As a fan of Tuppence Middleton I was surprised to read this collection and keen that these topics regarding mental health are being discussed openly and honestly.

Firstly thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House and Tuppence for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I read this alongside my fiction reads as I can sometimes find memoirs and other non fiction taxing on my anxiety ridden brain.

I have admired Tuppence Middleton over the years as an actress in Tormented, Black Mirror and Sense8 (I was hardcore fan of that last one. I was one of many who sent a flip flop to Netflix to bring it back when it was cancelled) so when I heard she had written a memoir I thought initially it would be about her life as actress and all the projects she was in.

When this ARC became available and I understood the subject matter I was intrigued.

Upon finishing I can confirm this was a brave and honest memoir detailing Tuppences diagnosis and handling of OCD. I am not a sufferer myself but I have suffered with anxiety my entire life and had CBT for the same so some of the areas and feelings she touched upon I felt in my core. One of my best friends has also been diagnosed with ME/CFS and I've seen first hand the devastation that can cause to a person's life.

That being said I am guilty of overusing the acronym OCD without understanding the true diagnosis. Going forward thanks to Tuppence I would like to think I'd challenge this more.

Overall this was a tough read but always Tuppence had a note of hope throughout. One I'd recommend.

When I say no book has ever spoken to me like this one, I really do mean it. So many of my own experiences (and not just directly with OCD) aren't only similar to the authors, they are identical; I found myself nodding vigorously, unable to put the book down at bedtime and frequently pointing frantically at the pages whilst explaining parts to my ever so patient partner. Every aspect of Tuppence's story is told with a gentle vulnerability, it's beautifully written, intelligent yet unpretentious, thoroughly researched, incredibly personal and genuinely had me cackling out loud - often. Scorpions has instantly become that one book I want everybody to read and upon finishing the ebook, I immediately purchased the audible version.



Content warning - this book describes details of the author's own OCD rituals and mentions vomiting throughout.

(FAO publisher - more review links to come when they've been approved/ are live.)

Thank you to Tuppence Middleton and NetGalley for this ARC!

A very honest read that I think hasn’t been seen enough, especially around topics like OCD. My fiancé has OCD and has struggled with very similar symptoms to the author. When I spoke to him about some of the things mentioned in the book, he got very excited to see himself represented without any trivialisation or undermining of symptoms. He’s very eager to buy the book when it comes out. A very necessary read for anyone interested in memoirs specifically around mental health.

I’m not quite sure where to start in reviewing Scorpions, A Memoir, from actress Tuppence Middleton, other than to say thank you to Middleton.

Thank you for being honest and open enough (and indeed brave) in writing down your experiences of living with OCD, your scorpions. Thank you for providing an insight into how OCD can actually manifest as opposed to all those trite ideas peddled in places that would suggest OCD is just about cleaning and being particular with where things go. Thank you for creating a book that you would have hoped to read when figuring out what your scorpions meant. Thank you for allowing your reader, those of us who also balance our waking days (and sleepless nights) with the weight of OCD, that sense of oh it’s not just me then is it. And thank you for providing an insight into life with OCD for those who love and care for us, for when we try our best but our mind’s just won’t allow us to necessarily follow your logic.

For as long as Tuppence Middleton can remember, she has struggled with obsessive thoughts and compulsions. She visualises her OCD as scorpions inhabiting her mind, something to be hidden that impacts her life daily. Often used as a shorthand for tidiness or as the punchline of a joke, OCD is one of society’s most misunderstood disorders and it’s rarely spoken about with such honesty and openness. In this beautifully written, moving and often darkly funny memoir, Tuppence recounts what it feels like to share your mind with a nest of scorpions.

Middleton’s remarkable honesty and candour makes this an incredibly important book. Her author’s note at the start is vital; she outlines that she is trying to create an immersive experience (which she certainly does) but that those with OCD should take care with reading if they feel it might distress or disrupt their own recovery. Personally I found great comfort in being able to both relate to and differentiate my own experiences of OCD to Middleton’s. The confirmation of not being alone (even though we know we aren’t ultimately) is very powerful indeed.

