled to get the chance to pick up her new book Interesting Facts About Space. Once again, Austin has created a character who is sweet, funny, anxious and desperately trying to find a way to connect with the people in her life. Enid works for the National Space Agency as a computer programmer, trying to find the glitches in the software to make the programmes work properly (a metaphor for her life, I think!). When she is feeling anxious, she calls her mother and tells her some interesting facts about space - and she calls her mother a lot.

This book is why I love reading - discovering someone's life experiences who is totally different from me but enjoying time in their company. There is so much going on for Enid: her absent father has died, she is building a relationship with her two half-sisters, her mother is depressed and she has to check whether it's a "lipstick day" or not, she has a phobia of bald men, she can't stop watching the videos she made when she was a child and that she posted on YouTube even though she is mortified by them, and someone is breaking into her apartment when she's not there. And yet Austin has pulled together a character that I couldn't wait to read more about and was rooting for the whole way through!

Emily Austin, I'm going to politely ask you to stop writing characters I relate to so viscerally.

Just like she did with her debut (Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead), Austin has written a book that will forever imprinted on my brain and heart. She has created a home for Enid, and anyone who relates to her.

Austin's narrators are impalpable yet so deeply relatable, and are written to have such an enigmatic that even the most mundane of happenings keeps you hooked.
Enid, a hard of hearing lesbian who works in a space station, who is mentally ill, neurodivergent, a weird relationship with her mother, no relationship with her recently deceased father, a phobia of bald men, a true crime obsession and is inspired by the Boygenius song "Souvenir" (!!!!!!), and quite frankly, she is me.
I loved following her through all of the twists and turns within this book, and oh boy, there are twists and turns.

The way Austin has managed to portray increasing paranoia throughout the book, as Enid becomes more and more convinced that she is being stalked by her bald neighbour, is incredibly well done. I felt my breath catch and my skin crawl alongside Enid.

Not only is it incredibly written, it's also well researched, and many difficult topics arise, such as difficult familial relationships, mental illness, the popularity of true crime, and late discovery of neurodivergency after navigating a world that you just don’t seem to belong in. The relationship between Enid and her mother was particularly well-written and had me crying on the bus. Emily Austin, please get out of my head.

I could go on and on about this book and the tiny details, such as the repetition of memories and tiny things Enid notices that come up again and again: the smoke, the lipstick, so much wove so perfectly and so intricately into Enid's story.

I will never get over this book. Ever.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the ARC!

I very much enjoyed this novel which is about an autistic woman’s life as she struggles to maintain relationships with the Neurotypical people in her life. I’m hope I’m not providing a major spoiler by writing my review. In this way as the authors autism was not clearly described until towards the end of the novel The title refers to her specialist subject which is her main interest and also her job and she works for a space agency looking at data and information.
The narrator is also gay and struggle to find a partner and her relationships with her stepsisters are also main bits of the story.

The author has a witty quirky style of writing, which is energetic, youthful and fun. I very much enjoyed reading this novel.
The author is able to describe characteristics of her characters perfectly, and I felt the time knew them well by the end of the novel, and that they reminded me of people I knew in real life, including myself.
I have read quite a few novels in the last year with neuro divergent main characters And Passley find them interesting and hope that this trend in writing will continue. Very often the stories are written by autistic authors. I do not know whether Emily is autistic, but I suspect that she has if not, then she has a close family member or friend who is autistic as her description of Emily’s behaviour is so spot-on.
I read an early copy of the book on NetGalley UK. The book is published in the UK on the 1st of February 2024 by Atlantic books.
This review will appear on Net, Gala, UK, Goodreads, and my book blog, bionicsarahsbooks.wordpress.com

𝙰𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔

Enid is obsessed with space and terrified of bald men. She is terrified to be around them and this is very inconvenient because she has a bald neighbor who keeps banging at her door and has to work together with a bald colleague. The thing that makes her feel better is listening to crime podcasts. She is dating women on and off and when she eventually seems to really like someone (the wife of someone she had a short relationship with) she gets the feeling someone is following her and a lot is wrong with her. She goes into therapy, which reveals some interesting facts about her….

𝙼𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔

If this novel doesn’t sound different from anything you read before then what does, right? I loved the way the author portrayed the rambling thoughts of Enid, she doesn’t know what’s true and what she is imagining and has trouble coping with day to day life. In the end she learns she’s not a bad person and she has people around her who care for her, which was beautifully described. A very original novel, thank you NetGalley for the ARC to review!

I relly enjoyed Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead so I was so excited to have the chance to read this book. Off the bat, there are a lot of similarities, focusing on a twenty-something lesbian struggling with their mental health, with a similar voice of narration. However, there were enough differences to make the protagonists and stories feel different.

I liked the story here, especially the exploration of the effects of a difficult childhood, and the growth of the relationship with different family members. I also enjoyed the central element of Enid struggling with her fear of being a bad person, and felt moved by her grappling with this.

