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She Must Be Mad
‘Poetry meets mental health in Charly Cox’s brave and beautiful She Must Be Mad.’ Stylist Magazine
‘Reading this book made me feel less alone.’ Mashable
She Must be Mad explores coming-of-age: the pain and beauty of love, the relief and the agony of turning from girl to woman, the isolation of an untethered mind and the power and subjugation of the body.
Charly captures the formative experiences of today’s young women from the poignant to the prosaic in writing that is at once witty, wry and heartfelt. Wayward nights out that don’t go as planned; the righteous anger at those men with no talent or skill or smarts who occupy the most powerful positions in the world; the strange banality of madness and, of course, the hurt and indecision of unrequited love.
For every woman surviving and thriving in today’s world, for every girl who feels too much; this is a call for communion, and you are not alone.
‘Reading this book made me feel less alone.’ Mashable
She Must be Mad explores coming-of-age: the pain and beauty of love, the relief and the agony of turning from girl to woman, the isolation of an untethered mind and the power and subjugation of the body.
Charly captures the formative experiences of today’s young women from the poignant to the prosaic in writing that is at once witty, wry and heartfelt. Wayward nights out that don’t go as planned; the righteous anger at those men with no talent or skill or smarts who occupy the most powerful positions in the world; the strange banality of madness and, of course, the hurt and indecision of unrequited love.
For every woman surviving and thriving in today’s world, for every girl who feels too much; this is a call for communion, and you are not alone.
146 pages, Paperback
First published July 12, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 369 reviews
April 27, 2023
This is not a bad collection of poetry but it didn’t quite reach my expectations.
January 15, 2022
This is an unflinchingly honest collection of poetry. Masterfully nostalgic and sincere, a self-help manual in many ways, especially through her authenticity when braving mental health struggles.
The sections 'she must be mad' and 'she must be an adult' have some extremely profound writing.
Specifically, the pertinent 'wrong spaces' which perfectly encapsulates the throes of anxiety, 'kindness' - an ode to a simple antidote to collective wellbeing that's consistently overlooked, and 'seaweed - for grandad', a powerful and evocative piece that effortlessly captures the connections between our pasts and presents.
The sections 'she must be mad' and 'she must be an adult' have some extremely profound writing.
Specifically, the pertinent 'wrong spaces' which perfectly encapsulates the throes of anxiety, 'kindness' - an ode to a simple antidote to collective wellbeing that's consistently overlooked, and 'seaweed - for grandad', a powerful and evocative piece that effortlessly captures the connections between our pasts and presents.
November 18, 2018
THIS BOOK IS AMAZING
September 7, 2018
Despite the relatable topics and the easy language I could not get into this book at all. I found it to be a little pretentious and a little boring.
Taking into account her age, and perhaps lack of life experience I feel as though this book was trying to hard to be deep and relatable rather than being deep and relatable.
Also this may be controversial but there is a huge amount of this book dedicated to Cox's body issues. She frequently uses the word "fat" to describe herself. Doing one quick search will bring up her instagram which will show she is not now nor ever has been fat. I 100% understand that someone who is a size 0 can still feel fat. I just don't know what message this sends. When someone who is a size 2 claims to be fat to a huge audience what will they think of themselves? If a fan sees that she calls herself fat and the reader is a size 4 or higher what will this do to their image of themselves?
Body positivity is a big headline and focus right now. I feel like maybe the author was jumping on the popularity of this topic rather than being truthful or real. It came across as disingenuous and pretentious.
This is a very popular highly reviewed book. I just happen to be one of the few people who disliked it. It might be for you but it wasn't for me.
Taking into account her age, and perhaps lack of life experience I feel as though this book was trying to hard to be deep and relatable rather than being deep and relatable.