Though this isn’t an easy read, it is a vital one and one that I hope will provoke even more discussions around OCD.

4.5 stars

Wow, this was a tough read, yet somehow Tuppence Middleton still managed to infuse so much hope into an account of her life that so often felt utterly heart-breaking.

Scorpions is the memoir of Tuppence Middleton, where she details her life living with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Middleton discusses her triggers and the resulting compulsions in great detail, using the metaphor of scorpion ‘protectors’ in her mind to bring her harrowing experiences to life. This is a heavy one, with plenty of detail about both physical and mental illness, so I advise looking up full content warnings. The big ones are:
OCD, insects, vomit / general sickness, compulsive behaviours

I know these creatures well, but they know me better. There is a ferocious edge to their loyalty, yet something hollow lurks in their promise to keep me safe.

Middleton is not a writer by trade, but you wouldn’t be able to tell from this. The imagery that was painted, both real and metaphorical was vivid and poetic. I always knew exactly what she was trying to say; what feeling she was trying to convey, whether it was frustration, fear, despair, hope, or anger.

It is hard to imagine a line of gift items with anorexia or ptsd boldly stamped upon them for all to see. So why is OCD continually used as a shorthand for light-hearted craziness, or categorised as one of the more comic disorders of the mind?

The narrative method was quick and engaging. Learning about Middleton’s life would have been interesting enough on it’s own, but she used multiple creative tools to take the level of immersion to the next level, from outlining step by step guides on her extensive compulsive routines, to a full ‘choose your own adventure’ style chapter, which put you right in the decision making shoes of a person with OCD.

The defects and faults of the mind are like wounds in the body; after all imaginable care has been taken to heal them up, still there will be a scar left behind, and they are in continual danger of breaking the skin and bursting out again.

The only thing that brings this reading experience down half a star for me was the desire for more in some areas. I fully appreciate that laying out the hardest parts of your life isn’t a walk in the park, and Middleton is entitled to share whichever parts she wishes, but there were a couple of periods where there were time jumps and I think it would have helped the context of certain situations if I could have seen more of how she got from point A to point B. It didn’t feel fully complete in some places.

Having said that, I highly recommend picking this up if you are mentally and emotionally able to - just check those trigger warnings thoroughly first.

Thank you to Ebury Publishing and Netgalley for the chance to read and review an advanced copy of this title.

Tuppence Middleton delivers an absorbing and surprising exploration into the thorny stinger-filled life of living with her "scorpions" (and the OCD they represent). Based on this ingenious extended metaphor, the book is an unflinching deep dive into the many various facets of living with, coping with and thriving with OCD. Middleton does not shy away from the complexities of the disorder nor from how exhausting living life with compulsions and obsessions can be. However, she never ebbs into self pity, rather her goal remains focussed on sharing her experiences in a visceral and creative fashion. While sharing her own personal experiences through anecdotes from throughout her life, she also wraps the reader up in her compulsions and in her thought patterns through some truly creative chapters including one written as a choose your own adventure and another in which you witness the manipulative nature of her scorpions in a chapter written entirely as stream of consciousness.

Throughout the novel, Middleton highlights both the lack of understanding around the disorder and the lack of research, both in terms of understanding why it happens and how to treat it. She is open about both the therapies and drugs that have worked for her and those which have not, while often ending with the frustrated note of "we do not yet know why...'. I found the chapters set during COVID and the early months of her motherhood particularly interesting and they both demonstrated Middleton's willingness to explore the many facets of her disorder and the way it has shaped her and her behaviour. She is unafraid to show herself at her most societally "unacceptable" and I cannot help but feel this is essential and valuable representation. With that said, there are some necessary trigger warnings at the front of the book and, based on what she shares about picking up compulsions and patterns from others, I could see why you may wish to bypass this book.

This is a witty, wise and tenacious book delivered with care and thought and I feel a better person for having read it.

Scorpions by Tuppence Middleton is a deeply personal and evocative exploration of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), rendered in a format that is as visually striking as it is emotionally resonant. Best known for her acting roles in Downton Abbey and Sense8, Middleton brings the same depth and nuance to her writing, offering a raw and insightful look at living with OCD.

