A book on heartbreak that (unintentionally) makes me appreciate Islam

Book Review Dolly Alderton – Good Material

Like many, I have been ugly crying watching One Day. And because I clearly wasn’t ready to leave behind the self inflicted broken heart with a dose torturous angst, I picked up Dolly Alderton’s Good Material.

Good Material follows Andy, a not so successful comic in his mid thirties who has been abruptly dumped by the love of his life, Jen. We follow his descent into madness as he navigates this sudden loss. The book, hilariously but movingly, tells the story of Andy’s grief, confusion and his attempt to put the pieces of his life back together again.

This book left me with the same gratitude for Islam in the way that Normal People did. Because, looking from the outside in, navigating relationships where real commitment is neglected, where chemistry is pedestalised and compatibility an afterthought, seems agonizing. The heartbreak of multiple breakups in one short lifetime seems like a torture our fragile souls were not intended for. It made me appreciate the way Islam really does provide guidance and protection, in a way that our soft hearts need.

Having said that, I, unexpectedly, enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the humour, the reflections of love, the mundaneness of life, the yearning for self actualisation, the complacency that comes with long term love, the resentment borne of leaving one’s own hopes and dreams at the bottom of the list, the slow torture of saying goodbye, the loneliness of rejection...you get the gist.

Overall, I would recommend.