Synopsis: At first glances Amy seems like a well-adjusted, perfectly functional woman. Yes, she constantly cancels on plans last minute, but that just makes her unreliable. In reality, however, Amy is trying desperately to seem ‘normal’ so that no one realises just how much she struggles with everyday actions. It is not that she is unreliable, she is just unable to do the things she wants to.
The Existence of Amy follows Amy as she deals with everyday actions – getting on the bus, interacting with friends, going on a work trip – and shows the difficulty of trying to maintain an appearance of normality when these everyday actions can be a source of great distress. Because Amy suffers from OCD, but she does not want her friends to know that. She would rather suffer alone than have them think any less of her.
Review: This book is so insightful and touching. It does a really good job of exploring difficult issues in a sensitive manner with a portrayal of OCD that is as heart-breaking as it is informative.
Although the plot was quite simplistic, I thought it was really effective in portraying Amy’s life and the struggles she faces. Not very much happens in the story itself but I feel like this book doesn’t need it. Being inside Amy’s head as she deals with work, friends and generally life is more than enough to help drive the story. I usually like my books fast paced and filled with excitement, tension and/or suspense, and yet I was never bored reading this book. Instead, the pace of it allows you to truly feel for Amy and invest in her character.
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