Also this may be controversial but there is a huge amount of this book dedicated to Cox's body issues. She frequently uses the word "fat" to describe herself. Doing one quick search will bring up her instagram which will show she is not now nor ever has been fat. I 100% understand that someone who is a size 0 can still feel fat. I just don't know what message this sends. When someone who is a size 2 claims to be fat to a huge audience what will they think of themselves? If a fan sees that she calls herself fat and the reader is a size 4 or higher what will this do to their image of themselves?
Body positivity is a big headline and focus right now. I feel like maybe the author was jumping on the popularity of this topic rather than being truthful or real. It came across as disingenuous and pretentious.
This is a very popular highly reviewed book. I just happen to be one of the few people who disliked it. It might be for you but it wasn't for me.
August 14, 2020
I don't read much poetry, and would in no way consider myself knowledgeable enough to rate a collection in terms of how 'good' it is. But what I do know, is that it's very rare that I find a poet I can fully understand, let alone connect with, but I felt both of these things whilst reading this collection.
I wouldn't go as far as to suggest she's 'social media's answer to Carol Ann Duffy', but I think these poems will definitely appeal to many a millennial. Themes of love, mental health, body image, and even in one case - Trump, fill out this collection of poems ranging in form from traditional verse, to prose poetry.
Irregardless of this being a collection of poetry, I think this would appeal to fans of people like Lena Dunham, Caitlin Moran and Dolly Alderton. I've never read Rupi Kaur, but I would take a punt that fans of hers will like Charly Cox too.
Thank you to HQ for providing an ebook copy through Netgalley for an honest opinion.
I wouldn't go as far as to suggest she's 'social media's answer to Carol Ann Duffy', but I think these poems will definitely appeal to many a millennial. Themes of love, mental health, body image, and even in one case - Trump, fill out this collection of poems ranging in form from traditional verse, to prose poetry.
Irregardless of this being a collection of poetry, I think this would appeal to fans of people like Lena Dunham, Caitlin Moran and Dolly Alderton. I've never read Rupi Kaur, but I would take a punt that fans of hers will like Charly Cox too.
Thank you to HQ for providing an ebook copy through Netgalley for an honest opinion.
July 22, 2018
Strangely I just didn’t connect with this poetry, despite the themes being relatable.
July 31, 2021
i bought this in london a few years ago and finally got around to reading it. some of the poems were great and some were eh, but overall very relatable as a woman
March 22, 2020
Great on audio. Hearing Charly read her own poems, written between ages 16 and 22 was a moving experience. As she struggles with anxiety and depression, being uncomfortable in her body, experiencing heartbreaks and self doubt, it felt familiar. It’s a long time since I was her age, but I’m not sure some of us ever lose those feelings completely. I love that she quotes “our lord savior” Britney Spears in her introduction- “I’m not a girl, not yet a woman”....
August 31, 2020
Minha primeira experiencia de livro de poemas em audiobook. Não sei se gostei muito. Acho que pra mim poesia tem mais impacto quando estou lendo e não ouvindo ser lida.
O sotaque britânico da autora é maravilhoso. Não foi uma experiencia ruim, só não me impactou muito.
Ps: o titulo do livro ‘she must be mad’ o MAD eu achava que tinha haver com raiva. Tipo she must be angry!! mad!!! Mas nao. Mad nesse caso vem de louca, insana. Acho que do esteriotipo da mulher histerica. Esse mal entendido que eu fiz com o titulo me atrapalhou na leitura porque achei que seriam poemas raivosos, mas na verdade a maioria tem haver com saude mental.
O sotaque britânico da autora é maravilhoso. Não foi uma experiencia ruim, só não me impactou muito.
Ps: o titulo do livro ‘she must be mad’ o MAD eu achava que tinha haver com raiva. Tipo she must be angry!! mad!!! Mas nao. Mad nesse caso vem de louca, insana. Acho que do esteriotipo da mulher histerica. Esse mal entendido que eu fiz com o titulo me atrapalhou na leitura porque achei que seriam poemas raivosos, mas na verdade a maioria tem haver com saude mental.