The book’s excellent artwork adds another layer to the storytelling, visually capturing the distress and compulsions that come with the condition. One of the most compelling aspects is how the formatting shifts throughout the book, with altered text placement, repetition, and structure that mirror the intrusive thought patterns of OCD. This clever design choice immerses the reader in the experience, making it more than just a memoir—it’s a window into the mind of someone living with OCD.

Importantly, Scorpions dispels the common misconception that OCD is just about tidying up or being overly organized. Middleton highlights the darker, more intrusive aspects of the disorder—thought spirals, compulsions, and the exhausting need for control—making this an essential read for those looking to better understand the reality of OCD.

I also found the portion of the book regarding COVID fascinating. Middleton captures how the pandemic affected her OCD symptoms, particularly for those struggling with contamination fears and uncertainty. Her reflections on this time feel especially relevant, offering a poignant look at how global events can change their personal battles.

Her honesty and vulnerability make Scorpions a compelling, eye-opening book that will linger long after you’ve finished it.

Such a beautifully told and inventive insight into what life with OCD can be like. Although it's clearly impossible to know what it's really like to live with such a challenging, often debilitating, health issue, reading this really felt as close as you can get to walking in someone else's shoes, albeit just for a moment. I found the the use of the scorpions co-existing in her brain a clever yet relatable metaphor, the simple image of these scuttering chatty creatures that have such a strong influence on how life must be lived shining a light on what must often feel like an impossible experience to share. But this is no depressing woe-is-me memoir. Despite the difficult subject, I found this book enjoyable, humorous (albeit darkly), optimistic and compassionate, and I hope, a useful empathetic bridge into the world of those who experience OCD, either themselves or in someone they love.

Scorpions is an incredibly insightful and beautifully written account of the author's experience living with OCD - a disorder that is so frequently misunderstood and trivialised.

I do not suffer from OCD, but I am familiar with anxiety-driven spirals of thoughts. Middleton writes so candidly about her struggles that I found certain passages difficult to read. The author provides a warning at the beginning of the book to warn of descriptions of compulsive behaviour, but I would also like to make it known that the topic of vomiting is discussed frequently and in detail throughout the book - so if that's something you would find distressing to read then I would urge you to stay away.

At just 208 pages, this book is incredibly readable and informative. I would highly recommend Scorpions to anyone interested in a first-hand account of living with OCD.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House (Ebury) for the opportunity to review this book.

A wonderfully insightful memoir, I found Tuppence’s analogy of her OCD with Scorpions invading her mind throughout the book very illustrative of how it must feel to live with OCD. Her thoughts and fears are invasive and all consuming so it’s little wonder that she gives them a life form of their own.

Though I don’t live with OCD myself I could completely identify with the vomiting fear and the extreme lengths she would go to avoid the risk of anything causing her to vomit, be it catching a viral infection from someone else to food poisoning. Avoid at all costs is my motto too.

Anyone who lives with OCD perhaps wouldn’t learn anything new from this book as they will be acutely aware of its effects on everyday life, but may perhaps find it a source of comfort to know they’re not alone. But it is a helpful and informative account of OCD for anyone who wants to understand the condition fully. Being a relatively short book, it’s easy to read and has been written with a real lightness of touch so that it keeps you compelled to read more, it never drags you down with complicated jargon, and evokes in the reader a real sense of empathy for those who live with the condition.

An interesting book which I enjoyed reading.

*Transcribed from TikTok review*



So I was fortunate enough to get an advanced readers copy of ‘Scorpions’ from the actress Tuppence Middleton from Ebury Publishing at Penguin Random House.
This book comes out on the 27th of February, 2025 and it is perhaps one of the most fascinating memoirs I think I have ever read. 

So Tuppence Middleton is a very well known actress. I know her from the Netflix series Sense8, but she has been in countless other things, but it's literally only until I stumbled upon this book that I realised that she suffers very heavily with OCD. 