I will say I found some of the explanations for things that come up weren't as impactful as they could have been.

I know a lot of people will be excited for this, If you liked her previous work, it won't disappoint, but I also can see her writing won't be everyone's cup of tea.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the e-ARC. All opinions are my own.

As a queer neurodivergent human navigating life in a confusing world, this book made me feel incredibly seen. I will eternally be grateful to Emily Austin for sharing Enid with us.

Interesting Facts About Space is about muddling through this messy world and sharing said muddle with loved ones. It is an exploration into finding things that help explain the muddle or that at least take the edge off.

If you typically struggle with stream of consciousness books, please allow Emily Austin to change your mind. My mind has assuredly been changed, first with Gilda (Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead) and now with Enid.

This book goes so much deeper than you may expect at first glance, exploring themes of mental health, trauma, loss and neurodivergence. Rest assured it does so in the most accessible and held way. Please check trigger warnings if certain topics feel unsafe for you.

The balanced way in which Emily Austin writes is awe-inspiring. The conversations between characters were realistic and true. The funny parts were laugh out loud funny. And the character development had me beaming, holding my breath and shedding a tear in equal measure.

You should read this book if you are a fellow human muddling through life on this strange planet. If you happen to not live on planet earth, maybe try it anyway, at the very least you’ll learn some cool facts about space…

I would also just like to take a moment of appreciation for Emily’s consistent use of reclaimed ‘old lady’ names. It’s iconic and I hope she never runs out.

Thanks for reading my review, I hope you love getting to know Enid as much as I did.

Emily Austin’s Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead was one of my favourite reads of 2023 so I was thrilled to be accepted for this. I was curious if she could capture the same magic as EINTRWSBD but this was equally just as wonderful!

Enid was one of the most endearing characters I’ve read in a long time. I was constantly rooting for her and her mum throughout. I think the book had a great balance of humour while also showing the reality of struggling with mental health. Enid resonated with me so much, especially the way she leans on true crime for comfort, and the quote “I wonder why some people are like her and why some people are like me” stayed with me because this is something I feel on a very frequent basis.

Emily Austin has smashed it out the park yet again. Enid will be an unforgettable character.

I was so excited to read Interesting Facts About Space but I was so sure there was no way it could be better than Everyone in this Room Will Someday be Dead... I was wrong. This book is so full of heart and kindness and honesty. I related so much to Enid and I think that, in another authors hands, this would have felt uncomfortable, but Austin writes with such empathy, such vulnerability and such care that I just felt seen and understood and never, never judged.

Enid is a fascinating character, she is so well developed and so brilliantly crafted. I adored her and rooted for her so much. I loved her relationships and how none of them distinctly broke or fixed her, but all added layers to her and her life. I loved the dialogue, it struck the exact right balance between quirky and funny and honest and realistic. The humour never punched down and was genuinely funny, I laughed out loud so many times.

I loved how Austin explored the fascination many have with true crime. It was handled delicately, non-judgementally but thoroughly. I felt I came to understand better why it means so much to so many but also appreciated the mentions of it being harmful to many at the same time. This balance is so hard to find and it was perfectly executed here.

The mental health and queer representation were wonderful, I felt safe reading this book, Emily Austin feels like a safe and trustworthy author to me, she doesn't make jokes at the expense of the marginalised, she doesn't punish her characters or her readers, she writes the messy, disaster gays so many of us feel we are and she makes us feel seen without making us feel unsafe or uncomfortably vulnerable. I feel empowered by this characterisation, by this story.

The writing is snappy and witty and utterly readable. The pacing is just right and the overall reading experience, for me, was a pleasure.

I highly, highly recommend Interesting Facts About Space and I'm so happy and grateful it exists.

I absolutely loved this book. I was so excited to read a new Emily Austin novel after how much I loved her debut and this did not disappoint at all. She’s so good at writing strange protagonists who feel slightly set apart from life and yet completely believable. I really cared for Enid even when she was making bad decisions.

📚 r e v i e w 📚
interesting facts about space - emily austin

have you ever read a book that has made you wonder if the author has been using you as inspiration? because after seeing the synopsis i was getting a bit concerned! interesting facts about space does contain many interesting facts about space, it also features a girl who is deaf in one ear and likes listening to murder podcasts. she also likes to spout off interesting facts about space. how could i pass that up?

interesting facts about space is my perfect book, a sad girl novel ™️ with a - protagonist story hat is so millennial it hurts and i can certainly see why this was so hyped. incredibly relatable, bittersweet and a smattering of trauma makes this a quick read with plenty of substance. i’ve heard her other book is similar, so i’ll be hunting it down forthwith!

interesting facts about space is out on 30th january. thank you to @netgalley for the early copy.

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley - all opinions are my own!