May 6, 2020
re-reading this felt like coming home. i love it so so much. still perfection
February 9, 2022
3,5 Stars
I really really liked it, but i just felt more connected to her other poetry collection
I really really liked it, but i just felt more connected to her other poetry collection
December 12, 2022
"Love is also continued frustration. It’s anger. It’s hurting. It’s denying it for months and only seeing its presence, for the first time, in a memory. It is not always just the butterfly chase that you expected. Sometimes it’s also resentment. It’s embarrassment. It’s putting all of your dreams on hold, totally swept in not realising. It’s endurance."
September 2, 2018
SHE MUST BE MAD was fun to read and had pretty easy language to follow. Also, the themes are totally fitting for women and girls in today's society. Overall, for a non-poetry reader like me (I mean seriously, I just generally don't understand poetry), 3 stars is pretty darn good!
November 28, 2021
Although these seemed like they would be relatable, there were only one or 2 poems that I really connected with. Most of them were just ok for me. My favourite section was She Must Be Mad and my least favourite was she must be in love.
January 14, 2023
3.5 because when it hits, it hits hard
March 21, 2020
"Your mind is biased
And your brain is blind
There's still a store of strength
Left in you to find"
I have no words. Cox has somehow encaptured every inexplicable emotion, experience and intimate thought I've encountered as a young woman and delineated them with such earnest accuracy that I felt my heart pang on each line. Sublime. Five Stars.
some of my favs include:
◦ rosie cheeks
◦ funny
◦ all I wanted was some toast
◦ mind pt. 2
◦ wrigley's extra
◦ adult
◦ seaweed - for grandad
And your brain is blind
There's still a store of strength
Left in you to find"
I have no words. Cox has somehow encaptured every inexplicable emotion, experience and intimate thought I've encountered as a young woman and delineated them with such earnest accuracy that I felt my heart pang on each line. Sublime. Five Stars.
some of my favs include:
◦ rosie cheeks
◦ funny
◦ all I wanted was some toast
◦ mind pt. 2
◦ wrigley's extra
◦ adult
◦ seaweed - for grandad
October 5, 2019
just trash.
i could not take this stuff seriously no matter how hard i tried. calling this book "social media's answer to carol ann duffy" is nothing short of a sick joke. and writing poetry about mental illness and heartbreak etc with the rhyme scheme and structure of a children's piece by john hegley feels like an actual insult.
don't waste your time on this.
i could not take this stuff seriously no matter how hard i tried. calling this book "social media's answer to carol ann duffy" is nothing short of a sick joke. and writing poetry about mental illness and heartbreak etc with the rhyme scheme and structure of a children's piece by john hegley feels like an actual insult.
don't waste your time on this.
December 29, 2019
You've gotta be mad to read this.
Got this as a Kindle deal for 99 cents. I didn't enjoy it. It has a few good lines in it but overall it drags badly. I skimmed towards the end. The writing feels like a teenager wrote it and thought they were oh so witty and deep, especially the prose sections.
Don't believe the hype, and just pass it on by. It's dreadful and reeks of self publishing.
Got this as a Kindle deal for 99 cents. I didn't enjoy it. It has a few good lines in it but overall it drags badly. I skimmed towards the end. The writing feels like a teenager wrote it and thought they were oh so witty and deep, especially the prose sections.
Don't believe the hype, and just pass it on by. It's dreadful and reeks of self publishing.
January 12, 2019
3.5-ish
July 25, 2019
wish i could’ve given it a half star rating but 🤷🏻♀️
July 27, 2021
Millennial poetry :(
May 23, 2019
I don’t think I’ve ever connected with poetry as much as this before. This poetry collection really tugged at my heartstrings, as well as making me laugh so, so much. So beautiful. Some poems are breezy, some are dark and deep, but all of them are very memorable and impressively well written. Nothing to convoluted, but all intricate in their simplicity. If you want a book to ease you into poetry, I would definitely recommend this one. If you are already a poetry fanatic: how have you not read this yet?!
