I Meant It Once

Kate Doyle's debut collection, I Meant It Once, explores the emotions of longing, belonging, and the complexities of young adulthood. The stories are perceptive, funny, and relatable, capturing the struggles and uncertainties of being young and adrift in today's world. The collection is praised for its crystalline prose and sly humor, and for its profoundly recognizable portrait of early adulthood.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 07 September 2023
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

I Meant It Once is a captivating exploration of longing, belonging, and the profound emotions that can make us feel insignificant. Authored by Coco Mellors, the novel showcases an extraordinary elegance and depth in its portrayal of these themes.

The writing is gorgeously crafted, and the honesty is staggering. It will captivate readers from the very first page and hold them spellbound until the last.

Tess Gunty, author of The Rabbit Hutch, praises I Meant It Once as "beautifully written and staggeringly honest." She describes it as a work that will bewitch readers with its captivating storytelling.

Brandon Taylor, author of Booker Prize Finalist Real Life, also heralds I Meant It Once as the arrival of a major talent and a distinctive voice. He praises the author's ability to create compelling and relatable characters.

I was utterly enthralled by the stories within this debut collection. Kate Doyle has masterfully captured the essence of a specific time in young women's lives, when nostalgia for past relationships intertwines with the anticipation of an uncertain future. In "That Is Shocking," a college student shares a darkly humorous tale of romantic humiliation, while also exploring the parallel story of a friend she betrayed. Other stories delve into the longing for friends who have moved away or moved on, highlighting the complexities of young women's relationships.

Within these tales, young women embark on a quest to break free from the expectations imposed upon them by others and find their place in the world. The prose is crystalline, and the humor is sly, adding depth and complexity to the characters and their journeys.

The stories in I Meant It Once gradually unfold, culminating in a profoundly recognizable portrait of early adulthood. Mellors skillfully weaves seemingly incidental moments into the fabric of the narrative, shaping the stories that we tell ourselves. This novel resonates with fans of Elif Batuman, Ottessa Moshfegh, and Patricia L.

Weight: 258g
Dimension: 136 x 216 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781472158796