My Phantoms

Unsettlingly funny and sharply observant, My Phantoms follows academic Bridget as she reckons with a complicated relationship with her mother, Helen. With notes of Sally Rooney’s style in its tightly-written dialogue, the book is a subtle dance between two people who struggle to understand each other. The novel builds rich, nuanced characters although they’re not propped up by quite as much plot as some readers may be used to. It can feel hard to get into at first but you’ll be gripped once immersed in the characters’ worlds. My Phantoms is a dark, honest look at difficult family dynamics, where no character escapes without their flaws being examined, leading to a slow-burning unease with several tender moments.