January 7, 2021
"She must be mad but my god she's brave too."
I don't think I really get poetry. But there were some poems in this collection that really spoke to me and my experiences, so much that I cried. Will definitely revisit some of my faves throughout my life.
I don't think I really get poetry. But there were some poems in this collection that really spoke to me and my experiences, so much that I cried. Will definitely revisit some of my faves throughout my life.
November 1, 2021
absolutely amazing 😯
April 23, 2024
Ik moet toegeven dat ik niet alle gedichten zo goed begreep, maar er zaten er toch een paar hele goede tussen.
February 14, 2019
This book of poetry and prose is divided into four parts/themes. However I feel like this is the biggest downfall. While Charly has a great rhythm (unusual in the era of instagram/tumblr poetry) the themes of the imposed four parts appear equally. It just sort of felt clunky but that's really the only fault.
There's a nice use of language. Again, a great sense of rhythm. The themes touched on are very universal for younger women today (and teens even).
Enjoyable.
There's a nice use of language. Again, a great sense of rhythm. The themes touched on are very universal for younger women today (and teens even).
Enjoyable.
September 24, 2018
“Nothing drives me more crazy/ Than the breaks of feeling sane.”
There were definitely some poems I connected to more than others. I liked the smaller poems more than the prose pieces. It was good to see poems about weight and self confidence although some of them I think the phrasing could have been chosen a little wiser. Still it was a good topic to bring up.
There were definitely some poems I connected to more than others. I liked the smaller poems more than the prose pieces. It was good to see poems about weight and self confidence although some of them I think the phrasing could have been chosen a little wiser. Still it was a good topic to bring up.
September 29, 2018
Funnily enough, my favourite bits of this book were the prose parts, rather than the poetry. Charly really has a way with words.
June 5, 2022
Gonna give this a 3.5 stars I think...
Wanted to read some poetry to see if it was something I would be interested in. I'm not sure I'd rush to read another poetry collection tbh but I did enjoy this one.
This was split into different sections titled:
"she must be in love"
"she must be mad"
"she must be fat"
and "she must be an adult".
I did not enjoy the section "she must be fat", whilst I understand that the writer seems to have struggled with body image etc. but it felt very negative and I didn't really vibe with it.
My personal fave section was "she must be an adult", which felt more relatable than the other sections and finished the book nicely.
Extra note!
I think perhaps now was a good time to read this as I'm kinda out of my sad girl winter era, and feel just generally better about things in the summer so some of the poems I read still had an affect on me, but kind of in a way which is reflective of feelings I'm not feeling right now. Perhaps reading this at another point where I've felt not great would have been a bit triggering and maybe caused a mental breakdown lol. So I think I read this at a good time? Was this an overshare? Probably.
Anyway, liked the book, still not into poetry though. soz xx
Wanted to read some poetry to see if it was something I would be interested in. I'm not sure I'd rush to read another poetry collection tbh but I did enjoy this one.
This was split into different sections titled:
"she must be in love"
"she must be mad"
"she must be fat"
and "she must be an adult".
I did not enjoy the section "she must be fat", whilst I understand that the writer seems to have struggled with body image etc. but it felt very negative and I didn't really vibe with it.
My personal fave section was "she must be an adult", which felt more relatable than the other sections and finished the book nicely.
Extra note!
I think perhaps now was a good time to read this as I'm kinda out of my sad girl winter era, and feel just generally better about things in the summer so some of the poems I read still had an affect on me, but kind of in a way which is reflective of feelings I'm not feeling right now. Perhaps reading this at another point where I've felt not great would have been a bit triggering and maybe caused a mental breakdown lol. So I think I read this at a good time? Was this an overshare? Probably.
Anyway, liked the book, still not into poetry though. soz xx
Displaying 1 - 30 of 369 reviews