Now this memoir, rather than talking about her entire life and her career, focuses mainly on her OCD, which she likens, to great effect, to scorpions living in her brain. Now I've read countless memoirs in my time, and very similar to film biopics, they follow a very similar creative path. So it was really lovely to see this break the mould by likening in her OCD to the titular scorpions. Tuppence Middleton manages to add creativity to what otherwise would be a rather depressing subject matter, especially considering how deeply her OCD affects her everyday life. 

Now, this book does contain a trigger warning, and quite rightly so, because as you go through it, she talks about the things that affect her personally, and what you come to learn about OCD is that as soon as someone speaks about the things that personally affect them, it is very easy for another OCD sufferer to take on those same pains. Now, OCD is very much belittled in both the mental health and the wider worlds. People often use it as a shorthand for just being extra tidy or worrying if they’ve locked their front door, rather than the actual problem it really is. Whereas in fact, it can genuinely be a life threatening condition that someone can have. 

Tuppence is an incredibly eloquent writer, and manages to portray this horrific thing that she has to deal with on a daily basis with humour and insight. She peppers the book, not only with stories of her life, but also with statistics regarding OCD and the effects that it can have on people. And whilst it is an incredibly heavy subject matter, the book does not at all become depressing. 

This book is painfully true, and not really for the faint heart, as it can be distressing, either from an OCD point or from an empathetic point of view, when you truly realise the troubles that people with OCD have to go through.
Tuppence does not shy away from the truth, and I think that is drastically needed in this day and age, especially as in parts of this world, the idea of mental health is just being decimated.
This book is relatively short, sitting at only a couple hundred pages. It definitely does not overstay its welcome. I had a really good time with it. And I think Tuppence is an incredible writer. Even if you don't know her from her acting work, I think this is definitely a book that you should read, even if OCD doesn't personally affect you. It's just a fascinating look into something that often gets ridiculed.

This was a really interesting, funny and brave read that really made me admire Tuppence Middleton. It isn't easy to talk about mental health but to do it with so brutal honesty should be commended, I will be highly recommending this book

Scorpions is about living with OCD, but it’s also about living full stop. Tuppence Middleton has written a brilliantly immersive, funny, brave, deeply human book, brimming with intelligence and creativity. - Lisa Owens

Candid and compelling, this book powerfully uncovers the raw realities of living with OCD. A must-read

This book is more of a 'mini' bio, concentrating on Tuppence's OCD and her ways of coping with it. I read it because my friend's son has it and is really suffering. It seems that Tuppence was able to accept it on her own conditions but this lead to social anxiety, obsessive behaviours etc. She really learnt to handle the scorpios in her brain when she went to see a psychoanalyst and received Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. It did not make OCD go away but it presented her with a different way to cope with the things it ruined in her life. She also took SSRIs (as I take them I can agree on their stabilising effects).

It's short and sweet, well written and I imagine quite cathartic to write.

I don't normally read memoirs, but I was drawn to Tuppence Middleton's Scorpions due to familiarity with her acting career and wasn't disappointed. In it she talks candidly, and with great humour, about her lifetime struggle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). An affliction she's been faced with on a daily basis since a childhood illness and visualises as a nest of scorpions that resides within her mind.

It's an ailment that's much misunderstood and often the butt of jokes and it's to be hoped that Middleton's candour about her personal experience leads to more open discussion and understanding of it.

Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House UK and the author for an advance copy.

Everyone calls it something different but I found myself really liking scorpions.

This is a necessary book, all too often those with OCD find ourselves explaining what it isn’t, and what it means to be terrified. It’s not always possible to take ‘jokes’ well.

The author is talented and certainly shows the reality whilst also showing how outrageously the effect can hit.

Excellent.

I knew immediately when I saw it that I wanted to read this book. I read it as soon as I got it, in one go, and I absolutely loved it. I don't think I've ever felt as seen by a book as this one, and it was really lovely to read about OCD in the form of a memoir.

The writing style is beautiful whilst still being simple and colloquial and easy to read. I loved the use of the scorpion metaphor. I think that this is an incredible book for anyone to read, and that it humanises and brings light to a condition that there's not a lot of true information about in popular culture and media.

4.5 stars, rounded down to 4