I am a big Sci-Fi fan, and as a fan of Austin's previous work ('Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead') I was very excited to read 'Interesting Facts About Space'!

The main character, Enid, is written with the same dry humour and relatability I loved in 'Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead'. I found the writing easy to read and make my way through, with short sections rather than long chapters. Enid was quirky and sardonic, but underneath it all felt vulnerable and very real. I enjoyed her journey, although felt it was a tad slow at the start, and especially enjoyed learning about space!

Enid is a lesbian, serial dater, deaf in one ear and obsessed with true crime podcasts. She's also dealing with an inexplicable fear of bald men, trying to support her depressive mother and finding her place in her half-sisters lives.

Enid is a flawed, relatable, authentic and very likeable character.

This book deals with so many topics, such as disability, complex family relationships, infidelity, trauma, stalking etc, and every topic seems well handled.

Austin is one of those writers I feel I'll be reading everything they write. Looking forward to her next book.

This is a really well written book and Enid is such an interesting protagonist, I'd definitely recommend it and I'm glad I got a chance to read it.

It had a lot of more serious themes that it dealt with throughout, interspersed with just the right amount of humour to balance it out really nicely. I'd certainly pick up another Emily Austin book in future.

4.5 stars rounded to 5 for netgalley

Definitely one for lovers of Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead! Emily Austin is solidifying herself as THE author for mentally ill sapphics, and I am here for it.

This book is both very similar to EITRWSBD and very different. Enid is in her twenties, anxious, struggles to form intimate relationships with the people around her, has a phobia of bald men and listens to true crime podcasts as a coping mechanism. She works at the Space Station and calls her mother to tell her interesting facts about space in lieu of having an honest conversation about their struggles.

I didn't quite feel the connection to Enid that I felt to Gilda, but the book balances utter sadness and loss of control with the perfect dose of hopefullness, humour, and human connection. I loved seeing her growth as well as the plot with her half-sisters, and found the ending to be very satisfying and well-rounded.

This is a book for introspection and mulling over the human condition, as well as highlighting the paranoia that true crime content can cause.

I didn't expect to learn actual space facts from this novel. But along with being a contemplative, insightful read I also got to learn lots of interesting facts about space, which was a lovely surprise. Emily Austin has such a distinct way of writing that I really enjoy, and much like Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead this is a must read if you're on the mood for melancholy queer introspection.

first of all, thank you to netgalley and atlantic books for providing this arc, i haven’t stopped thinking about it since it was announced.

emily austin has been my favourite author since i first discovered her work and this book only reinforces that and cements why i love it. i see myself so much in this book, and at times if not myself, people i know; family, friends, acquaintances. as an anxious, paranoid, true crime loving lesbian (and boygenius fan, of course) i knew i had to read this book. however, i had no idea i would relate to this book as much as i did, it was like emily reached into my brain, pulled out every thought and feeling and put it into writing. it immediately pulled me in and kept me interested throughout and i anticipate i will be thinking about it every second of everyday for the foreseeable future. it was funny, devastating, mysterious and had me on the edge of my seat; i can confidently say i will always thoroughly enjoy emily’s work.

to all the enid’s out there, this is for us, and i hope it brings you comfort like it did me.

As with Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead, Emily Austin has written a book that will remain imprinted on my brain forever. Enid, a hard of hearing lesbian who works in a space station, was so relatable in so many ways, and I loved following her journey through all of the twists, turns, and encounters within this book. The increased sense of paranoia throughout this book, as Enid becomes more and more convinced that she is being stalked by her bald neighbour (she has a phobia of bald men and consumes a lot of true crime media), is palpable, and Emily Austin infuses every page with anxiety and anticipation.

Several issues are explored within this book, such as the rise in popularity of true crime, tumultuous familial relationships, and the difficulties that come alongside navigating a world that you just don’t seem to fit into seamlessly. Austin carves out a space for Enid, and by extension, for anyone who relates to any aspect of her character, and uses mystery, humour, and tenderness to propel her story.

I could speak forever about all of the intricacies of this book, but I’ll end with saying that I particularly appreciated the attention paid to memory, and the moral dilemmas that Enid faced throughout this book. This book has just cemented Emily Austin as an auto-buy author for me, and I’m so excited for everyone to be able to read it.

This review will be posted (Goodreads, Amazon, Waterstones) towards the end of January, closer to publication date, as per instructions on the email I received. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the ARC!

I was such a fan of the authors last book so was very excited to enjoy this endeavour. Sweet, warm, quirky, laced with wit, shrouded in darkness, despair, with glimpses of light and hope. All wrapped up beautifully and cleverly at the end.

Interesting Facts About Space is faultless, naturally hilarious and riddled with authenticity. Emily Austin once again demonstrates her ability to deliver the facets of mental illness and the human condition in a raw and honest manner.

I am so indescribably excited for her next release and those to come after.