I feel like I have so much to say about this book that my brain is numb. When I started this I had no idea it was autofiction. The premise sounded interesting and there was a talking cat; obviously I was sold.

Just overall this doesn't hold up as a story. It just... peters out at the end into a pathetic death of "but forget literally all 250 pages before this, I will be the bigger person, so haha." Because being a character in someone else's story is a "gift", which, sure however you wanna spin it so you can have the last word.

The entire mess of filial issues and family bonds and abuse that is brought to us on a platter in the first half of the book only to be ignored for the second half and then to end on "suddenly I appreciate this abusive and co-dependent relationship I've had with my family members and I suddenly feel so guilty for being distant with them because of it! Let me text them that I love them." Bruh, compartmentalize much?

There also was a severe lack of talking cat for something that is pitched to be one of the book's selling points. This is just opinion, but that section was so negligible that I'm not sure why it was included beyond showing the reader that the MC is writing this book via taking advice from her students, ergo: autofiction.

I still haven't read into the author's past about her cheating ex-husband and his book and whatnot, which is also not really worked through in this book either! It's mentioned a few times, cited as a point of anxiety and brought up sometimes before it's all turned on it's head so MC/author can get those bigger person brownie points. Eugh.